For the proofs, only time will tell.

But, I have one undeniable fact supporting my view: my view is consistent with the goals openly (screamingly) stated by all of the Islamists (Sunni or Shiite). If there is one major difference separating Americans at this time is between those who on 9/11 learned that we have to take the Islamists at their word when they talk about their goals, and those who did not learn it.

You did not learn it Nikolay. Unfortunately, for all of us I am confident you will get another chance.

As to your question “what is the regime” in Iran. The Supreme Leader (Khamanei) and the Mullahs who support him. Ahmadinejad (and Khatami before him) are little more than figureheads - pushed in front of the world to perform a b-rated good-cop/bad-cop routine (that everybody eats up).

Yes, lets hold hands and sing kumbayah, the Iranian regime doesn’t mean any of the things it says. They really love us and want to emulate us.

1) I didn’t say anything about “kumbaya”. I said that Iran is nothing compared to Soviet regime. For example: a) in Soviet Russia there was _NEVER_, not a _single_ open election that could in fact influence country’s policy, in most cases there wasn’t even a choice between candidates; in Iran, while elections are not _free_, they can influence country’s future, and this happened numerous times, b) in Soviet Russia there was no private business at all (with the exception of a short pre-Stalin period), c) in Soviet Russia there could not be any crackdown on free press, because there was no free press in the first place; there never was any political discussion in the public discourse at all.
2) What do you mean by the “Iranian regime”? Official newspapers that openly mock Ahmadinejad? Or the nut himself, who promised to be moderate in the international politics and to fix economy when he ran for office, and who’s now less popular in his country than Bush in US?
3) I genuinely believe that in the long run Iran has better potential for turning into a civilized and advanced democratic country than almost any other country in the region. This is what many specialists think. This (an un-PC thought) probably has something to do with them no being Arabs.

Right now – open your eyes Nikolay.

Of course, they pursue, like any other country, their geopolitical interests. They would be foolish not to do so, especially with US being eager to do their dirty work for them and with Bush inviting “his Eminence” the leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution to the White House. (Somehow Harry Potter was OK shaking the hand of _that_ incarnation of Revolutionary Voldermort). This has nothing to do with the world domination and “destroying America”.

They can absorb a lot of economic harm without having to change their behavior – all totalitarian regimes can.

Iran is not a totalitarian regime, and its citizens are really not happy (and make no secret of it) with the economic harm they suffer.

The Iranian regime (and all Islamists) take a very looooong view. They don’t expect to achieve their goals in 5 or 10 tears, they are willing to work at it over hundreds.

A project for the world transformation pursued by the patient individuals that are ready to wait for hundred years for their plans to be implemented? And you think that calling this “paranoid delusions” is insulting? Are “all Islamists” reptile-headed, I wonder. What you say is pure David Icke/”Protocols of the Elder Zion” stuff.
The “Islamic revolution” has the same dynamic as “Communistic revolution”: the “rebel” movement either transforms itself into a power-hungry reactionary elite or, failing that, engages in endless destructive behavior which makes everybody hate them, a-la Al-Qaeda. Ahmadinejad is just a recurrence of the revolutionary mentality, whose victory in the elections was largely due to Iranian’s disappointment with the Reformist movement (caused, among other things, by their failure to get any meaningful results from their US-friendly policies). To think that this disconnected man is a meaningful part of some hundred-years conspiracy is truly delusional.

“There’s nothing comparable to Soviet regime, even in its most benign, in Iran now”. Yes, lets hold hands and sing kumbayah, the Iranian regime doesn’t mean any of the things it says. They really love us and want to emulate us.

“Do you honestly believe that fighting against American interests in, say, Lebanon had something to do with this “vision”?” It has everything to do with it. Why on god’s green earth do you think they are investing so much effort and money in Hezbollah? They want to establish a theocratic Shiite state in Lebanon, one that will act in concert with their goals. You have to be daft not to see that.

“When in 28 years Iran did anything to implement this “vision””. Right now - open your eyes Nikolay.

“but they can’t even sustain economy” - I think my original comment acknowledged that we can hurt them economically. But, with the rest of the world willing to fill the gap - the economic hurt will not be enough. They can absorb a lot of economic harm without having to change their behavior - all totalitarian regimes can.

“much less spread any “vision” across the world”. The Iranian regime (and all Islamists) take a very looooong view. They don’t expect to achieve their goals in 5 or 10 tears, they are willing to work at it over hundreds. In the meantime, things are progressing much better then even they had hoped - because the West has lost faith in itself.

While we and the Soviets were polar opposites on representative government and property rights, as least both the Soviets and the United States believed that the church and the state should not be one and the same.

Actually, Soviets believed that the church should be demolished or, at best, barely tolerated. While the communism itself had a lot of religious features. I believe that’s quite a lot of difference.

Soviet-like positions on representative government, property ownership, press freedom and individual liberty.

You simply have no idea what are talking about. There’s nothing comparable to Soviet regime, even in its most benign, in Iran now. It is much more westernized than Soviet Union (pre-Gorbachev) ever was.

Now, they must destroy us to succeed in their vision of spreading theocratic Islam to the world.

Destroy to succeed in their vision of spreading theocratic Islam??? This is pure paranoid delusion. What vision? When in 28 years Iran did anything to implement this “vision”? Do you honestly believe that fighting against American interests in, say, Lebanon had something to do with this “vision”???
Theocracy in Iran is just a power elite that doesn’t want to lose its privileges, much like communists in China. Sure, they have a radical wing, but they can’t even sustain economy, much less spread any “vision” across the world.

Revolutionary Iran requires the church to be the state, and has Soviet-like positions on representative government, property ownership, press freedom and individual liberty.

I think we could work with an Iranian monarchy (as we did in the past). Monarchies aren’t ideological - they don’t need to propagate like viruses. We could even make deals with them, in a limited way, if they dropped the theocracy and just became plain old totalitarians (dropping the theocracy is what I mean by abandoning the revolution). But, we cannot work with them now. Now, they must destroy us to succeed in their vision of spreading theocratic Islam to the world.

It is a disheartening view, but that does not make it crazy.

But, we are natural enemies. Iran has been at war with us since the revolution began and will only cease to be at war with us when the revolution is undone. Do not ever expect them to truly or willingly bargain their revolution.

That’s quite a crazy logic.
What business does US have with Iran’s inner political structure? I understand such requests as an official apology (and compensation?) for the hostage-taking, playing by the rules on the nuclear issue, no support for terrorism in whatever form, the acceptance of the two-state solution, human rights etc., but why do they have to undo their revolution?
Quite a strange idea coming from an American citizen. Do they have to return to “legitimate” monarchy in your opinion, or what? How about U.S. undoing their own revolution?
FYI, Iran certainly has more democracy now than Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and probably Russia.

Also, open talks confer a legitimacy on the mullahs that they have not earned.

I think, like you do, that the interview is an interesting development. It clearly indicates that Iran is feeling financial pressure (I do not think they are feeling any military pressure from us since the Bush administration has already made it clear that the military option is off the table - even while Iran aids in the killing of US troops in Iraq). But the statement is simply another effort to buy time and to try to make the US look mean in Europe.

The natural allies line is one of the most Orwellian constructs I have ever heard. Only totalitarians can mouth such things without busting into laughter. The truth is that Islamic revolutionary Iran and the US are natural eternal enemies. Like Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, “neither can live while the other survives”. Ok, that was corny. But, we are natural enemies. Iran has been at war with us since the revolution began and will only cease to be at war with us when the revolution is undone. Do not ever expect them to truly or willingly bargain their revolution.

We must keep the financial pressure on Iran and deny them any open talks. It would also help to restore a credible military threat. They must simply be forced by mounting problems at home into pulling back in Iraq, Lebanon, and the Palestinian Territories, rather than induced by some hollow “deal” that they will never uphold. Hopefully one day their revolution will collapse. Then, it may be possible for us to be allies.

A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.