Comments on: Does Rafsanjani have the votes to oust Khamenei?

By: Hot Air » Blog Archive » Iranian opposition call for referendum on Khamenei’s legitimacy

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:16:05 +0000

[...] can oust Khamenei and take his place — and give Ahmadinejad the boot as well. Last month, a couple of reports put Rafsanjani within reach of that goal, but not realistically able to conduct a wide-ranging [...]

By: fireweednectar

fireweednectar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:03:02 +0000

Endangered species? God, I hope so.

By: profitsbeard

profitsbeard — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:00:58 +0000

Mahmoud may be in Zurich with a suitcase full of loot before the discontent ends.

By: blatantblue

blatantblue — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:52:27 +0000

Debbie Schlussel on June 24, 2009 at 9:37 PM

I’ve watched you become a very aggressive, angry person over time.

It’s been a sad spiral.

By: daesleeper

daesleeper — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:56:15 +0000

More importantly…is his approval rating at least as high as Obamas?

By: Dollayo

Dollayo — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:50:55 +0000

Trust me, at $25 a barrel, he won’t be declaring that the Holocaust was a myth anymore.

Friedman is so naive about the Mullah’s ideology it’s embarrassing. Hey Tom, they actually believe it is a myth.

By: AnninCA

AnninCA — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:48:23 +0000

It’s a fascinating story. One thing is certain. Things have changed in Iran.

By: aengus

aengus — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:17:07 +0000

It is not only, or even primarily, about Rafsanjani and Mousavi and Khatami.

Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.

MB4 on June 24, 2009 at 10:06 PM

I know. The linked article comes out in favour of Israel supporting the protestors.

By: MB4

MB4 — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:06:37 +0000

It is not only, or even primarily, about Rafsanjani and Mousavi and Khatami.

Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.

By: aengus

aengus — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:58:03 +0000

In refusing to stick their necks out – and so effectively siding with the mullahs against the pro-democracy activists in the streets – US President Barack Obama, like Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Mossad chief Meir Dagan, have all rightly pointed out that Mir Hossein Mousavi, Iran’s former prime minister and the titular head of the protest movement, is just as radical and extreme as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad whom he seeks to unseat.

Moreover, Western officials and analysts point out that Mousavi’s primary backers from within the regime – former presidents Muhammad Khatami and Akbar Rafsanjani – are themselves anything but anti-regime revolutionaries.

What apparently motivates these men is the sense that through Ahmadinejad’s heavy-handed attacks against the revolution’s “old guard,” the presidential incumbent has shunted them aside. They feel slighted. And they are doubly humiliated by the fact that Ahmadinejad has acted with the open support of Iran’s real dictator – so-called “Supreme Leader” Ali Khamenei. The likes of Mousavi, Khatami and Rafsanjani don’t want to overthrow the regime whose aims they share. They just want to restore their power within the regime.

By: MB4

MB4 — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:53:06 +0000

When a guy shoots up a Holocaust Museum in America and kills one, Ed condemns him. But, hey, when a guy blows up two buildings in two different years and murders at least 114 people

Debbie Schlussel on June 24, 2009 at 9:37 PM

A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic.
- Josef Stalin

By: blink

blink — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:47:16 +0000

A giant comedy when thousands cheer you on in your ignorance and themselves drink the Kool-Aid, too.

Debbie Schlussel on June 24, 2009 at 9:37 PM

Debbie, the comedy is the fact that you so self-righteously missed the bigger picture.

Is your thinking always so small and constrained to linear geometry?

By: blink

blink — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:45:02 +0000

We can certainly hope it is accurate, but even if it is, would the people of Iran accept only the replacement of the Supreme Leader and Ahmadinejad?

Yes they do.

They accept the fact that THEY forced a change in the Supreme Leader.

Step 1. Battle won.

By: Debbie Schlussel

Debbie Schlussel — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:37:48 +0000

Typical Ed ignorance on Islam and the Middle East. It would be hilarious, if it wasn't so sadly uninformed. His "We can certainly hope it is accurate" statement cheering on Rafsanjani is so breathtakingly clueless, especially when you consider that Rafsanjani is wanted for his role as the mastermind of the Buenos Aires Hezbollah bombings of the Jewish community center and Israeli Embassy in Beirut. You know, just a tiny, irrelevant detail we need not concern ourselves with. When a guy shoots up a Holocaust Museum in America and kills one, Ed condemns him. But, hey, when a guy blows up two buildings in two different years and murders at least 114 people, he's "my friend" for whose success Ed "can certainy hope." It's bad enough when you drink the Islamic green Kool-Aid. Utterly embarrassing when you don't even know what the cup stands for. A giant comedy when thousands cheer you on in your ignorance and themselves drink the Kool-Aid, too.

By: PaCadle

PaCadle — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:39:50 +0000

Your premise is flawed…. What the H does a VOTE mean in Iran, religious or political…. it’s all power and screw democracy.

By: DEVELOPING – Political Rumblings In Iran: Rafsanjani About To Shake Things Up For “The Supreme Leader” – Infidels Paradise

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:32:43 +0000

[...] (H/T HotAir) [...]

By: myrenovations

myrenovations — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:41:32 +0000

Whoa!!!…Hang on there. Since when did who had more votes have anything to do with this circus???

BigWyo on June 24, 2009 at 6:18 PM

Awesome.

By: MzeeTamu

MzeeTamu — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:22:03 +0000

This reports come via Saudi Arabia?
As if they don’t have a horse in this race.

By: Americannodash

Americannodash — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:06:51 +0000

General Patton had it right.
.
Patton implored Dwight D. Eisenhower to fight on against Russia after the down fall of Germany in the European theater. General Patton knew who were our enemies then yet, Eisenhower demurred to Patten suggestion to pursue Russia. What Truman’s thoughts were at that time I know not.
.
General Patton’s quote: Americans love a winner and don’t tolerate a loser.

By: Americannodash

Americannodash — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:49:23 +0000

There will not be a significant change in Iran through unarmed resistance.
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History does not support it.
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Regime change to democratic government itself can occur only through military action.
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This is why W was right & O is wrong.

By: Ace of Spades HQ

Ace of Spades HQ — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:47:15 +0000

Rasfajani Has Votes to Oust Khamenei?…

Supposedly, a couple of outlets say, he has the votes on the “Assembly of Experts” (an assembly of people who are not experts in anything, except barbaric religious dogma) to remove Khamenei. But no plan for what comes next. Big……

By: Big John

Big John — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:44:48 +0000

If the ‘Assembly of Experts’ votes to dismiss Khamenei, will he step down peacefully, or will he ~~order the Revolutionary Guard to arrest the ‘Assembly of Experts~~’ pull a Blago? Snip Skandia Recluse on June 24, 2009 at 6:23 PM

By: Americannodash

Americannodash — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:42:21 +0000

Found these two headlines from Google search: It is simple
.
Similar scenarios yet different policies
Obama to Iran: We are not interested in toppling your regime has sponsored terrorists and has killed civilians with little or no regard, has clandestinely …
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Bush Doctrine>
Saddam’s regime is toppled as US marines liberate Baghdad … First reports that Iraqi civilians were showing their defiance of the regime came from Saddam …
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The only way to truly topple a Theocratic regime is by force. The protesters should be asked if they want what Iraq has today.
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Why are not these questions being asked by the WH press corp to the President of the United States?
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Do we really want to remove the nuclear threat or not?

By: lavell12

lavell12 — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:40:36 +0000

Why not just assassinat the Khamenei?

By: lavell12

lavell12 — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:38:10 +0000

I think its past the point where whoever is in charge can really satisfy the protestors. When you start killing protestors its hard to save face.