I think it is important to promote trust and friendship with our Iranian partners. Something which I think is a good thing are cultural and education exchange programmes. This is an open ended poll. Kindly discuss what approaches you think would be best to promote trust and eventually friendship with the Iranians.
We're not pals, and we're not going to be pals. But we can improve the relationship. Nothing against exchange programs, look how well they worked with Russia. It would help if we stopped funding terror groups inside Iran. IOW, stop shoving dictators down their throats, getting other countries to go to war against them, funding terrorism. You know, stop being Republican.
I understand and can agree with your apprehension on the issue. Thank you for reaching out with a well thought out reply. I would say that many Republicans (of which I am one) have a pragmatic foreign policy. As long as the pragmatic approach wins through, then the situation will be positive.
In the past you said that unless Iran recognizes Israel, kills its leaders, and opens its oil fields to American corporations, Iran should be destroyed. have you changed your view on Iran?
Thank you for your question, Ronstar. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to address it. I am now in opposition to such views. Ultimately, I would like mutual recognition between Israel and Iran -- but as an end goal, not some form of coercion. I do foresee oil field business between the USA and Iran, but on a consensual basis, not a forced basis. To answer your question directly.... yes, my views are now different to before.
Foreign affairs academics were talking about the potential for a major conflict in the ME way back in the 70s. Cheney pushed it forward a generation. Gee, thanks. What most don't get is that since president Cheney screwed the pooch, we've been dancing on dynamite.
The general problem is the history between USA and Iran, starting with raise of Ayatollahs Khomeini with the kick out of any US institutions and finally occupation and hostages of US embassy members. We all know the story following this up to today ... but we have to be open minded to it too! This history has like a coin 2 sides and not only the side of "bad Iran" only! The other side shows a bad USA too of a CIA backing and training the Terror regime of the Shah, a unscrupulously behavior of US Oil Companies, a unscrupulously policy of the US in general who made Iran to a vassal of the US only. Aside the nuclear case and issue now, Iran is an important party in the ME and can't be further ignored. Much of the Anti Israel behavior is propaganda too, but of course people have to be awake that it went not to become more as such propaganda. Israel itself is nuclear armed too and so not defenseless aside their conventional superiority they still have. We must only take a look on the current ISIS problem and must see that there are only 2 real opponents to them: The Kurds and the Shiites! All other who are fighting ISIS are using Air Strikes only and / or deliver weapons and military advisors to the Kurds (as for example Germany). The Iraqi Army which is full equipped with US weapons + what is left over from Saddam age failed utterly to fight ISIS and Iraq felt to ISIS only not, because Shiite militia ... and they are backed by Iran at least! Further ... no wondering why Iran was always so silence in matter of Afghanistan when the so hated USA and their allies are fighting Taliban since 2001? Reason is simple: Taliban were and are always like a red rag for Iran. The US policies of Obama is smart at least and cleans up the old arrogance of US politics. Sure, people in the US and West were taught since 35 years that Iran is center of evil, what was in part valid too, but times are changing and to end old hostilities is the first way. This is hard to understand for many people as you all can read in all these critical threads about atomic agreement ... but please wake up: In practice US and Iran are closer working as you know ... or do you really think that Iran hold still for Afghanistan because fear for the USA? Do you really think that US is only incompetent when allowing to raise Shiite power in Iraq backed by Iran?
It's impossible to be "friends" with Iran. They would slit the throat of anyone who crosses them. It's a ruthless, immoral regime. It would be like the Chicago police trying to become friends with Al Capone.
1. Your delusional to think Iran can be trusted. Where do you come across that they are our partners? 2. I guess you think we should be sending our kids over their so they can be schooled in one of their madrassas? I'm sure they would like to send their kids to some of our military academies. I can just see one of their kids who has been here for awhile and going back saying to the Ayatollah "Hey look at the new dance I learned". To them we are the great Satan or did you forget? 3. We bomb their military sites and take out their religious leadership and then maybe the people can elect leaders who will be more friendly. I guess you forgot about the 52 Americans held hostage for 444 days by the Students of the Iman. I guess you forgot about the Iran sponsored 1983 Embassy bombing that killed 17 americans. I guess you forgot about the Iran sponsored 1983 Beirut bombing that killed 241 americans I guess the Iran sponsored "Khobar Towers" bombing has slipped your mind. I guess you forgot about Iran's complicity in the destruction of the "Twin Towers" and the attack on the Pentagon. .
Thank you for reaching out. I agree with a great deal of what you say. Our historical relationship with the Iranians has been volatile to say the least. The Iranians have been complicit in a great deal of terror directed towards us -- you are absolutely correct. I am someone who subscribes to the notion of national interests shifting over time. It is now in our national interest to partner with the Iranians on several issues. I am not advocating an overnight friendship per se, but a gradual process of trust-building in order to facilitate the maximization of the American national interest. You are right to be angry about Iran. I am too.
Thank you for contributing to this thread. I appreciate your input. I do agree with the sentiment of your post, particularly in respect of the former president, Ahmadinejad. I view the current regime as more pragmatic and malleable. They, through their actions, have expressed a willingness to engage on a diplomatic basis. Both sides have clearly identified some common national interests. I do agree with your sentiment that we need to tread carefully with the Iranians. But at least the relationship is currently on a positive trajectory.
And for them you = the USA are the great Satan and this is not unreasoned with view on history! The USA did much worse to them too … only one of a bunch of examples is the shot down of an Airliner by the US Navy. Even this was an accident, it was done by the USA! You show in your post a real American arrogance against anything else in the world what is not fitting for your morality and ideology … but you demand that all respect yours! Usual BS jabbering of who is against us should go to hell! Sure, any claim that Iran is a full democracy country will be not correct, but hey … there are so many others where the US gives a crap on it, important is only that the regime is friendly! But will be interesting if an election brings back the survived leadership to power by the will of the people! Maybe a penalty bombing as reaction, because population set mark on wrong place on voting document? This part of your post shows that you have even not a spark of clue and that you are only jabbering BS! I guess you forgot that the Iranian Secret Service under the Shah before Khomeini was trained and backed by the CIA … as well the CIA was directly involved in torturing any oppositional persons who were against the terror regime and so the US has only here still much blood of innocents on the hands … still before the Iranian Revolution broke out! I guess you forgot that the CIA with HQ in the Embassy tried to make Counter-Revolution to bring back the Shah on power … AND THIS was confirmed by the documents the Iran covered in the embassy, as well it gave evidence that the CIA was involved in several assassinations on religious leaders who were against the Shah! I guess you forgot that Lebanon was in 1983 a full war zone of several groups fighting each other and all were backed by someone. Hezbollah was backed by Iran and only this backed the bombing of Hezbollah positions by US Forces in Lebanon. There was not only 1 terror organization in Lebanon in 1983 ... but only 1 who was directly fought by the US and claimed to be guilty for all and bombed for it - Hezbollah! Any wondering that they react the way they did on this one sided rating without giving up to the USA? I guess you are totally out of the tracks when you claim now that in bombing of Khobar Towers was Iran involved! Hello? Al Qaida = Sunni part of Islam and fighting Shiites = Iran! Same nonsense as when I claim that USA helped Russian Forces to invade Crimean Peninsula! As still told … Al Qaida = Sunni and Iran = Shiite is fighting them too, but you claim now the total BS that Iran was involved in 9/11? Lol! Aside this … this gangster President Bush junior claimed in 2002 that Saddam in Iraq was involved … what was utterly BS and lie too, because Al Qaida had announced war to him too. Now it was the Iran! You make my day … maybe it was North Korea, Venezuela, China or any other country in opposition to the USA too? You know that this is called paranoia?
Iran is a GREAT nation with an outstanding history of contributing to human betterment. It must be left in peace and all warmongering nations like Israel and the USA need to stop harassing it. Furthermore, restitution must be given to its people for all the oil stolen from it.
The US cannot be trusted. Our word is worthless. For we have a great lack of integrity in DC. These are the men, and the two parties that sold the working class and the middle class out, in the interest of the rich, who finances their campaigns, so that they can keep their prestiqe, power and position. I would trust a confidence man sooner than trusting the US Oligarchy. Just use the latest example, the democrat Obama. He talked of many things, on being transparency, and yet he has been the least transparent. If the mouth is moving, you know they are lying. The GOP is just as bad, if not worse. How in the hell can you trust a gov't that refuses to represent the American people? How can you trust men who do not give us a gov't by and for the people, but a gov't by and for a small group of very rich people? You cannot trust them. If the American working man cannot trust this gov't, how in the world can iran trust them?
not threatening them with genocide and destruction, is a good start. btw, the President of Iran wished the Jewish People of the world, a Happy New Year.
I wasn't joking. http://news.yahoo.com/irans-preside...5cXVuBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwM2BHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg-- "TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iran's President Hassan Rouhani sent greetings to the Jewish people on the occasion of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year. Early Monday morning, Rouhani's Twitter account posted the message, "May our shared Abrahamic roots deepen respect and bring peace and mutual understanding. L'Shanah Tovah."
As long as we're allies with Israel, any relationship with Iran will always be tenuous. Granted, our closeness with Israel does few favors for us when communicating with most Muslim nations in general.
