I can't quit understand why a prominent academic like yourself is pushing the House of Saud agenda.
To quote, the Syrian government exists of:
President - Allawite
First lady - Sunni
Prime minister - Sunni
Defense minister - Sunni
Foreign minister - Sunni
And so... The government of Syria has lot's of Sunni members itself, and in the inner circle of the President there are many Sunnis, too, including his wife ...
A response to Prof. Juan Cole: Top Ten Ways Iran and US could avoid a Catastrophic War:
1. US should respect the Principle VI and VII of the Geneva Convention, to which it is a signatory and refrain not only from violence and aggressive policies towards the Iranian nation but also from threat of violence.
2. In order to give unfettered access to IAEA inspectors, including defense installations, the US and Israel should allow Iran to inspect it’s nuclear facility. It also should remove ALL it’s military forces from the Greater Middle East, including neighbors of neighboring country of Iran.
3. The US should abide by NPT’s binding commitment in a multi-lateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the nuclear-weapon states and destroy all it’s stockpile.
4.
5. US should not insist in inspecting the defense installations of Iran as the former posses the capability to project power. This article can be revised if the former dismantles all it’s capabilities to wage a war of aggression.
6. The US should acknowledge that Iran’s right to enrich is already guarantied by the IAEA protocol and UN principles and avoid threatening language in accordance with the second Nuremberg Principle.
7. Iran’s right to enrich up to 19.5% should be recognized as current actions by the Axis of Aggression has demonstrated their lack of consideration for withholding medical treatment for the general population of the country and their willingness to impose collective punishment.
In analogy with Russia’s Arktika icebreakers (powered by OK-900A, using 45-75% enriched fuel) and Tamyr icebreakers (powered by KLT-40, using 90% enrichment); the United States should learn to live with Iranian tanker fleet, under international auspices, using similar fuels.
8. As trading nations are already moving away from use of the US dollar for international clearance, the U.S. government should acknowledge the rights of individual states to join that club without subjecting them to retaliatory majors. As a signatory to WTO, the United States should abide by its principles that prohibit third-party punitive measures (that are clearly illegal). It also should clearly illegal acts of war such as enforcing a blockade, collective punishment of population and embargos, especially other members of United Nations choose to participate in legal and voluntary commerce with Iran.
9. Iran will accept online real-time monitoring of it’s uranium cycle on the condition that Israel becomes a full member of IAEA, disarms completely and abides by the same rules.
10. The US should agree not to obstruct loosening of illegal economic sanctions, compensate Iran for economical losses caused by clearly illegal sanctions to the Iranian economy as well as non-economical damages to the population.
Your argument about rebels not being able to kill their own makes absolutely no sense. The suicide bombers in Iraq and in Syria targeted without any concerns for collateral civilian casualties of "their own". Mr. Cole, you are mistaking Jihaddi Salafists with Syrians all along, since these past 2 years.
Or as one might say, how Brits switched sides between Germanic and Franco-Roman people to culling the herd so to speak. That did not end up too well for the cullers as one might recall the events of 40-45. Germans and French on the other hand seem to have solved the problem and are basically in a economic- and quasi-political union without the meddlers muddying the water. An example to follow?
What Mr. Cole forgets is that the Sunni in Fallujah and alike have not forgotten the massacre nor the ongoing effects of the first radiological warfare "humans" have conducted. Don't count on it that if your hypothesis is true, the outcome will benefit you. In Farsi we say "If 'if' is planted no plant is going to grow out of it.
We should FOCUS the debate on GUNS. Don't allow NRA to distract you. "The Polluter pays" would be the best slogan to counter gun-crazed individuals without touching the 2d amendment. At the end of the day, when I choose to drive, I have to buy INSURANCE. Part of the premium goes to cover the cost of uninsured people who cause accidents. Same principle is valid for gun owners, who need to obtain a license and pay for the damages that they, as a collective cause, without changing the second amendment. This is a very feasible approach and will hurt the NRA.
Orchestrating coup d'etat is against diplomatic norms as well. The Iranian action, though unpleasant, deprived your country of a base to continue it's pursuit of the overthrow. The break-off of the diplomatic relations was essential to this end contrary to the Azad's arguments.
Your country will NEVER get an apology. And the celebration of that day of victory is a reminder that 30 years ago you were the masters in the Middle East without spending a dime but today you can not walk free alongside your fundamentalist pals in Libya, just ask Stevens.
I can't quit understand why a prominent academic like yourself is pushing the House of Saud agenda.
To quote, the Syrian government exists of:
President - Allawite
First lady - Sunni
Prime minister - Sunni
Defense minister - Sunni
Foreign minister - Sunni
And so... The government of Syria has lot's of Sunni members itself, and in the inner circle of the President there are many Sunnis, too, including his wife ...
A response to Prof. Juan Cole: Top Ten Ways Iran and US could avoid a Catastrophic War:
1. US should respect the Principle VI and VII of the Geneva Convention, to which it is a signatory and refrain not only from violence and aggressive policies towards the Iranian nation but also from threat of violence.
2. In order to give unfettered access to IAEA inspectors, including defense installations, the US and Israel should allow Iran to inspect it’s nuclear facility. It also should remove ALL it’s military forces from the Greater Middle East, including neighbors of neighboring country of Iran.
3. The US should abide by NPT’s binding commitment in a multi-lateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the nuclear-weapon states and destroy all it’s stockpile.
4.
5. US should not insist in inspecting the defense installations of Iran as the former posses the capability to project power. This article can be revised if the former dismantles all it’s capabilities to wage a war of aggression.
6. The US should acknowledge that Iran’s right to enrich is already guarantied by the IAEA protocol and UN principles and avoid threatening language in accordance with the second Nuremberg Principle.
7. Iran’s right to enrich up to 19.5% should be recognized as current actions by the Axis of Aggression has demonstrated their lack of consideration for withholding medical treatment for the general population of the country and their willingness to impose collective punishment.
In analogy with Russia’s Arktika icebreakers (powered by OK-900A, using 45-75% enriched fuel) and Tamyr icebreakers (powered by KLT-40, using 90% enrichment); the United States should learn to live with Iranian tanker fleet, under international auspices, using similar fuels.
8. As trading nations are already moving away from use of the US dollar for international clearance, the U.S. government should acknowledge the rights of individual states to join that club without subjecting them to retaliatory majors. As a signatory to WTO, the United States should abide by its principles that prohibit third-party punitive measures (that are clearly illegal). It also should clearly illegal acts of war such as enforcing a blockade, collective punishment of population and embargos, especially other members of United Nations choose to participate in legal and voluntary commerce with Iran.
9. Iran will accept online real-time monitoring of it’s uranium cycle on the condition that Israel becomes a full member of IAEA, disarms completely and abides by the same rules.
10. The US should agree not to obstruct loosening of illegal economic sanctions, compensate Iran for economical losses caused by clearly illegal sanctions to the Iranian economy as well as non-economical damages to the population.
Your argument about rebels not being able to kill their own makes absolutely no sense. The suicide bombers in Iraq and in Syria targeted without any concerns for collateral civilian casualties of "their own". Mr. Cole, you are mistaking Jihaddi Salafists with Syrians all along, since these past 2 years.
It seems your site is slowly but surely loosing crediblity by basing itself on unsubstantiated information from Winep-linked desk-bound journalists.
Or as one might say, how Brits switched sides between Germanic and Franco-Roman people to culling the herd so to speak. That did not end up too well for the cullers as one might recall the events of 40-45. Germans and French on the other hand seem to have solved the problem and are basically in a economic- and quasi-political union without the meddlers muddying the water. An example to follow?
What Mr. Cole forgets is that the Sunni in Fallujah and alike have not forgotten the massacre nor the ongoing effects of the first radiological warfare "humans" have conducted. Don't count on it that if your hypothesis is true, the outcome will benefit you. In Farsi we say "If 'if' is planted no plant is going to grow out of it.
We should FOCUS the debate on GUNS. Don't allow NRA to distract you. "The Polluter pays" would be the best slogan to counter gun-crazed individuals without touching the 2d amendment. At the end of the day, when I choose to drive, I have to buy INSURANCE. Part of the premium goes to cover the cost of uninsured people who cause accidents. Same principle is valid for gun owners, who need to obtain a license and pay for the damages that they, as a collective cause, without changing the second amendment. This is a very feasible approach and will hurt the NRA.
Dear Bill,
Orchestrating coup d'etat is against diplomatic norms as well. The Iranian action, though unpleasant, deprived your country of a base to continue it's pursuit of the overthrow. The break-off of the diplomatic relations was essential to this end contrary to the Azad's arguments.
Your country will NEVER get an apology. And the celebration of that day of victory is a reminder that 30 years ago you were the masters in the Middle East without spending a dime but today you can not walk free alongside your fundamentalist pals in Libya, just ask Stevens.