The Real Fight
President Obama pointed out: “The easiest way for reactionary forces inside Iran to crush reformers is to say it’s the U.S. that is encouraging those reformers. So what I’ve said is, look, it’s up to the Iranian people to make a decision. We are not meddling, and, you know, ultimately the question that the leadership in Iran has to answer is their own credibility in the eyes of the Iranian people. And when you have got 100,000 people who are out on the streets peacefully protesting, and they’re having to be scattered through violence and gunshots, what that tells me is the Iranian people are not convinced of the legitimacy of the election.”
Some Democrats and Republicans have been critical of the following statement by Obama: “I think, first of all, it’s important to understand that although there is amazing ferment taking place in Iran, that the difference between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi in terms of their actual policies may not be as great as has been advertised.”
Our President is correct, because either way we are going to be dealing with an Iranian regime that has historically been hostile to the United States, one that is pursuing nuclear weapons and has caused problems in Middle East.
Former CIA field officer, Robert Baer concludes: “I think the real fight doesn’t even include Mousavi and Ahmadinejad. Ahmadinejad is president, but his powers are limited. What this is really is a power struggle between Khamenei, the spiritual leader, and the old line guard that came with Khamenei, in particular the former president, Rafsanjani.”
According to Baer, Khamenei is not actually an ayatollah. Therefore, has limited legitimacy in Iran. He does controls the military and secret police, and if the elections were rigged, it was Khamenei who rigged them, not Ahmadinejad. Ahmadinejad might be sacrificed, but the real prize is Khamenei’s position as the spiritual leader. There are rumors that former president Rafsanjani is in Shiite Islam’s holy city of Qom, planning to overthrow Khamenei.
Few Americans actually understand the nuances of the demonstrations in Iran or what is really at stake. If these demonstrations continue, Khamenei could fall and this would mean, that there are significant internal divisions.
Some Democrats and Republicans have been critical of the following statement by Obama: “I think, first of all, it’s important to understand that although there is amazing ferment taking place in Iran, that the difference between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi in terms of their actual policies may not be as great as has been advertised.”
Our President is correct, because either way we are going to be dealing with an Iranian regime that has historically been hostile to the United States, one that is pursuing nuclear weapons and has caused problems in Middle East.
Former CIA field officer, Robert Baer concludes: “I think the real fight doesn’t even include Mousavi and Ahmadinejad. Ahmadinejad is president, but his powers are limited. What this is really is a power struggle between Khamenei, the spiritual leader, and the old line guard that came with Khamenei, in particular the former president, Rafsanjani.”
According to Baer, Khamenei is not actually an ayatollah. Therefore, has limited legitimacy in Iran. He does controls the military and secret police, and if the elections were rigged, it was Khamenei who rigged them, not Ahmadinejad. Ahmadinejad might be sacrificed, but the real prize is Khamenei’s position as the spiritual leader. There are rumors that former president Rafsanjani is in Shiite Islam’s holy city of Qom, planning to overthrow Khamenei.
Few Americans actually understand the nuances of the demonstrations in Iran or what is really at stake. If these demonstrations continue, Khamenei could fall and this would mean, that there are significant internal divisions.
posted by Jim O'Leary | 12:11 AM
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