Chuck Hagel: Iran’s Government ‘Elected’ and ‘Legitimate’

National Review ^ | 01/31/2013 | Andrew Stiles

[SeekAndFind]

Former senator Chuck Hagel defended his vote against designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group, claiming it would have been unprecedented and potentially harmful to give that designation to a representative of a “legitimate” government.

The Islamist regime in Iran, Hagel said, was “an elected, legitimate government, whether we agree or not.”

The Iranian government is currently gearing up for elections by arresting “anti-revolutionary” journalists, and deciding whether or not to allow pro-reform candidates to participate, many of whom have been living under house arrest for years.

The country’s election in 2009 prompted large-scale protests followed by a violent government crackdown. The country’s political system is generally acknowledged to be heavily rigged in favor of current president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad; in the words of international democracy monitor Freedom House, “Iran is not an electoral democracy.”

At the time, President Obama said that he had “deep concerns” about the election. Vice president Joe Biden said “there’s some real doubt” about its legitimacy, but the Obama administration otherwise declined to take a more aggressive stance in support of the Iranian protesters.

UPDATE: Asked by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D., N.Y.) to clarify his remarks, Hagel said he did not mean to say Iran was a “legitimate” government per se, but rather a “recognized” entity — a member of the United Nations, for example. “That’s what I should have said,” Hagel told Gillibrand.

[Trapped Behind Enemy Lines]

Surely you jest.

[elhombrelibre]

He’s a perfect Obama nominee. It’s sad that he once wore the Uniform of the USA, but he has the mind of an Obama Zombie.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Unbelievable.

[43north]

upchuck hagel is not mentally stable.

When he was a senator he had the highest staff turnover rate of all of the congresscritters because he is such an arrogant, insufferable b@stard. Therefore, he would be a PERFECT sec def for owebama.

[Sarah Barracuda]

Hagel was such an epic fail today Casey Anthony has a better chance of being confirmed

[montag813]

It’s sad that he once wore the Uniform of the USA

So did Benedict Arnold. So did Charles Whitman. what does it matter? Hagel is a world government traitor who MUST be defeated.

[what's up]

claiming it would have been unprecedented and potentially harmful to give that designation to a representative of a “legitimate” government.

By his definition, Chuckie would never call out the killers and terrorist groups in ANY country in the UN.

Sick.

[cgbg]

“A member of the United Nations”.

Now there is a high standard.

Presumably as long as you wear shoes to the Pentagon you are “fully dressed”. :-)

[WilliamofCarmichael]

From the Reuters "Iran cracks down on media before election" article.

A crackdown on those who work against the Iranian leadership and its 1979 Islamic revolution . . .

Analysts say reformist candidates may be allowed to run this time if they distance themselves from [past opposition candidates Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi].

"Allowed to run." The Iranian leadership and its 1979 Islamic revolution must permit candidates to run for the office. I believe.

They got the idea from us during the 1970s. :)

[andyk]

This guy was a republican?

[wideawake]

For all those geniuses calling Hagel a “real conservative” I hope they paid close attention to his opinion that the authority of the UN legitimizs an Islamist.

[cripplecreek]

Note to Chuckie

Once you start kissing democrat butt, you can’t stop.