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Celia M Paddock's avatar

Maybe I just don't know enough about the details of foreign policy, but I had a hard time following the tangled threads of this article. Is the problem that these people were acting as agents for the Iranian government when they had not been openly declared to be such?

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Bill Cribben's avatar

Likewise this whole matter is a cluster——— courtesy of Obama. We are expected know our role and shut our mouths.

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Schismatic Schizo's avatar

Yes, essentially ethnic Persian-Americans in our government are cooperating with Iranian government assets.

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Jan Brogan's avatar

Me, too. Or maybe I just watched too much of “The Diplomat,” but I think I figured most countries would be doing this kind of subvert opinion-garnering. I didn’t completely understand when it crossed the line.

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Celia M Paddock's avatar

It would have helped if the author had given us more context. An Iranian agent working at the Pentagon is clearly across the line. But a lot of this just seemed to be shady-but-not-unusual efforts to manipulate opinions on Iran. I would have liked to have seen more dots connected. How, specifically, did these efforts change how our government acted toward Iran?

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Will Liley's avatar

IS she actually an Iranian agent? It’s implied but not stated and like Albert, this seems to me to be normal diplomacy, and in the open too.

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Lynne Morris's avatar

Like, the who is the European nation funding this dot. And given the policy shift from prior administrations to Obama I think it is indisputable that yes efforts like this changed how our government treated Iran.

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Bruce Miller's avatar

It wasn't that you had a hard time following it. It was just that, as a patriotic American citizen, you find it hard to believe that your government would be just this rotten and deluded.

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Naomi's avatar

That’s a good point, it was hard for me to focus on the story details because they were so complicated AND because my head was spinning from the upsetting information about our treasonous government.

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Lynne Morris's avatar

It is just a jumping off point for your own research.

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Albert Loveland's avatar

I am with you. Iran has interests, and these people are out trying to further their perspectives. I really didn't see anything other than something that happens in the world of diplomacy. Thanks for sharing what I was thinking.

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Bill Emerson's avatar

It can be clarifying to remember that Obama considered Israel to be just another example of “White Colonialism” in the Middle East. While never explicitly stated, his actions while in office clearly demonstrated that he wanted Iran to be the hegemonic leader of the Middle East. Towards this end, the administration promoted the farcical idea that Iran, with one of the world’s largest deposits of fossil fuel, needed to develop nuclear power for domestic purposes. He authorized $billions to Iran which they have used to develop nuclear weapons and delivery systems. Trump put a stop to this. The current administration, staffed with all the same people from the Obama administration (including Malley) are simply continuing the goals from the precious Obama administration. The reality of individuals with Iranian heritage being part of the current administration is hardly surprising.

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Honey Daly's avatar

Yes! Thank you, Bill, well stated!

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Comprof2.0's avatar

Lol.....Obama considered it X, but never explicitly said it was X.

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Kevin Durant?'s avatar

While Obama is quite the anti-American scumbag, I find you defending Obama to the death to be 10-15% less farcical than when you are defending decrepit white racist and child molester Joe Biden to the death, and it is thus less entertaining.

😢😢😢😢

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Comprof2.0's avatar

How is Obama Anti-American?

What evidence do you have of Biden being a racist and/or child molester?

Emoji responses don't count.

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Judith Hershon's avatar

Does anyone else marvel how “ social justice warriors”on Am campus attack Israel ever more stridently while never a word against Iran which deals viciously w women and gays. Very difficult following this article

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ALToronto's avatar

I marvel at how American women of Iranian heritage, who enjoy all of the West's freedoms, can support a regime that would beat and jail them for being "immodest". And how that regime is happy to overlook their immorality to further its agenda.

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Honey Daly's avatar

AL, because they HATE America, like so many WOKE LEFT Democrats do! Yet, while living here enjoying our freedoms, they support regimes that would quickly take them away, if possible!

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

It is not just Iran but the Saudis are just as brutal and the ever senile Joe kisses their asses as have all our presidents in the last 30 or 40 years.

If we were truly a moral nation, we would have nothing to do with Islamic nations or China, Cuba, Venezuela or North Korea.

Every Islamic nation supports slavery and the brutalization of women.

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Mike Vogel's avatar

You're right. Trump kissed the Saudis asses, his lackey son-in-law Kushner was handed $2 BILLION from them as a going away gift, and what's the Republicans response? Hunter Biden must be brought to justice!

He should, but compared to Kushner and (as Chris Christie explains it) the biggest family of grifters he ever saw in his life, HB is a jaywalker compared to Kushner enabling and profiting from his mass murderer Saudi buddies.

End the hypocrisy!

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

do you want all corruption punished or just Rep crooks?

I want them all to go to jail, not just the ever senile Joe.

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Mike Vogel's avatar

Funny how I never see Repubs foaming-at-the-mouth furious at Kushner as they are at Hunter. Hmm, wonder why that is? Oh that's right--hypocrisy!

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

Yeah, the Socialists would never be hypocritical, would they?

I eagerly await your response.

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Mike Vogel's avatar

Of course they can and would be. And yes, politicians on both sides can indeed be hypocritical. But that whataboutism still doesn't answer my question: Why does the right seem so furious at Hunter Biden but doesn't seem at all bothered by Kushner's actions, which took place while he was actually part of the government and are about 20x worse? How do you feel about it, Lonesome?

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

If Kushner broke the law, I want him to go to jail. I have not kept up with Kushner so I am unaware, which is unusual for me. It seems to me that Kushner did the same thing Hunter did which is pedal influence, disgusting.

If you want hypocrisy, here's hypocrisy:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democrat-s-words-come-back-to-haunt-him/ar-AA1hvmPq?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=34a21455a158420f816ada9640e478af&ei=16

To me most all politicians are scum.

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

There is hypocrisy on both sides and pointing out hypocrisy on the right doesn't make what the Biden crime family does moral or all right.

If something criminal is going on, I don't care what party is involved. I want them prosecuted and thrown in prison.

Isn't that what you want? Pointing out hypocrisy by Reps doesn't excuse the hypocrisy of your party. They're politicians for Christ's sake. Hypocrisy and the lie is the ocean in which they swim.

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Celia M Paddock's avatar

It took me years to understand the strange bedfellowship between the Left and Islam. Islam is everything the Left *purports* to hate: fervent religious believers who force their illiberal sexist and homophobic beliefs on whole populations via theocracy. How on earth could Leftists embrace that???

Then I realized, with deep shock, that it all comes down to mutual hatred of Israel.

So the Left looks the other way as Islamists throw gays from buildings and force women to wear burqas.

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Honey Daly's avatar

Celia, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”

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Bill Cribben's avatar

Also they both detest dissent

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Celia M Paddock's avatar

Yup. Leftists dream of having that much control over the population.

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

You are obviously Islamophobic.

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Celia M Paddock's avatar

;~) And yet the Leftists screaming about Muslim parents not wanting their kids sexually groomed for abuse and transing are somehow NOT Islamophobic.

Oh wait, the Leftists decided that the Muslim parents had been brainwashed by conservative Christians. So the Leftists are *totally* not Islamophobic.

Except that anyone with a brain would realize that Islam is inherently a conservative religion. Nope, nope, these parents could not possibly be against pornographic books in schools and kindergarteners being forced to question what gender they are! Not without the brainwashing of those eeeeeevil Christians.

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Honey Daly's avatar

Ha, Lonesome!

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Judith Hershon's avatar

Assume this was facetious. Not one “social justice warrior” cares about Iranian population suffering under nightmare regime. Obama gave Cairo speech inviting banned Muslim Brotherhood whir putting “ daylight” btwn USA and Israel. Redacted every reference to Islamist extremism in every US counter terrorism manual calling jihad Ft Hood attack work place violence Huma Abedin family MB royalty

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

Celia and I go back a long way and I consider her a friend. She knows I was being facetious.

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Celia M Paddock's avatar

I do. :~) It's like with KD--satire is expected. And Compost2.0--the occasional rational comment is him trying to be satirical and failing.

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Elle Stratt's avatar

Celia, I have wondered that same thing over the years and you just hit the nail on the head. I had never considered that but I totally agree. When it comes to Iran, the Leftists must also agree with “death to America.” Obama said early on that he wanted to fundamentally change the United States.

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Celia M Paddock's avatar

It's kind of like the racism of white Democrats. Once you see it, you can't unsee it.

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Lynne Morris's avatar

I first became aware of this when Hillary Clinton publicly supported Palestine. I remember thinking WTH lady? But over the years I came to understand she is perfectly comfortable with what you describe. She is an elitist through and through and as such expects to do well under authoritarianism. Check out her "aide" that has been with her for years. The one that was married to Weiner.

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mcara's avatar

I would use the word “marvel” in quotes but I agree with your statement that academia is - once again - completely without logic in blindly supporting one progressive issue at the expense of another progressive issue without any self-awareness of their ignorance. Support by Democrats for the two well-known Squad members who are whole-heartedly a part of this problem is a “marvel” as well.

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Lynne Morris's avatar

I think they are aware. They count on your and my unawareness to succeed.

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Judith Hershon's avatar

Yes. “marvel” in quotes. Torture, death, Masah Amini - none of it resonates w the Left. Oberlin won’t give up Mohammed Jafar Mahallati responsible for deaths of thousands. Grows more Orwellian by the minute…

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Naomi's avatar

That is, of course, in addition to the fact that I ran, is threatening to wipe Israel off the map, and is the founder of most of the terrorism in the world

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Robert Moore's avatar

Celia, I had the same reaction. The article was written in a manner that appeared to be concise and thorough, but I had a difficult time parsing what the thrust of it was really about.

But what I DID understand was that "experts" are being trusted by policy makers in Washington, to the detriment of THIS country AND Israel in particular. Unless and until Iran forsakes its stated goal to wipe the State of Israel off the face of the map they should not be trusted. And any expert, so-called, from that country should be doubted when they state the case for Iran's nuclear ambitions.

As much as I despised Obama for the health care initiative, I despise him even MORE for the Iran nuclear deal and the pallets of cash he sent to them to seal the deal. Iran is NOT to be trusted!

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Sonsoles de Lacalle's avatar

I get that the WH decision-making process (if they have one) has been driven by a deceiving campaign carefully orchestrated by Iran. One more....🙄

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Brian Katz's avatar

1000% Correct.

Obama is behind this even to this day.

JCPOA is bad policy.

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

Well, the golfer in chief is a Muslim and he just helping out his Islamic pals.

I have always wondered. Did he carry his prayer rug with hm on Air Force One?

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Brian Katz's avatar

Obama support for JCPOA has nothing to do with the things you stated.

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

Come on Brian. A little humor here. I don't know if the jerk is a Muslim or not. He was raised in his formative years in a Muslin nation by a Muslim stepfather so who knows?

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Brian Katz's avatar

My apologies. I’m in a lot of pain with a chronic condition I have and didn’t recognize the sarcasm. My bad. Thanks for waking me up.

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

Cronic pain is rough.

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Brian Katz's avatar

Yes sir, some good days, some bad, with no notice of either. Just happens.

Thanks for understanding.

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

I not only have been there, I am still there. "Getting old's bitch. It's not for sissies." Betti Davis.

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Brian Katz's avatar

Very true.

Hope you are feeling good today.

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TxFrog's avatar

No, at Obama's church they do not shout "Death to America!" They shout "God damn America!".

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

The sycophant press loved the messiah and his church and gave the golfer in chief and his church a pass, just like they are giving the ever senile Joe a pass.

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

What is JSPOA?

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Brian Katz's avatar

Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. It is the nuclear agreement that the US signed with Iran while the Muslim in Chief was POTUS. The agreement Trump ripped up and then imposed sanctions. The agreement that Biden seeks to reenter. It just baffles the mind what the neocon foreign policy wonks are doing.

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Honey Daly's avatar

Brian, I believe it was/is because Obama really did not support Israel over Palestine

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Brian Katz's avatar

Both are true. First. Obama disfavored Israel because of activities and claims to Judaea & Samaria (colloquially, the West Bank) visa vi the Palestinians. This is why he did not veto UN Resolution 2334, which declares Israeli presence in Judaea & Samaria illegal. This resolution has no affect in international law, other than to appease those that hate Israel. Second, Obama used the JCPOA to give power to Iran, so the US could exit the Middle East. This action, has the effect of giving Iran the power to destroy Israel.

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Celia M Paddock's avatar

The fact that an Iranian undeclared agent is an employee at the Pentagon was the thing that really stood out to me.

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

Thank God the ever senile Joe just sent Iran 6 billion dollars. Now Iran can not only keep its agents in the Pentagon on the payroll they can give them all a raise.

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Comprof2.0's avatar

Why was the 6 Billion in Iranian oil revenue released?

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Brian Katz's avatar

Hostage exchange. You know that.

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

Why? Why? Do you answer this nitwit?

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Brian Katz's avatar

Oops, sorry 😣.

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Bill Cribben's avatar

Forgiven this time

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

Yeah, but don't let it happen again.

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Brian Katz's avatar

👍👍

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Comprof2.0's avatar

Could be....or maybe Biden is Iranian?

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Kevin Durant?'s avatar

He’s Jiao Bideng and he’s Chinese. Either that or he’s human trafficking kingpin Jose Bideña. But I guess Mujoebideen kinda sounds like Mujahideen so I will consider it.

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Comprof2.0's avatar

Yes. You probably legitimately believe all of that

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LonesomePolecat's avatar

You nailed once more.

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Comprof2.0's avatar

Yep. Joe Biden is Chinese and is a human trafficker. Nailed it.

Lol.

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