Blair: ‘British Troops in Iran? We Can Never Say Never’

[Guest guest]

Paving the way to establish Lord Chaitanya's Sankirtan Misssion of chanting the Holy Names of Hari, Krishna and Rama on Muslim territory! /images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

Ksatriya Mr Tony Blair: ‘British Troops in Iran? We Can Never Say Never’

 

Bob Roberts – The Daily Mirror February 8, 2006

 

Tony Blair yesterday refused to rule out a British military invasion of Iran.

 

He told MPs the rogue Middle Eastern state was helping to spread the "virus" of Muslim fanaticism across the world.

 

It was a problem which needed "sorting", the Prime Minister said.

 

And asked if the British military option was on the table, he admitted: "You can never say never in any of these situations."

 

The warning is a significant increase in the language the PM has used against the Tehran-based regime which is also accused of developing nuclear weapons. American military experts have already said war-planes are on standby to attack.

 

Mr Blair said he would prefer to resolve disputes with Iran through "peaceful and diplomatic means".

 

But he attacked the regime which has threatened to wipe Israel off the map.

 

He said: "The concern about Iran is growing very, very substantially - and the more the President of Iran carries on using this type of language and saying what he says about the state of Israel, the more people get worried."

 

The PM warned the Tehran government would be making a "very serious mistake" if it defied international calls to stop making nuclear weapons, adding: "When they try to export terrorism, it's a problem. When they are trying to meddle in Iraq, it's a problem."

 

Tony Blair Yesterday

 

Blair went on: "There is a virus of extremism which comes out of the cocktail of religious fanaticism and political repression in the Middle East which is now being exported to the rest of the world.

 

"We will only secure our future if we are dealing with every single aspect of that problem. Our future security depends on sorting out the stability of that region."

 

The warning comes as an Iranian newspaper announced a contest for cartoons satirising the Holocaust in response to the caricatures of the prophet Mohammed which appeared in Denmark.

 

Iran said it was cutting trade ties with the Danes - but the EU warned that attempts to boycott Danish goods or stop trading with European countries would lead to further deterioration in relations.

 

During his session in front of senior MPs on the Commons Liaison Committee, Mr Blair also pledged a police crackdown on Islamic fanatics who brandished hate-filled placards in the UK last week.

 

DEFENCE Secretary John Reid last night said there could be "significantly fewer British forces" in Iraq within a year - but only if threats from insurgents are reduced and the country has effective local government systems

www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=16678042&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=-british-troops-in-iran--we-can-never-say-never---name_page.html

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

Quote:

 

Blair went on: "There is a virus of extremism which comes out of the cocktail of religious fanaticism and political repression in the Middle East which is now being exported to the rest of the world.

 

Reply:

 

That is shortsighted.

 

It is time for this issue in the Middle East to be resolved properly - before it does become a global conflict – and - if it is to be so resolved - then there cannot be any outside machinations by the various political and religious lobbies in the U.S.A. etc., - we for instance must learn from the past mistakes made by the British Empire in this regard

 

Regime changes do not lead to democracies - they [at best]lead to puppet-regimes and later - civil war.

 

All these groups have to realize that no extremist group has ever had collective success in creating a lasting Empire - nor has any extremist succeeded in preserving any real personal influence within their societies – nope - it all comes apart in the end – each time – history has a long list of such examples...

 

We all must do our part to work things out in this world – to address quarrel - and its sources.

 

Of course in the current ‘infectious’ point and counter-point conflict scenario - we have a tug-of-war - between extremists from all camps - and their rope - is the innocent masses.

 

What about the fact that it appears more and more that the war on terrorism - is really a turf war of sorts and that the so-called Muslim extremists - are a counter-point to the evangelical extremists – or is it the other way around – well it matters little in the final estimation of the problem.

 

The sickest thing someone can do to make change is to act heinously. That kind of mode of ignorance action does bring change - it brings more power for abusive administrations – it creates a despicable atmosphere for everyone - including those who thus act.

 

I sure hope that the people in Iran are not going to permit their leaders to continue in their point and counter-point interactions with the west.

 

These various Arab nations in the middle east have to understand that they are cheating themselves by engaging in these conflicts – and they must do what they can to convince the world that any pre-emptive strikes would be unnecessary.

 

Most of the population in Iran is youth – these youth are at a crossroads position with the future of their nation – many of these youth must be asking themselves if they want to follow the past course of conflict.

 

Who can deny that – if they are prematurely attacked – they may decide to renew their hate for their attackers and - the west?

 

That is the point – in today’s world they are fighting for the wrong purposes and - they are fighting without rules or regulations – it seems that they must exponentially out-do each others atrocities – indeed it’s becoming the sickest one-upmanship process one could imagine.

 

Who isn’t getting fed-up with this nonsense? What do we do with a world like this - where the majority becomes thus bent?

 

If he is pious he shall start to understand these things...

 

BDM

 

[Guest guest]

Tony has to consider... [re: Guest]

02/10/06 05:26 AM Edit Reply

 

Poster Bhakta Don Muntean says:

 

"I sure hope that the people in Iran are not going to permit their leaders to continue in their point and counter-point interactions with the west......"

------------------

 

So, you're suggesting in order to fix peace in the Middle East people in Iran should keep their leaders under control? Otherwise they could be blamed of not being pious enough to understand things? Good point - real wisdom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

US prepares military blitz against Iran's nuclear sites

 

Phillip Sherwell – The Sunday Telegraph February 12, 2006

 

US prepares military blitz against Iran's nuclear sites

Phillip Sherwell – The Sunday Telegraph February 12, 2006

 

Strategists at the Pentagon are drawing up plans for devastating bombing raids backed by submarine-launched ballistic missile attacks against Iran's nuclear sites as a "last resort" to block Teheran's efforts to develop an atomic bomb.

 

Central Command and Strategic Command planners are identifying targets, assessing weapon-loads and working on logistics for an operation, the Sunday Telegraph has learnt.

 

They are reporting to the office of Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary, as America updates plans for action if the diplomatic offensive fails to thwart the Islamic republic's nuclear bomb ambitions. Teheran claims that it is developing only a civilian energy programme.

 

"This is more than just the standard military contingency assessment," said a senior Pentagon adviser. "This has taken on much greater urgency in recent months."

 

The prospect of military action could put Washington at odds with Britain which fears that an attack would spark violence across the Middle East, reprisals in the West and may not cripple Teheran's nuclear programme. But the steady flow of disclosures about Iran's secret nuclear operations and the virulent anti-Israeli threats of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has prompted the fresh assessment of military options by Washington. The most likely strategy would involve aerial bombardment by long-distance B2 bombers, each armed with up to 40,000lb of precision weapons, including the latest bunker-busting devices. They would fly from bases in Missouri with mid-air refuelling.

 

The Bush administration has recently announced plans to add conventional ballistic missiles to the armoury of its nuclear Trident submarines within the next two years. If ready in time, they would also form part of the plan of attack.

 

Teheran has dispersed its nuclear plants, burying some deep underground, and has recently increased its air defences, but Pentagon planners believe that the raids could seriously set back Iran's nuclear programme.

 

Iran was last weekend reported to the United Nations Security Council by the International Atomic Energy Agency for its banned nuclear activities. Teheran reacted by announcing that it would resume full-scale uranium enrichment - producing material that could arm nuclear devices.

 

The White House says that it wants a diplomatic solution to the stand-off, but President George W Bush has refused to rule out military action and reaffirmed last weekend that Iran's nuclear ambitions "will not be tolerated".

 

Sen John McCain, the Republican front-runner to succeed Mr Bush in 2008, has advocated military strikes as a last resort. He said recently: "There is only only one thing worse than the United States exercising a military option and that is a nuclear-armed Iran."

 

Senator Joe Lieberman, a Democrat, has made the same case and Mr Bush is expected to be faced by the decision within two years.

 

By then, Iran will be close to acquiring the knowledge to make an atomic bomb, although the construction will take longer. The President will not want to be seen as leaving the White House having allowed Iran's ayatollahs to go atomic.

 

In Teheran yesterday, crowds celebrating the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution chanted "Nuclear technology is our inalienable right" and cheered Mr Ahmadinejad when he said that Iran may reconsider membership of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

Quote:

 

Good point - real wisdom!

 

Reply:

 

...so what is that supposed to mean?

 

Quote:

 

Bhakta Don Muntean for president!

 

Reply:

 

Yes maybe I should be the 'president' [of earth] - we'll see...

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

 

Quote:

 

Blair went on: "There is a virus of extremism which comes out of the cocktail of religious fanaticism and political repression in the Middle East which is now being exported to the rest of the world.

 

Reply:

 

That is shortsighted.

 

It is time for this issue in the Middle East to be resolved properly - before it does become a global conflict – and - if it is to be so resolved - then there cannot be any outside machinations by the various political and religious lobbies in the U.S.A. etc., - we for instance must learn from the past mistakes made by the British Empire in this regard

 

Regime changes do not lead to democracies - they [at best]lead to puppet-regimes and later - civil war.

 

All these groups have to realize that no extremist group has ever had collective success in creating a lasting Empire - nor has any extremist succeeded in preserving any real personal influence within their societies – nope - it all comes apart in the end – each time – history has a long list of such examples...

 

We all must do our part to work things out in this world – to address quarrel - and its sources.

 

Of course in the current ‘infectious’ point and counter-point conflict scenario - we have a tug-of-war - between extremists from all camps - and their rope - is the innocent masses.

 

What about the fact that it appears more and more that the war on terrorism - is really a turf war of sorts and that the so-called Muslim extremists - are a counter-point to the evangelical extremists – or is it the other way around – well it matters little in the final estimation of the problem.

 

The sickest thing someone can do to make change is to act heinously. That kind of mode of ignorance action does bring change - it brings more power for abusive administrations – it creates a despicable atmosphere for everyone - including those who thus act.

 

I sure hope that the people in Iran are not going to permit their leaders to continue in their point and counter-point interactions with the west.

 

These various Arab nations in the middle east have to understand that they are cheating themselves by engaging in these conflicts – and they must do what they can to convince the world that any pre-emptive strikes would be unnecessary.

 

Most of the population in Iran is youth – these youth are at a crossroads position with the future of their nation – many of these youth must be asking themselves if they want to follow the past course of conflict.

 

Who can deny that – if they are prematurely attacked – they may decide to renew their hate for their attackers and - the west?

 

That is the point – in today’s world they are fighting for the wrong purposes and - they are fighting without rules or regulations – it seems that they must exponentially out-do each others atrocities – indeed it’s becoming the sickest one-upmanship process one could imagine.

 

Who isn’t getting fed-up with this nonsense? What do we do with a world like this - where the majority becomes thus bent?

 

If he is pious he shall start to understand these things...

 

BDM

 

I wrote:

 

Regime changes do not lead to democracies - they [at best]lead to puppet-regimes and later - civil war.

 

While that IS generally true - it isn't a rule - as by and large - there are going to be times that free nations have to fight against those that might have designs on ending western civilization - as well as the situations where tyrants are so out of control - that to ignore them permanently is unwise.

 

No one wishes to rush to war - but - what if there are those out there who do not think of their fighting - as war - as much as they think of it - as bringing a mandate forward - where the causes and background are radical - political and/or religious - that makes little difference to the need to not be callous to the reactions of the age of quarrel. Just as we know the rains are going to come - so we make preperations.

 

Srila Prabupada says:

 

This age of Kali will certainly be full of all activities of Kali, but this does not mean that the leaders of society, the executive heads, the learned and intelligent men, or above all the devotees of the Lord should sit down tightly and become callous to the reactions of the age of Kali. In the rainy season certainly there will be profuse rainfalls, but that does not mean that men should not take means to protect themselves from the rains. It is the duty of the executive heads of state and others to take all necessary actions against the activities of Kali or the persons influenced by the age of Kali; and Maharaja Parikit is thek ideal executive head of the state, for at once he was ready to kill the personality of Kali with his sharp sword. [sB 1.17.28, purport]

 

Of course Prabhupada also mentions this in the same purport:

 

The administrators should not simply pass resolutions for anticorruptional steps, but they must be ready with sharp swords to kill the persons creating corruptions from the angle of vision of the recognized çästras. The administrators cannot prevent corrupt activities by allowing wine shops. They must at once close all shops of intoxicating drugs and wine and force punishment even by death for those who indulge in habits of intoxication of all description.

 

So one could say that is a rather 'extreme position' - while that seems to be his mood in this purport - we can see that in other places he is much more broadminded [less harsh as it were]:

 

You are thirsty; you want water. But there is a good taste in the water. Otherwise, how you quench your thirst? There is taste. Everyone knows. So Krsna says, raso ’ham apsu kaunteya: “Any liquid thing, the taste, which attracts you, that is I am.” Even you are a drunkard, you are fond of tasting wine, I should recommend that you simply think that “This taste of wine is Krsna.” That will make a yogi of you. That will make you the greatest yogi. If you simply think this, that “I am tasting wine. Oh, very nice taste. This is Krsna.” Is there any loss if you think like that? This is Krsna consciousness. [bG 7.1, Lecture, September 08, 1973]

 

Even those who are drinking... If he thinks that “This taste of drinking is Krsna,” he will one day come out a great saintly person. Such a nice thing, Krsna consciousness, if you have cultivate Krsna consciousness, if you follow the description given by the shastras. So I can request that even the drunkards that “You can become Krsna conscious.” [sB 1.8.22, Lecture, April 14, 1973]

 

Thus he is giving an example to our leaders - about time and circumstances and that in the most puka or pure state - rules and regulations would never see the state run sale of any intoxicants - however intoxicants would still be around as these were there even in vedic culture - but they were not a part of the economic development of the State. Now they are. At least the alcohol - it's gone from being taxed to the state owning the distillery. That [in part] is what needs changing.

 

Of course my opinion on these matters is well known.

 

So we have to see that our western leaders understand things from a broad perspective and that they rule at home - without duplicity or unfairness.

 

When our world ends up dealing with extremists - no matter the faith background of the leaders here [and there] - they cannot ascribe to an extremist path themselves - this is why we pray for Mr. Bush and those that lead America [and another 'nearby' neighbor too;)] - that they HEAR THE MESSAGE...

[Kulapavana]

LOL! what a bunch of idiots! FIRST they should be held accountable for the war crimes and general MESS they have created in Iraq... more of the crimes to follow? the world needs stability and justice, not another stupid war for the sake of various lobbies and war profiteers.

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

 

LOL! what a bunch of idiots! FIRST they should be held accountable for the war crimes and general MESS they have created in Iraq... more of the crimes to follow? the world needs stability and justice, not another stupid war for the sake of various lobbies and war profiteers.

I cannot believe you're making excuses for the obvious demons in Iran!

 

You may be one of those that thinks that things aren't all that bad over there - after all - they really only hate Israel - right? Why should you care?

 

The mess in Iraq is cause by those that are fighting against this action - as noted before - when the insurgency ends - the war ends.

 

Do we have coalition troops beheading people etc? NO we don't.

 

So at least in Iraq we have a stepping stone - to the other places that need cleaning out...

 

You said "FIRST" - what is "SECOND"?