FG

salman farsi:

Can you do us a favour and remove that picture of Ali from your comments. Ali was a murderer and a psychiatric that during his reign Iran had to bleed.

In Syria Pro-regime thugs engage in theft & vandalism

As do Khamenei's thugs when they raid homes and mosques or steal people's Tv cell phones and satellite dishes (after which the pro-regime IRCG imports and sells more).

 //english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/03/07/199227.html

EXCERPT: 

 Syrian regime-affiliated “thugs” have been engaging in theft and vandalism as part of an effort to punish entire neighborhoods for rising against president Bashar al-Assad.

According to eyewitnesses from different parts of Syria, thugs loyal to the regime, also called “shabeeha” in colloquial Syrian Arabic, storm houses and steal furniture and appliances.



Dozens of videos have also shown thugs breaking stores’ locks and robbing them of the goods on display.



A housewife in the governorate of Rif Dimashq said that thugs and security forces stormed her house and stole her jewelry and money.



“They even stole clothes, shoes, and canned food,” she said. “They also broke all the furniture and my children’s toys. They also threw copies of the Quran on the floor.”

Election effects of different positions

Going into the general election, I think candidates who advocate war with Iran will lose more than they gain politically.  I think Obama's position on avoiding war and giving sanctions a chance to work will be more popular, especially since it doesn't preclude war.

As I've written elsewhere, any Iranian uprising followed by Putin/Chechnya/Assad tactics will likely precipitate war for reasons given in earlier posts--but most especially if such uprisings occur after the American general elections in November. 

I'd hope that after elections, Obama would take a strong position (even strong sanctions) against Israel on the ethnic cleansing/West Bank issue, while making it clear at the same time he would support Israel's right to exist otherwise.  

However, as others have said in relation to other policies, Obama seems a bit timid about making bold moves.  Too often he plays it safe rather than do what is right.   Still he beats the alternative by a mile.

Politicians majority are Ignorant about world History &

Geography.  Not surprised.

Well brother FG

Perhaps Mr Romney did not mean it but there is a truth in those words. Our blood is irreversibly mixed with Arab blood. We do not only share common oil fields with them but also common gene pools.

For an Islamic democracy

If any of the current GOP candidates were president

It's possible the USA and Iran would already be at war.  It's 100% certain Israel would have a green light.

If Obama were to go to war, as these guys demand, these same critics immediately exploit the economic consequences for political gain.  In Europe, the West, the Muslim world, India, China and Russia, I suspect everyone prefers Obama to the alternatives the GOP are offering.

I think Obama's position is the right one--not rule war out while bringing maximum pressure on Iran.    What I fear is the IRI may stop stalling and give in on the nuclear issue, in which sanctions which might have brought down the regime and took a long time to get together are dropped.    

As for Syria, I doubt he'd won to intervene directly prior to elections though he'll probably provide assistance.    One problem is whether the US can afford two interventions upon request should similar events occur in Iran.

In case you missed it:

Yesterday I included a few round up items under a orevious news post entitled, "What Russia taught Syria: When you destroy a city, make sure no one -- not even the story -- gets out alive." 

 //iranian.com/main/news/2012/03/05/what-russia-taught-syria-when-you-destroy-city-make-sure-no-one-not-even-story-gets-