Iran revolution "matter of time": U.S. defense chief (Leon Panetta predicts)

Yahoo ^ | 9/6/11 | Phil Stewart - Reuters

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Revolution in Iran appears to be a matter of time, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta predicted on Tuesday, saying the Iranian reform movement was learning from revolts in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Syria.

Panetta, a former CIA director who took over the Pentagon's top job in July, was asked on the Charlie Rose television show whether the Arab Spring might spread to non-Arab Iran. Panetta responded: "Absolutely."

"I think we saw in evidence of that in the last election in Iran that there was a movement within Iran that raised those very same concerns that we're seeing elsewhere," Panetta said.

"And I think in many ways, it's a matter of time before that kind of change and reform and revolution occurs in Iran as well."

Iranian security forces crushed mass protests in the wake of Iran's disputed June 2009 re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Panetta acknowledged the difficulties supporting such protests ..

"We should try to take every step to try to support their effort but at the same time, we've got to analyze each situation to make sure that we do nothing that creates a backlash or that undermines those efforts," he said.

Iran's leaders had hoped the Arab Spring would spell the end of U.S.-backed regimes in the Arab world. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has dubbed it the "Islamic Awakening," ..

But Panetta offered a different interpretation of events and their impact on Iran.

"I think the reform movement in Iran is learning one hell of a lot from what's happened in Tunisia and Egypt and Libya and Syria," Panetta said.

Supporters of Iran's opposition Green movement are watching the Arab uprisings with a mixture of admiration, regret for their own movement's failure and concern about what might replace fallen regimes.

[CitizenUSA]

Actually, there already WAS a revolution in Iran. As I recall, it took place shortly after the 2008 elections, and our new president sided with the imams.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

What we’re going to see is a new Caliphate, probably governed from Baghdad.

[Pelham]

Panetta needs to put down the bong. What is going to come out of Iran is a nuclear missile, not an Iranian Spring. The Twelvers rule, and they are crazier than Kim Jong-il.

[Steel Wolf]

"And I think in many ways, it's a matter of time before that kind of change and reform and revolution occurs in Iran as well."

He must have learned this clear, concise style of predictive analysis at the CIA. Nowhere else could you come up with such a ... a... uh, wait, what? A matter of time? Well, no $#!%, Sherlock. What isn't a matter of time?

I stand by my original point. You'd have to be CIA to say something this dumb with a straight face.

[Irenic]

When does he come up with these predictions?

From his $3,200 per hour flight back and forth from DC to Ca on private gov’t jets every weekend?

Or is it something he dreamed whilst sleeping snug at his Carmel Valley farm?

I can’t wait until Obama and all his minions are GONE.

*snip*
“When he goes home, he flies on the Air Force version of a Gulfstream executive jet, which also carries communications gear. When he was the CIA director, Panetta once was out of contact for 45 minutes aboard a chartered aircraft, aides said

The CIA director’s usual plane had mechanical problems, and aides discovered they did not have the phone number of the replacement aircraft. The snafu became a mini-crisis when an urgent request came for Panetta to approve an operation against a suspected terrorist, a senior Pentagon aide said.”
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-panetta-home-20110902,0,4785384.story

[NormsRevenge]

Now now.. we got a new Sheriff over at Langley.. ;-)

New CIA chief Petraeus pledges to defend America (We could use a few more leaders like him)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2774622/posts

my question is..

with Leon at DoD and Ted Danson on CSI,, who’s SAving the Oceans? :-}

[Steel Wolf]

I’m a big Petraeus fan, so I’m with on that end. Although my disdain for the HUMINT-centric CIA and their amateur creative writing assignments masquerading as intel will remain as boundless as ever, I will admit I like their new chief.

[BerryDingle]

If you follow the Whitehouse Skidmark Czar/CAIR money, you’ll see it goes to the Muslim brotherhood (MB).

[namvolunteer]

You’re absolutely right. The MB, UN, NATO, the whole New World Order. The people of Iran won’t even have a say in all this. Democracy is dangerous to the control freaks in the UN.

[Vinnie]

The opposition in Iran are for a nuclear Iran also.

Not sure much would change.

[elcid1970]

Panetta’s wishful thinking has to be based on the forlorn hope that his rosy predictions will somehow result in “another” Obama foreign policy triumph.

Pathetic. Meanwhile, Iran grows more dangerous by the day.

[llandres]

bfl