Middle East to Bush: Mind your own Business

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/11/07/international1344EST0602.DTL

Iran told President Bush to mind his own business Friday after he called for greater democracy in the region. Similar and equally caustic views were expressed by commentators across the region.

While some commentators stressed that most people in the Middle East genuinely want democracy, Bush's preaching on freedom aroused resentment in a region where America is accused of waging war on Iraq and siding blindly with Israel against the Palestinians.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi condemned Bush's speech, delivered Thursday in Washington, as an "obvious interference in Iran's internal affairs," the country's Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

"No individual, or group, has ever commissioned Mr. Bush to safeguard their rights ... and basically, keeping in mind the dark record of the United States in suppressing the democratic movements around the globe, he is not in a position to talk about such issues," Asefi was quoted as saying.

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[Kolesar]

1. What about the CIA-backed failed coup in Venezuela last year?

Legally-elected Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez alleges that the US government was behind the coup last April that removed him from power for a few days.

What about murdering President Allende in Chile? ~1973
What about installing the Shah (Pahlavi) of Iran? ~ 1954(?)

[Karenina]

2. PERFECT!!!

"No individual, or group, has ever commissioned Mr. Bush to safeguard their rights ... and basically, keeping in mind the dark record of the United States in suppressing the democratic movements around the globe, he is not in a position to talk about such issues," Asefi was quoted as saying.

[denverbill]

3. Yep. He got that right.

Although I'm no fan of Iran's current govt, it's US supported predecessor was no better. I don't think many Iranians today would trade the mullahs for the Shah.

Dumbass Bush is playing right into the hands of the mullahs by shooting off his mouth. Now they will claim the democracy movement in Iran is a US-sponsored movement and crack down on it.

[htuttle]

4. The political community in Iran...

...(as opposed to the religious community) has repeatedly issued statements asking the US to keep it's trap shut in regards to supporting democracy in Iraq just for that very reason. They want to avoid any hint of them getting US support, and they CERTAINLY don't want to see their country bombed all to hell, no matter what the final outcome.

At least that's what I've read about Iran lately.

[denverbill]

5. Exactamundo.

Bush is a fucking bull in a China shop when it comes to foreign policy.