Iranians may be ready to vote Ahmadinejad out of power

Could very well happen. One other thing that hasn't really been discussed in regards to US-Iran relations is that this probably has changed many Americans' view of Iran and their people. I think it was easy to see Iranians and the occasional "Death to America" chant and make the Iranian people our enemy. Now, it changes that dynamic. However this plays out, the Iranian people mostly become our allies, with the gov't remaining our enemy. It will be interesting to see if that changes any of our policy stances. "Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran" for example probably would have less popular support today than a month ago.

 

Reminds me of this video from the Daily Show...

<table style='font:11px arial; color:#333; background-color:#f5f5f5' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='360' height='353'><tbody><tr style='background-color:#e5e5e5' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;'><a target='_blank' style='color:#333; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.thedailyshow.com/'>The Daily Show With Jon Stewart</a></td><td style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; text-align:right; font-weight:bold;'>Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c</td></tr><tr style='height:14px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;' colspan='2'><a target='_blank' style='color:#333; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=230687&title=jason-jones-behind-the-veil'>Jason Jones: Behind the Veil - Minarets of Menace</a></td></tr><tr style='height:14px; background-color:#353535' valign='middle'><td colspan='2' style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; width:360px; overflow:hidden; text-align:right'><a target='_blank' style='color:#96deff; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.thedailyshow.com/'>thedailyshow.com</a></td></tr><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><embed style='display:block' src='http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:230687' width='360' height='301' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' wmode='window' allowFullscreen='true' flashvars='autoPlay=false' allowscriptaccess='always' allownetworking='all' bgcolor='#000000'></embed></td></tr><tr style='height:18px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><table style='margin:0px; text-align:center' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='100%' height='100%'><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/index.jhtml'>Daily Show<br/> Full Episodes</a></td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.indecisionforever.com'>Political Humor</a></td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/?searchterm=jason+jones'>Jason Jones in Iran</a></td></tr></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

 

That is the ONLY way I see anything approaching a revolution happening. That is pretty much the only way to overthrow a modern well-established regime like Iran's.

Even if the regular army deserts, I can easily imagine a civil war first before any major regime change happens. The basijis and the revolutionary corps are still all powerful and better trained than the regular military, I am guessing they have access to some secret stash of weaponry somewhere too. The Mullahs are quite ingenious, they knew what they were doing why they created the parallel military structure because they could not trust the regular standing army inherited from the Shah.

Am I wrong here?

 

I brought it up earlier in this thread. Over the past couple of years when opinions of Iran's nukes we discussed, I've always been against bombing them because Iran has gradually and radically changed over the last 30 years without most of America realizing it. I've said that Iran is a natural ally of America against extremists like Al Qaeda and, over time, their government would eventually be more reflective of the views of Iranians. Ever since India and Pakistan went nuclear and ended up garnering the respect that comes with it, Iran wants the same exact thing.

These recent events have shown America that Iran isn't just a bunch of fanatics who's favorite chant is "death to America". They actually admire us to a large extent and want good, productive, non-adversarial relations. Now perhaps our country as a whole can take a deep breath and re-evaluate the potential of Iran. Over the next 5-10 years, just think about how things could monumentally change in the region if such a key country was "flipped to our side" over time. The Arab countries and Israel would just have to deal with it, though Israel would accept our friendship with Iran if their own tensions with them were reduced.

I dream of the day we can drop an "ally" like the sorry mess known as Saudi Arabia and replace them with Iran.

 

Someone needs to slap that Supreme Commander punk!

 

To bad that all of the people The Daily Show interviewed to "prove" this are now in jail or the hospital.

 

oops n stuff

 

If you'd been paying attention we didn't invade Iraq because their govt. was weak and crappy.

There were things we haven't liked about Iraq for some time. But of course the problems "caused" by the nations of the middle east also happened for "some reasons"

 

Perhaps Vernon Maxwell is up to the task.

 

Iran would be better off if he were dead.

Too bad there is no way to tell the normal military over there that if they overthrow that government we would support them in setting up a true republic.

DD

 

One problem with US and Iranian relations was that so many people bought into such cartoonish depictions of Iran and its people. It doesn't take much to find out that Iran is more than black turbaned Mullahs threatening to kill Salaman Rushdie.

I agree with you that Iran is and has been a country that the US could work with. While there are sharp differences there are many areas of mutual interests that we could work with them on. Even with a Mouseveni or Khatami though I don't think Iran would be a very strong ally but I could see a relationship like we have with the PRC where we while we oppose each other on some issues do so respectfully and cooperate on other issues.

 

do you disagree or are you just playing the typical neocon jackass?

 

This situation is just very sad and makes me grateful for what we have here in America no matter how dissatisfied we are with our government. Those people in Iran have it worst than us.

CNN showed some pictures of Neda. Thank god they did because that video disturbed me greatly. RIP.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationw...oltan-pictures,0,5241125.photogallery?index=1

 

I still have not heard from my friend since the crackdown. Last message I received was he was being shot at.

Those basij bastards deserve death.

 

Could you get in touch with his family?

 

I did a double post.

 

well i guess it is i who looks like a jackass

 

The relationship would grow over time. Initially, it would mostly be a matter of reducing hostilities, breaking down barriers and gaining a little trust. Eventually, I would expect more collaboration with Iran than China. The U.S. has no chance to be allies with China because they are such strategic global rivals and other reasons. But as Iran takes its rightful place after being locked up for 30 years, I could see them becoming an actual ally in the next 10 years. Slow process.

 

He'd hit the Supreme Commander with a Supreme Free Weight.

 

I would bet lots of money that you have never ventured outside the USA (other than Mexico, maybe) and that you know nothing about other countries and other cultures. Other than some of the corrupt leadership, these people are just like you and me. China is the same way. You may go over there and feel like you are on a different planet, but those people, when it comes down to it are just like you and I. Until you experience that, my guess is that you'll continue to make idiotic comments like this one.