Comments on: What Iran Knows

By: Carolynp

Carolynp — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:19:27 +0000

Great comments all around.

By: Justin_Case

Justin_Case — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:52:28 +0000

shortly after the hostages were taken. In his speech he stated that, if the hostages were not immediately released, dire consequences awaited the Iranians. Of course, the Iranians rightly figured that that Carter’s words rang hollow. To the best of my recollection, the Ayatollah Khomeini issued words to the effect that the Americans were “beating a paper drum”.

In the months following the takeover of the American Embassy, the Iranians played on American emotions like a yo-yo. Hopes that the hostage’s release would be imminent, were always dashed. Anything that resembled diplomatic breakthroughs were always delayed and ultimately canceled. The Iranians held fast to their demand that the Shah, who was receiving medical treatment in the US, be handed over to them.

When President Obama first suggested negotiations with the Iranians over their nuclear capabilities during last year’s campaign, the intransigence of the Iranians immediately came to my mind. It’s obvious that Obama is ignorant of what took place thirty years ago. The same fate awaits him.

By: civil_truth

civil_truth — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:15:52 +0000

Not to mention the multiple iterations: the liberal dithers, our enemies act and change the situation, which leads to more dithering over the changed situation, and while that new dithering goes on, the situation changes again -and so on until it becomes clear that the situation is lost.

However, as you point out with Carter, the liberal never realizes that the deliberation/dithering was a critical factor in the loss – and particularly that the enemy’s actions are predicated on that dithering.

It’s the delusion that more knowledge leads to better action – whereas often, more action leads to better knowledge.