Mousavi, Celebrated in Iranian Protests, Was the Butcher of Beirut

CQ Politics ^ | June 22, 2009 | Jeff Stein

[Scheneida]

He may yet turn out to be the avatar of Iranian democracy, but three decades ago Mir-Hossein Mousavi was waging a terrorist war on the United States that included bloody attacks on the U.S. embassy and Marine Corps barracks in Beirut.

[NoLibZone]

Once this gets out we shall a huge swell of support from the left.

[null and void]

Why am I not all that surprised?

[ChrisInAR]

I just heard Hannity say earlier this evening that the protests in Iran are about “freedom” & “democracy”...what a bunch of BS. This guy is a wanna-be tyrant, if not one already. He was vetted by the Mullahs, & wouldn’t have been allowed to take part in the election if they didn’t give him a thumbs up. He played an important role in their nuclear program & was responsible for 7,000 executions. What kind of freedom is THAT, Sean?

[alecqss]

Guys that snuffed Stalin in 1953 were no angels, too. Still, everyone was better off with them succeeding. If they did not, it would have probably been a WWIII bloodbath in a year.

[alecqss]

Hannity is correct. Rebellion is about overthrowing mullahs. Everyone will benefit from that, not only Iranians.

[HereInTheHeartland]

Yes but when the protests reach critical mass; the protesters will hopefully totally clear the sewer pipe of debris.
They will flush out all of the mullah sewage.

[ChrisInAR]

Hmmmmmm...I never knew that Stalin was murdered. That’s news to me.

[alecqss]

He was. Thank God.

[americanophile]

I don’t think anyone in the west gives a rat’s ass about Mousavi, but rightly or wrongly he’s the figurehead for a movement that will push Iran toward democratic reform, and which is underming the Mullahs. That’s a good thing for America. The enemy of our enemy is our friend.

[montanajoe]

Its a mystery to me why a conservative would suggest that the US should do anything but sit back, wish the protester's well and wait and see what will happen. On the other hand its not a mystery at all why a Republican talking head urges intervention..its because O wants to pursue that course of action.

[StilettoRaksha]

The ideal result is removal of the entire regime; however, a revolution takes time. So, although having Mousavi in office will not make much of a difference on major international issues affecting the world, it would be small, if not significant step toward liberal reforms in the repressive country.

[Kansas58]

Yes, it sounds bad, but -—

The enemy of my enemy is my friend!

Israel has been smart, in stating that they support the Democracy movement, in Iran.

We have to work with the cards we are dealt, and it seems that American interests, as well as the interests of Israel, would be best served by regime change in Iran.

[JimSEA]

I have no doubt that the demonstrators want “freedom” & “democracy”, however they are doomed which ever side wins.

[cynwoody]

I just heard Hannity say earlier this evening that the protests in Iran are about “freedom” & “democracy”...what a bunch of BS. This guy is a wanna-be tyrant

It's true that, if all the protests accomplish is to shift the presidency to Mousavi, nothing worthwhile will have been achieved. In fact the situation will be worsened, because Mousavi is just as evil as Ahmadinejad but probably better at getting along with the rest of the world and persuading it to hold off on taking out the nukes by force.

But that's not what Hannity is hoping for. He's hoping the Iranian people will throw a big enough fit to topple the regime. Then freedom and democracy might have a chance.

[Kansas58]

He did campaign on the elimination of the “moral police” in Iran.
That, in itself, would be an improvement.

[katiekins1]

three decades ago Mir-Hossein Mousavi was waging a terrorist war on the United States that included bloody attacks on the U.S. embassy and Marine Corps barracks in Beirut.

Congrads to you for posting the real truth! I only wear green on St. Patrick's Day.
Many Americans should be careful what they wish for.
Critical thinking skills are needed here.

Great Post.

[armymarinemom]

Guys that snuffed Stalin in 1953 were no angels

I thought Stalin died from a stroke.

[TheThinker]

But Baer, a former CIA Middle East field officer whose exploits were dramatized in the George Clooney movie "Syriana," places Mousavi even closer to the Beirut bombings.

This makes me distrust the motives of the author.

And what's wrong with seeing one's enemies in turmoil, particularly before they have assembled a nuclear bomb?

[dfwgator]

The rumor is that Beria poisoned Stalin, after he learned Stalin was about to purge him and the rest of the Politburo.