Informed Comment

Thoughts on the Middle East, History, and Religion

Juan Cole is President of the Global Americana Institute

Thursday, November 27, 2003

Khamenei: 'America Sinking into Quagmire" "

Iran's Supreme Jurisprudent, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in a radio address that: 'The American nation should know that Iraq is America's quagmire and America is sinking deeper into it by staying longer in Iraq . . . The Americans are so desperate that they are bombing an occupied country...this (Middle East) region does not tolerate occupation . . . 'The Americans should know that any imposed government, constitution and elections would face resistance from the people in Iraq. In free elections the majority of the Iraqi people will choose those who will not allow the Americans to stay one more day in Iraq. The Americans, who entered Iraq in the name of human rights, have oppressed the Iraqis so much that they punched the Americans in the face. The Americans' claim about bringing democracy to the region is a disgraceful lie.'' (Reuters).

I have to admit that the line about the US being reduced to bombing a country it had already militarily occupied was a pretty good zinger. Iranian politics is rough and tumble, and these battle hardened old ayatollahs have the sharp elbow moves choreographed as well as any WWF wrestler. The scarey thing is that Khamenei could turn up the heat on the US in Iraq pretty easily, and it is hard to see what the Bush administration could do about it. It is not as if they have the spare troops to attack and occupy Iran as well (despite Billy Kristol's disturbed daydreams).

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