Ayatollah blasts US for... Note to Ayatolla: You are next

[Jeslek]

Iran's Khamenei blasts U.S. for "war and death"

TEHRAN, July 20 (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the United States on Saturday of double standards, saying it spread "war and death" while pressuring others on human rights and elections.

U.S. criticism of Iran, branded by President George W. Bush as part of an "axis of evil," has enraged Iranian conservatives, wary of U.S. troops in Afghanistan to the east and nervously eyeing a possible U.S. attack on Iraq to the west.

"America on one hand, has spread the shadow of war and death in the region, threatening officially to overthrow the people and government of Iran and cries out democracy and people's right to elections, freedoms and progress on the other," said Khamenei, the most powerful figure in Iran.

Tens of thousands of Iranians, chanting "Death to America, death to George Bush," took to the streets on Friday to condemn a July 12 statement by Bush in support of Iranian students calling for reform.

"Your unsparing presence in the rallies in millions, under the burning sun, proved to the world that the great Iranian nation will not retreat from the path along which it has gone," state television quoted Khamenei as saying.

He also dismissed talk among Iranian reformists that Tehran had missed a chance to open talks while former U.S. President Bill Clinton was in office. While Clinton made a number of overtures to Iran, his successor Bush has taken a hardline.

"All factions ruling the United States in the past 10 years have shared the common goal of dominating Iran though they have been following up on their objective by genocide at one time and peace-seeking and human rights at other times," he said.

The Bush administration has accused Iran of developing weapons of mass destruction, supporting international terrorism and harbouring al Qaeda and Taliban fighters fleeing neighbouring Afghanistan - all charges Iran denies.

SOURCE: http://channels.netscape.com/ns/news/ns/story.jsp?floc=FF-PLS-PLS&id=404167889&dt=20020720090600&w=RTR&coview=

Ayatollah Kamenei must start felling the heat...

 

[Bink]

Of course President Bush has double standards. Anyone can see that. It's easy for us to joke about it, whilst sitting on this side of the fence, because those double standards don't impact heavily on our lives and countries. The situation is otherwise for the Middle East.

The Bush administration cries freedom and democracy, yet leans heavily on the Palistine ellections, making a mockery of what was supposed to be a democratic system. No one likes to be manipulated, and same goes for countries and governments. Other world leaders have seen this and do not stand with the Bush administration and it's actions in that situation.

I'm not sure if it's the Bush administrations place to "police" the world of countries developing weapons of mass destruction. To me that sounds like the pot calling the kettle black. The Bush administration has been cut a lot of slack, being "allowed" to take such a pre-emptive approach to the situation. But sooner or later, they'll need to step it back a notch or a lot of countries are going to be getting very defensive, which brings us to Irans situation.

 

[Jeslek]

I'm not sure if it's the Bush administrations place to "police" the world of countries developing weapons of mass destruction. To me that sounds like the pot calling the kettle black. The Bush administration has been cut a lot of slack, being "allowed" to take such a pre-emptive approach to the situation. But sooner or later, they'll need to step it back a notch or a lot of countries are going to be getting very defensive, which brings us to Irans situation.

You are forgetting one thing.... As a Sovereign Nation, we have the right to declare war, and to declare peace with any other nation. If we want to check up on a country's weapons of mass destruction, we don't need the world's permission. That goes for any other country for that matter. I certainly will not stick my nose into the situation if Australia made a declaration of war. Nations are sovereign, and they can rule themselves. If the world does not like it, well, deal with it. In the past if some country did something which another country didn't like, they waged war. What they DID NOT do is complain to the rest of the world about how unfair it is.

 

[Gonz]

Not in defense of Prez Dubya but I don't see a double standard. EVERY country in the world asks for something from America. If you'd like our money or a free-trade agreement or something else, then we stick our nose in your business.

 

[Bink]

If what the rest of the world thinks about the Bush administrations actions doesn't matter, why is President Bush so eager to rally world leaders behind him? Because it does matter, and stepping on your allies toes is not wise for a world leader. Allies to the US more often then not, have a military role to play in anything the US initiates, as they are obliged to do. So why shouldn't allies to the US have anything to say about it?

What eats at me, is how anyone can think of declaring war against another soveriegn nation, which has not made itself a threat, or provoked an attack, yet at the same time so strongly and completely defend all concept of freedom and democracy, free from persecution? This is just one double standard. If the US would cease to contradict itself, then perhaps the world wouldn't have so much to complain about.'

Now this is a touchy subject, I don't doubt it, but I speak of it with all respect to all involved. This is just my oppinion, which at the end of the day means precisely dick to the worldly working of things