To understand an Iranian president, you have to remember that even though Iran is called an Islamic Republic, the system of governance is more like a monarchy. The president of Iran is effectively the prime minister of an absolute monarch. Iran’s supreme leader – formerly Ayatollah Khomeini, currently Ayatollah Khamenei – is the man who really rules Iran. The Leader must formally accept the people’s choice for president, and if push comes to shove he can order the president’s resignation (Khomeini did just that to the first president of Iran, Abol Hassan Bani Sadr, in 1981.) So even though people can elect their president, a successful candidate must have the tacit support of the Supreme Leader. According to people close to the Leader, Ahmadinejad still enjoys his support. Khamenei seems to enjoy Ahmadinejad’s aggressive rhetoric and agrees with most of the president’s policies, and doesn’t mind if they continue for four more years.

Call me “politically incorrect” – it’s not the worst thing I’ve been called – but this is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard.  How long until the same concerns are made on our soil?  

Sniffer dogs to wear ‘Muslim’ bootees



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American and Iraqi forces are driving Al-Qaeda in Iraq out of its last redoubt in the north of the country in the culmination of one of the most spectacular victories of the war on terror. 

After being forced from its strongholds in the west and centre of Iraq in the past two years, Al-Qaeda’s dwindling band of fighters has made a defiant “last stand” in the northern city of Mosul.

So much for the argument that Barack's superior "judgment" justifies his election as President.  If his policy had won the day, American troops would have been leaving Iraq with their tails between their legs, and Al-Qaeda in Iraq would be proclaiming triumph.

After all, here is what Barack had to say as of September 13, 2007:

There is no military solution in Iraq, and there never was.  The best way to protect our security and to pressure Iraq's leaders to resolve their civil war is to immediately begin to remove our combat troops. Not in six months or one year, but now. (emphasis added).

The rescue of hostages held by FARC, a Colombian terrorist group, has some important lessons to teach both Barack Obama and the left generally about dealing with bad guys across the world.

1. Sometimes, action is more effective than talk.

Reporters Without Borders was one of the groups most insistent on dialogue with the terrorists.  But after learning through laptops obtained in the wake of the rescues that the terrorists had actually had no intention of releasing the American or French hostages.  According to an account in the Wall Street Journal its leader had this to say:

"I have to recognize that the strong hand has prevailed," said human-rights activist Robert Menard, founder and secretary-general of Reporters Without Borders. "Our insistence on the need to negotiate with the FARC, hoping they would release their most valuable card, was foolish."

Yep.  Keep in mind that there are, indeed, people out there who can't be cajoled, charmed, bribed or reasoned out of their chosen (terrorist) course.


2. Sometimes, "negotiation" is just a way to dupe the naive.

Barack Obama has said that he'd meet with Hugo Chavez without precondition (although, in fairness, he's now "refined his position" on that stand, as well).

Problem is, of course, that in this whole FARC scenario, Chavez was using the pretext of negotiations as a way to achieve a propaganda victory for himself -- and to forge closer ties with the terrorists.  Ostensibly, the purpose of the negotiations was to free the hostages.  But for Chavez, they were nothing but a cynical ploy.

In other words, we can "negotiate" with guys like Chavez all we want.  That doesn't mean that they'll be negotiating with us in good faith.

 

On June 26, I'll be joining Melanie Morgan, Michelle Malkin -- and a host of other big-name conservative leaders -- in an historic effort to help the U.S. troops.  I encourage you to check out this site -- and to sponsor a care package for our troops.