“That is the old Iran before Khomeini took over and made Iran into a radical Islamic state. I saw the change firsthand in Iran when Khomeini came in the country in February 1979. The change was overnight. Iran is the biggest state sponsor of terrorism. Sharia law is rigidly enforced.”
No, that is still today’s Iran, not as tolerant as under the shah but a heck of a lot more tolerant than the medieval bigots of Saudi Arabia where it is a criminal offence to worship any religion other than Islam. Syria was a fairly tolerant nation too under Assad and now we are supporting Al-Queada linked terrorists to overthrow Assad. It is truly bizarre.
The biggest state sponsors of terrorism today are Saudis and their allies in the Gulf states, nothing Iran does comes close to what the Sunnis have done that is a simple fact.
As to abandoning Israel that’s absurd, we can no more “abandon” Israel than we can “abandon” Japan, or Australia, or the Phillipines or the UK but the US is under no obligation to form its foreign policy in order to suit the agenda of one of its allies. If the Brits were doing stuff that got America into trouble the US would tell them to knock it off straight away and would be under no obligation to follow their bidding.
If Israel wants to cosy up with the fundamentalist Sunnis of Saudi Arabia or, increasingly, Turkey that’s Israel’s business, I hope they know what they’re doing but Israel doesn’t get to set US foreign policy, it’s not supposed to work that way.
Is that the measure of religious freedom, i.e., more tolerant than Saudi Arabia? LOL. You need to get better informed about that wonderful place called Iran:
Iran Human Rights Report for 2014
The most significant human rights problems were severe restrictions on civil liberties, including the freedoms of assembly, speech, religion, and press; limitations on the citizens’ ability to change the government peacefully through free and fair elections ; and disregard for the physical integrity of persons, whom authorities arbitrarily and unlawfully detained, tortured, or killed.
International Religious Freedom Report for 2014 Iran
On July 28, the Secretary of State redesignated Iran as a “Country of Particular Concern†(CPC) and renewed the existing restrictions on certain imports from and exports to the country. The United States has no diplomatic relations with the country. The Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor addressed abuses and restrictions against Bahai, Christian, Jewish, and other religious minority communities in the country. Senior U.S. government officials publicly called for the release of prisoners held on religious grounds. The U.S. government supported religious minority groups in the country through its actions in the UN, including through votes to extend the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran and for resolutions expressing concern over the country’s human rights practices, including the continued persecution of religious minorities.
Syria was a fairly tolerant nation too under Assad and now we are supporting Al-Queada linked terrorists to overthrow Assad. It is truly bizarre.
Assad is a tyrannical dictator who has killed tens of thousands. Initially, this was a civil war with Syrians trying to remove him. AQ and ISIS came in later to hijack the revolution. Assad is just as evil as Saddam was. You can be against Assad and AQ and ISIS at the same time.
The biggest state sponsors of terrorism today are Saudis and their allies in the Gulf states, nothing Iran does comes close to what the Sunnis have done that is a simple fact.
Not a simple fact at all. The Saudi government is not a state sponsor of terrorism. They have not participated in the murder of Americans. The Saudi government is the target of AQ and ISIS and Iran. Please be specific as to what actions the Saudi Government is taking to sponsor terrorism.
State Department List of State Sponsors of Terrorism
but the US is under no obligation to form its foreign policy in order to suit the agenda of one of its allies
Just a strawman. Who ever said the US has an obligation to "form its foreign policy in order to suit the agenda of one of its allies'? Can you cite an example where this is happening.
If the Brits were doing stuff that got America into trouble the US would tell them to knock it off straight away and would be under no obligation to follow their bidding.
Are you saying that Israel is getting us "into trouble"? Be more specific as to where this is happening. I can certainly say the reverse is happening with the US nuclear deal with Iran. Israel must bear the consequences of Iran getting a nuclear weapon. Iran has promised to wipe Israel off the map.
If Israel wants to cosy up with the fundamentalist Sunnis of Saudi Arabia or, increasingly, Turkey that’s Israel’s business, I hope they know what they’re doing but Israel doesn’t get to set US foreign policy, it’s not supposed to work that way.
First, it is not working that way, especially under Obama. Israel is not setting US foreign policy. Israel must look out for its own national interests. Working with the Saudis (a US ally) and Turkey (a Nato member) doesn't sound so sinister to me. Israel had some real problems with Turkey in the past. Remember the boats that tried to violate Israel's blockage of Gaza?