Posted on 03/05/2005 7:57:43 AM PST by Brian Mosely
Last night our final entry for the evening was a story at ArabNews about some shocking comments about Iran made by Bill Clinton during a conversation with Charlie Rose at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Many readers questioned the veracity of the ArabNews report (by Amir Taheri); I also mentioned in my post that it was a little hard to believe.
Well, it was absolutely true.
LGF operative zombie has located the audio recording of former President Clinton's remarks; he has a full transcript of the section covered by Amir Taheri's article here: Clinton Speaking About Iran at Davos.
The full audio recording is here: Clinton at Davos. (MP3, 6 MB.)
Rose: (Referring to the Iraqi elections) Do you have confidence that this government, uh, will, as they write the constitution, will not be a mirror-image of the Iranian theocracy?
Clinton: Oh yeah. Yeah — the Shi’ites have been pretty smart about that. And if you look at the Iranian — Iran’s a whole different kettle of fish, but it’s a sad story that really began in the 1950s when the United States deposed Mr. Mossadegh, who was an elected parliamentary democrat, and brought the Shah back in [Rose says “CIA” in the background] and then he was overturned by the Ayatollah Khomeini, driving us into the arms of one Saddam Hussein. Most of the terrible things Saddam Hussein did in the 1980s he did with the full, knowing support of the United States government, because he was in Iran, and Iran was what it was because we got rid of the parliamentary democracy back in the ‘50s; at least, that is my belief.
I know it is not popular for an American ever to say anything like this, but I think it’s true [applause], and I apologized when President Khatami was elected. I publicly acknowledged that the United States had actively overthrown Mossadegh and I apologized for it, and I hope that we could have some rapprochement with Iran. I think basically the Europeans’ initiative to Iran to try to figure out a way to defuse the nuclear crisis is a good one.
I think President Bush has done, so far, the right thing by not taking the military option off the table, but not pushing it too much. I didn’t like the story that looked like the military option had been elevated above a diplomatic option. But Iran is the most perplexing problem ... we face, for the following reasons: It is the only country in the world with two governments, and the only country in the world that has now had six elections since the first election of President Khatami. [It is] the only one with elections, including the United States, including Israel, including you name it, where the liberals, or the progressives, have won two-thirds to 70 percent of the vote in six elections: two for President; two for the parliament, the Majlis; two for the mayoralities.
In every single election, the guys I identify with got two-thirds to 70% of the vote. There is no other country in the world I can say that about, certainly not my own.
Oops...that should be Hitlery...aka Hillary Rodham Stalin Clinton.
Believe it or not, the country Bill Clinton so admires is the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Here is what Clinton said at a meeting on the margins of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, just a few weeks ago: “Iran today is, in a sense, the only country where progressive ideas enjoy a vast constituency. It is there that the ideas that I subscribe to are defended by a majority.”
And here is what Clinton had to say in a recent television interview with Charlie Rose:
“Iran is the only country in the world that has now had six elections since the first election of President Khatami (in 1997). (It is) the only one with elections, including the United States, including Israel, including you name it, where the liberals, or the progressives, have won two-thirds to 70 percent of the vote in six elections: Two for president; two for the Parliament, the Majlis; two for the mayoralties. In every single election, the guys I identify with got two-thirds to 70 percent of the vote. There is no other country in the world I can say that about, certainly not my own.”
Ping for more Clinton comments.
Disgraceful. Really disgraceful.
Gee, Clinton must have forgotten all about the part where Carter encouraged the overthrow of the Shah and the subsequent turmoil in Iran as everybody jockeyed for position.
Carter was a joke as president and Clinton was an embarrasing joke.
bookmark
Before I was aware of this thread or the LGF audio find, I had just found and posted a link to the VIDEO.
I have it running now:
http://clients.world-television.com/worldeconomicforum_annualmeeting2005/_S13924.asp#
Intro by some guy is very lavish, I have the interview running now but have not gotten to the Iran portion yet.
You know, Clinton is just stating the obvious here. Most voters in Iran are voting for Western-minded candidates. Of course, the mad mullahs don't let the elected officials ideas see the light of day, or even let them hold office. I don't think that the people of Iran are that much different in belief of anyone else in the Middle East. We just get to see what they're voting for.
Please don't send this guy to the U.N. He only
has one ability....to talk about himself. Everything
is evaluated through HIS eyes; everything that
happens does so because of what HE did when HE was
in office.
IMO, the world govts love him because he's so myopic,
he doesn't have the mental acuity to see on their
faux pas!
This is just bad analysis on Clinton's part. Iran is the only non-democratic country in the Middle East where its citizens can actually vote. It is easier for us to see that they want progressive ideas, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they are more progressive than other countries. I have no doubt that the citizens of most other countries in the region support democracy as well. It's just not as obvious, so Clinton doesn't see it. Bush does.
Please read/listen/watch his entire remarks. He is saying more than you seem to think.
Never mind my admonition I just posted to you. I see you are looking more fully at his comments.
Clinton: Oh yeah. Yeah — the Shi’ites have been pretty smart about that. And if you look at the Iranian — Iran’s a whole different kettle of fish, but it’s a sad story that really began in the 1950s when the United States deposed Mr. Mossadegh, who was an elected parliamentary democrat, and brought the Shah back in [Rose says “CIA” in the background] and then he was overturned by the Ayatollah Khomeini, driving us into the arms of one Saddam Hussein. Most of the terrible things Saddam Hussein did in the 1980s he did with the full, knowing support of the United States government, because he was in Iran, and Iran was what it was because we got rid of the parliamentary democracy back in the ‘50s; at least, that is my belief.
See? Carter glossed over completely but "the 1980s" gets a mention and blame for Saddam Hussein.
BTW, I'm still listening as the video rolls on before it gets to the Iran portion...typical whining about how people have badmouthed him. Talked AIDS and tsunami relief. I do believe I heard a not so veiled criticism of the Bush administration. According to him, when they recruited him to raise funds he claims he's the one who pointed out that we need to keep track of how the money is spent and can account for x amount of funds were given and this was the result. I do not believe for one minute that the Bush group didn't already have that in hand as that is why we did not turn initially to the UN.
Now Rose asks about his new thing he's setting up called the Clinton Global Initiative or some such. Ack
It seemed that Carter was the worst President in American history, but then came Clinton(s).
What Billy boy likes about Iran politics is that it's one sided and dissent is squashed, which socialist love. It's not a liberal democracy.
I know it is not popular for an American ever to say anything like this, but I think it’s true [applause],
I finally reached the part of my video link where he's saying all of this.
After the Iran remarks, I hope someone else will watch the video link I provided...I don't see a fast forward or rewind option...clinton launches into a story about 9/11.
He mentions he was in Australia and claims two people who used to work in his WH called him and *talked him through the second plane hitting*. He then claims he told these nameless two that it was bin Laden and Iran who did it. How did he know, he claims these two asked, and clinton expounds from there.
Please, I urge others to check and confirm what I heard.
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