"All 'notorious terrorists' backed by US" (Rafsanjani)

[DuctapeFatwa]

Iran's influential former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani alleged that the United States was backing "notorious terrorists," after the United States criticized the Islamic Republic's human rights record.

"All the world-known and notorious terrorists are made with US money, support and experience," Rafsanjani said during a sermon at weekly Friday prayers broadcast on state radio.

Iran was one of the country's cited in the US State Department's annual global rights review released Wednesday. It said the Islamic regime carried out "numerous" rights violations, notably against opponents in politics and the media.

Rafsanjani accused the United States of accommodating the Iran's main armed opposition group, the People's Mujahedeen, despite the fact Washington lists it as a terrorist group.

http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=22986&NewsKind=Current%20Affairs

[enough]

1. kick (nt)

.

[orwell]

2. Write In

Can we still write this guy in?

O

[mobuto]

3. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani?

I know that's a joke, but Rafsanjani is still one of the most evil men around. He's using the US as an excuse to destroy what little remains of Iranian democracy, subverting the will his own people. He's "notorious terrorist" no. 1.

[leesa]

4. I suppose we bought him too then. He can be rotten and still speak

the truth.

[mobuto]

6. No he's not speaking the truth

He's claiming that the liberal Iranian reformers are just US dupes. They're not - they're supported by the people and its because of that that the arch-conservative clerics, of which Rasfanjani is only the most ruthless, banned almost all liberal candidates from the recent elections. Don't lose sight of the big picture.

[Aidoneus]

8. a couple points

Rafsanjani is not one of the more ranking "clerics" or even an arch-conservative (his rule as President in the 90s saw a thawing of Khumayniism after the war and economic "liberalization").. he doesn't even have a black hat. I don't know about "the most ruthless" either.. he's wrong about the reformers--it is probable that only some of them are US dupes, it is a bit moreso on the streets though to be honest I do have a soft spot for the youth resistance if they can keep themselves away from making themselves imperialist pawns (as several of the upper levels of the opposition already are). The rest are a safety valve and did have wide popular support; most of them very decent, if ineffective, people.. as politicians go.

And depending on the definition (for a phrase that I do not recognize the legitimacy of), the US indeed does back most (not all) of the really notable "terrorists". His remark about the MKO is indeed correct as well--among other establishment figures, large sections of Congress, Ashcroft, Bush's "Peace" appointee (that notorious racist Dr. Pipes), etc.. openly back this organization.

As far as "one of the most evil mean around", he's not that interesting.. I wouldn't vote for him, however.

[DuctapeFatwa]

9. Good summary. Of course the last thing the US wants is democracy in Iran

The chances that an actual democratically elected in a real election government, accountable to the people, would put US business interests above the welfare of its population is hovering right below zero.

And the same can be said for just about any country in the region you want to name, hence all the sweet little client states.

[Just Me]

5. Although they are being truthful, they will be discounted, of course.

However, the peekaboo exposure into the closet of Bush skeletons is definitely a signal that "imperialistic" endeavors have a ZERO-TOLERANCE response from the rest of the thug players *LOL*.

Too bad the "skeletons" (not just Bush, but all around in terms of the ME) isn't in the hands of the American people. Our whole people would spit and trample upon such vagrant abuses. I have no doubt about that.

[teryang]

7. Has the CIA toppled Aristide yet?

Yeah, the guys full of it. (sarcasm)