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i dont think that iran is being approached for that reason, ace.
iran is being approached via proxy on behalf of the united states. the debacle in iraq is unfolding in about the worst imaginable manner and the administration is desperately trying to figure a way to stabilize the situation in order to give it some room to consider any alternative--as it stands, what it looks like is happening is a militiary defeat. and this morning, the main shi'a block within the government pulled out in protest of the prime minister (i forget his name) going to jordan to meet directly with bush. i am not sure what this means, but what it looks like is that the iraqi puppet government is about to collapse, and with that who knows what will happen.
the americans are obviously seen as a colonial presence that is being reduced to a colonial faction in a civil war context. this is really not good. as the power center, such as it is, implodes, the situation will only get worse, so the americans are looking for ways to spread the occupation functions out and by doing that reduce the impression that they are a colonial force. this is the central reason for the overtures to iran, so far as i can tell. this reading is in line with elements of the baker commission recommendations that were leaked to the press before the election, and which got much more attention internationally than they did in the states (what a shock)....
so i think your whole take on the situation is off.
except for one thing: i have no particular faith in the democrats as offering anything like a coherent alternative to the bush people on this one. as i have been able to put things together (this is provisional) there is very little room for manoever in iraq. the debacle is close to total. the only surprise in it really is the lack of political repercussions in the states. but then again, folk are noticing that in the states it is the xmas commodity hoarding season and that americans are shopping while iraq burns.
consumption uber alles: american corporate television is all about that logic.
maybe this is an interest that explains why there are so few political repercussions: the information you get from television is geared around protecting retail.
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a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle
spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear
it make you sick.
-kamau brathwaite
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