RE: "He has good reason to want to take the focus off himself. He is involved in a conflict with the parliament (Majles) over who has more power, and some in parliament are firing back.."
Well, that's an improvement over your last estimation of Ahmadinejad's standing. 😉
As for the dire state of the Iranian petrochemical industry in particular and the economy in general, I strongly recommend this two-part report by Hossein Askari, professor of international business and international affairs at George Washington University:
THE IRANIAN ECONOMY
Iran's slide to the bottom: http://atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/LI15Ak01.html
Ahmadinejad shuns a brighter future: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/LI16Ak02.html
Story: "Dude, you HAVE no Koran!"
The internet has a new hero: skateboarder Jacob Isom of Amarillo, Texas.
The 23-year-old single-handedly stopped a Koran burning in an Amarillo park Saturday by swiping the kerosene-soaked holy book when the militant Christian protest leader's back was turned.
"He said something about burning the Koran and I was like, 'Dude, you HAVE no Koran' and ran off," Isom told local TV News Channel 10.
The video went viral across the internet Monday and "dude you HAVE no koran" became the catchphrase of the moment, instantly emblazoned on T-shirts and ballcaps.
Facebook groups popped up to laud Isom, who yoinked the book from David Grisham, director of Repent Amarillo, a group that crusades against promiscuity, homosexuality and non-Christians.
Grisham's group was outnumbered Sunday at Sam Houston Park by counter protesters from the Unitarian Universalist Church carrying signs saying "Love Thy Neighbor."
But no one knew how to stop the burning until Isom took matters - and the book - into his own hands.
Left with only lighter fluid, Grisham wandered out of the park, jeered by protesters holding up crosses.
Dear Professor Cole,
On 13 August Trita Parsi posted one of the most enlightening (and for me educational) critiques of Goldberg's article I've seen so far, which also highlights the domestic political dimension of the campaign for an Israeli attack on Iran.
His article covers lots of territory, amongst which the long history of strategic cooperation between Israel and Iran enduring even years of "death to Israel" rhetoric from Iran, how the real threats Iran poses to Israel - even only with a nuclear-capability (without actual weapons) - are not existential and many Israeli officials have admitted the same, and that the aim of this unfolding campaign launched by Goldberg's article may not even be to pressure Obama into military action but to portray Obama as weak and indecisive on national security issues and give the Republicans valuable ammunition for the November congressional elections as well as for the 2012 presidential race.
RE: "He has good reason to want to take the focus off himself. He is involved in a conflict with the parliament (Majles) over who has more power, and some in parliament are firing back.."
Well, that's an improvement over your last estimation of Ahmadinejad's standing. 😉
Here's an interview with Kaveh Ehsani, Assistant Professor of International Studies at De Paul University, that lays these conflicts out really clearly:
http://www.cfr.org/publication/22982/irans_shaky_ahmadinejad.html?cid=rss-iran-iran's_'shaky'_ahmadinejad-092110
(Btw - I really love your blog and *most* of the time I agree with your views.)
RE: "Although his fate seemed up in the air only a little over a year ago, Ahmadinejad comes to New York with a substantially strengthened position. "
I'm not sure about this rosy view. See:
Ahmadinejad-Khamenei Rift Deepens: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2010/09/ahmadinejad-khamenei-rift-deepens.html
A Review of the Prevailing Political Situation in Iran
Near-Strangulation and Deepening Chasms: http://www.gozaar.org/english/articles-en/A-Review-of-the-Prevailing-Political-Situation-in-Iran.html
As for the dire state of the Iranian petrochemical industry in particular and the economy in general, I strongly recommend this two-part report by Hossein Askari, professor of international business and international affairs at George Washington University:
THE IRANIAN ECONOMY
Iran's slide to the bottom: http://atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/LI15Ak01.html
Ahmadinejad shuns a brighter future: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/LI16Ak02.html
For immediate release in Afghanistan and Kashmir:
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKLC_godVsA
Pedro Escobar: http://atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/LI15Ak03.html
Story: "Dude, you HAVE no Koran!"
The internet has a new hero: skateboarder Jacob Isom of Amarillo, Texas.
The 23-year-old single-handedly stopped a Koran burning in an Amarillo park Saturday by swiping the kerosene-soaked holy book when the militant Christian protest leader's back was turned.
"He said something about burning the Koran and I was like, 'Dude, you HAVE no Koran' and ran off," Isom told local TV News Channel 10.
The video went viral across the internet Monday and "dude you HAVE no koran" became the catchphrase of the moment, instantly emblazoned on T-shirts and ballcaps.
Facebook groups popped up to laud Isom, who yoinked the book from David Grisham, director of Repent Amarillo, a group that crusades against promiscuity, homosexuality and non-Christians.
Grisham's group was outnumbered Sunday at Sam Houston Park by counter protesters from the Unitarian Universalist Church carrying signs saying "Love Thy Neighbor."
But no one knew how to stop the burning until Isom took matters - and the book - into his own hands.
Left with only lighter fluid, Grisham wandered out of the park, jeered by protesters holding up crosses.
Isom gave the Koran he rescued to a local imam.
Dear Professor Cole,
On 13 August Trita Parsi posted one of the most enlightening (and for me educational) critiques of Goldberg's article I've seen so far, which also highlights the domestic political dimension of the campaign for an Israeli attack on Iran.
His article covers lots of territory, amongst which the long history of strategic cooperation between Israel and Iran enduring even years of "death to Israel" rhetoric from Iran, how the real threats Iran poses to Israel - even only with a nuclear-capability (without actual weapons) - are not existential and many Israeli officials have admitted the same, and that the aim of this unfolding campaign launched by Goldberg's article may not even be to pressure Obama into military action but to portray Obama as weak and indecisive on national security issues and give the Republicans valuable ammunition for the November congressional elections as well as for the 2012 presidential race.
A campaign for war with Iran begins
If neocons can't get Obama to attack Iran, they are creating a narrative so the next Republican president will
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/08/13/trita_parsi_jeffrey_goldberg/