From the Mouths of Mullahs
Iranian newspapers, via MEMRI: “In the Power Struggle in the Middle East, There are Only Two Sides, Iran and the U.S.”
Kayhan: Iran Will Be the Victor in the Power Struggle with the U.S. in the Middle East
In its May 11, 2008 editorial, the Iranian daily Kayhan, which is close to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, stated that in the power struggle between Iran and the U.S. in the Middle East, Iran had the upper hand. It added that the U.S.’s efforts to “amputate [Iran's] regional arms” in the Middle East had failed. Following are the main points of the editorial: [1]
“In the power struggle in the Middle East, there are only two sides: Iran and the U.S. Throughout the past year or two, efforts have been evident, particularly on the part of the U.S., to involve other [players] in this game, and to turn regional issues into multi-side issues - that is, to shift the balance of power against Iran and in favor of the U.S. by using the Arab card and the Sunni card…”
The paper called the U.S. operations against Iran in the region “an effort to amputate the regional arms of Iran by means of direct intervention.” It continued, “The developments in the region in the past month in Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and even Syria must be understood as such…
Not exactly, and not yet. Sounds like a good idea, though.
“The Americans had promised their allies in the region that before Bush leaves office, and before the U.S. is forced to leave the region, Iran would be significantly weakened… [But] now Hizbullah… whose links with Iran are [those of] strategic convergence, and political and spiritual connections, has completely disrupted the game [being played by] the U.S. and Israel.” \
Jomhouri-e Eslami: A Hizbullah Victory in Lebanon Will Stop U.S. Influence in the Region and Lead to Replacement of the Regimes Identified With It
In a May 10, 2008 editorial titled “Fateful Days in Lebanon,” the Iranian daily Jomhouri-e Eslami wrote that the expected Hizbullah victory in the events currently taking place in Lebanon would start a process of change in the balance of power in the Middle East - that is, it would stop the influence of the U.S. in the Middle East and bring about the fall of the regimes identified with it: [2]
“[Hizbullah leader] Hassan Nasrallah’s courageous and wise decision-making ability undoubtedly closes the path of the great scheme being woven against Lebanon’s independence, and he will be the final victor… Now, the U.S. and Israel are in the worst possible situation, and everything is ready for another defeat for them, which will be fateful for the [Middle East] region…
“Following this defeat, the Zionist regime will begin its slide down the slope. The U.S.’s influence in the [Middle East] region will stop, and the regimes identified with it will be replaced. The fate of Iraq and Afghanistan will pass into the hands of their peoples, and the political balances in the region will change… These are fateful days in Lebanon.”
OK, if you say so.
Here’s Badran at Totten with a different view on the Lebanon part. As for the rest … re Iran in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, even Iran, could happen. That fight has not been engaged in earnest at this end and remains ours to lose.
Leb Political Journal, What Really Happened in the Chouf.
Here’s Blacksmiths of Lebanon with some of that Hezbo-Iranian political, strategic and spiritual convergence.
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 9:13 pm on Monday, May 12, 2008
2 Responses to “From the Mouths of Mullahs”
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May 12th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Iran has an Ace in the hole: Barack Hussein Obama, and the Democrat Party.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Forget amputating the arms. Let’s go for the head.