Refusing to See Evil Clearly (Michael Ledeen)

For those who wish to think clearly about Iran, there are two fundamental facts:

* the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran have been at war with us ever since the overthrow of the shah in early 1979;

* the savagery they have unleashed on the people of Iran is precisely what they want to do to us.

The Iranian leaders and their terror instruments, from Hezbollah to Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have been killing Americans for 30 years, from the Marine barracks in Beirut in the 1980s to the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan at the moment, where Iranian Revolutionary Guards forces are operating against Coalition forces. Both the history and the contemporary facts are abundantly documented.

The mullahs’ war is unrelentingly and barbarically waged. When they organize demonstrations of hatred against the United States, and lead chants of “death to America,” they mean exactly that. It is not a slogan playing to a domestic audience (we have seen in recent days that the regime is enormously unpopular), but a statement of intent. They aim to kill us, humiliate us, and eventually dominate us. Just listen to President Ahmadinejad’s words to President Obama last Saturday:

You should know that if you continue (to criticize the repression) the response of the Iranian nation will be strong. . . . The response of the Iranian nation will be crushing. The response will cause remorse.

Such language is of a piece with stories alleging that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has ordered an all-out attack on American, British, French, and German targets wherever possible.

Meanwhile, the same forces deployed against us and our allies have taken to the streets to attack freedom-seeking Iranians. The same Revolutionary Guards who operate in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the usual foreign thugs and proxies (Der Spiegel reported five-thousand Hezbollah “fighters” had been sent into the streets of Tehran, and there are many other stories of sadistic Arabic speakers all over the country) have been beating, axing, shooting, stabbing, gassing, and clubbing unarmed peaceful protesters. As of late last week, Evin Prison in Tehran, long the regime’s Bastille, had run out of space for arrested citizens.

The brutality in Iran today foreshadows what the mullahs intend for us. It is what the world will look like if they prevail. Iran’s Middle East neighbors know this, and dread it (with the exception of Syria, which is playing Mussolini’s Italy to Khamenei’s Nazi Germany). Yet every American president from Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama has convinced himself that we can reach a workable, long-term modus vivendi with the Islamic Republic. They refused to see the mullahs’ Iran for what it is: a ruthless and determined enemy, at war with the United States.

Looks like Michelle Bachmann is the only one outraged, other than her constituents that lost their 90 year old business. The rest of America seems to be watching TV reality shows.

I have a friend that also had a 90+ year old Chevrolet business in the same family no less but sold out a couple of years ago because he was ready to get out and there was no one else interested in the business. Wow, what a stroke of good fortune, little did he know, did any of us know that the country would turn communistic in a couple of years.

It’s not over yet folks, anyone out there mad yet?? How mad?? Are you thinking of your children and grandchildren yet??

Praying and planning, and they are not born yet.

Then you are doing the right thing (praying and planning) and my prayers are for you and many others along those same lines, that you find what you are seeking for the right reasons. Your quotes from Psalm 106, 2 Kings and Revelation are very appropos too.

As I continue reading Scripture (daily, but I'm not a disciplined reader like I should be, I get distracted and find myself wandering all over the Bible) so many jump out at me, almost crystal clear, not as "fuzzy" (looking through a glass darkly perhaps?) as they once were but then again, in my late 60s, it's time I did catch on a bit quicker, I've always been a slow man it seems.

"When they organize demonstrations of hatred against the United States, and lead chants of “death to America,” they mean exactly that. It is not a slogan playing to a domestic audience (we have seen in recent days that the regime is enormously unpopular), but a statement of intent. They aim to kill us, humiliate us, and eventually dominate us."

I somewhat disagree.

"Death to America, Obama, etc.." IS for domestic consumption of those in Iran who follow Khamenei, Ahmadinejad and the Islamic Rule (as a totality) in Iran. Inside Iran, politically, IRI needs enemies. I saw many recent clips where fully chador-clad, pro-Ahmadinejad, young girls, and boys, euphorically holding a banner of Ahmadinejad say: "Ahmadinejad has stood up to America and Israel. America and Israel bow in front of Ahmadinejad, because he is ONLY standing up for Iran against foreign aggressors......" - these people truly believe Ahmadinejad only has the best interest of Iran at heart and in mind. Forget Palestinian/Israeli issues. This is A frightening part of events in Iran.

At the same time, it is ALSO part of the IRI Constitution & the Khomeinist doctrine to see the "downfall of all other types [system] of government..." to be eventually replaced by IRI's own Islamic Rule. Moreover, IRI, since 1979, and over last 2 weeks, has been very careful in trying to defy Western governments, and has tried not to overstep "the mark" too much. It has been mainly tit for tat, rhetoric, knowing that the West won't take any serious actions.

Of course, inside Iran, IRI clearly has the upper hand against the un-armed anti-regime Iranians (aside from stone-throwing protestors).

Lets not forget that the success of 1979, in parts, was because many armed Arab mercenaries & revolutionary Iranians, were trained in various terrorists camps in North Africa and parts of the middle east. In combination with ordinary un-armed brainwashed Iranians, they fought guerrilla type battles for months inside Iran, while the Shah's army & savak, etc.., largely, took a passive & indecisive stance. This is in stark contrast to what happened during last 2 weeks. Last 2 weeks only saw unarmed protestors (not counting the "stones"), trying to make their voices heard, in front of brutal, armed killers.

I think what happened in Iran last 2 weeks was necessary, and demonstrated 3 main points to the world. But, unless the next uprising is far better organized (in every sense) and has practical support from the outside, including at least equal support 1979 revolution had from Western governments, I am very much against further protests in Iran. Protestors have already made their point in very large numbers. Any further protests will only end in more mass murder by IRI without getting pro-democracy Iranians anywhere. similarly, pro-democracy Iranians would be fools to participate in another future election in Iran.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.