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Originally Posted by roachboy
you wouldn't ace. in your world, that'd be an indication of weakness.
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It is an indication of strength. I admit I have weaknesses, but I would not enter into "engagements" with an apology for things that occurred in a different era at a request. I would consider the request a "red herring", an attempt to gain leverage in negotiations. If I felt I was sincerely wrong for things in the present I would apologize without hesitation.
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but i expect you know nothing about the shah. and if you know nothing about his regime, you wouldn't understand the first thing about the revolution, or about how the united states came to be positioned because of that. so you wouldn't understand anything.
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I know some of the history, I am far from an expert but based on what I do know I would not apologize if I were the current President.
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but that's all in the past--context---it's not the central point of the move. the central point is that modulating the american posture toward iran undercuts both the rationale for pursuing nuclear weapons--assuming the program exists--and weakens ahmandijan's administration by taking out one of the main rationales that he's exploited to remain in power. but the fact is that he doesn't run the show, he doesn't set nuclear policy--kahmeni and his circle does--and that circle has been consistently FAR more moderate than has the president. so there's every reason to modify the bush people's approach to iran.
but to see that, you'd have to have some idea of what you're talking about.
you've been fed a particularly simple-minded line of horseshit about this for a long time. and you seem kinda addicted to it. maybe it's the simplicity of excluding information---i dunno. but if i were you, i'd consider detox.
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So, are you suggesting that our President is attempting to affect the internal politics of Iran through more polite gestures as opposed to Bush's approach of somewhat rude gestures, i.e. the name calling of Iranian leaders. Or, is weakening Ahmandijan's administration, as you put it, a secondary benefit of talking nice?
My opinion is that "gestures" polite or rude don't make a difference. I think political leaders are more sophisticated than that and I don't think the average Iranian or American pays that close attention and if they are the information will be filtered in such a way that is favorable to the leader of each country. What matters is core beliefs and the price one is willing to pay.
-----Added 29/1/2009 at 04 : 46 : 31-----
Quote:
Originally Posted by guyy
Make us care that you don't.
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I can not. But, ironically that is my central point in this thread. You hold firm to your core belief on this subject and don't care what I think. I respect that, even if I dis agree with you, even if I don't like you (I actually do like you for playing in this virtual "sand box" and helping me think about something other than work, but you get the point).