JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
-
- English Instructor (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe)
- Berlitz Japan, Inc. (ベルリッツ・ジャパン株式会社), Kansai
- Salary: ¥125,000 ~ ¥250,000 / Month
-
- FT English Teachers for Kids - Osaka
- Kohgakusha Co., Ltd. （株式会社興学社）, Osaka
- Salary: ¥255,000 ~ ¥275,000 / Month Travel Expenses, Encouragement of Japanese learning*
-
- Translator
- ZAIHON, Inc. (日本財務翻訳株式会社), Tokyo
- Salary: ¥6.0M / Year Negotiable
0
yabits
The U.S. has had sanctions against Iran since the early 1980s -- long before the issue of Iran's nuclear program. We've frozen many billions of dollars in Iranian assets. It is clear that the U.S., prior to President Obama, did not want to engage in the kind of negotiations that would allow Iran to use its bargaining chip to regain control of its assets.
Posted in: Obama scoffs at Ahmadinejad's demand for apology
0
yabits
The last thing the protestors in Iran need is for the U.S. to overtly support them beyond what President Obama has seen fit to do to this point.
A former CIA Iran expert said today that what has likely happened in Iran is a coup by the military. The clerics are essentially no longer in control. It's a very dangerous situation, and attacking the clerics via words is not only futile, it's attacking the wrong target.
I don't support the Iranian regime, fervently or otherwise. But, being from a family that emigrated from Poland, and having family still there, I know firsthand how a totalitarian regime can peacefully make the transition to a more democratic society. Americans may want to foolishly believe that Reagan did it all, but in reality the transition in Poland was just as much due to internal factors -- especially the labor union, Solidarity, backed by the Catholic church.
In Iran, I have great faith that the working people of the country will join together along with students to press for more of the processes of democracy, just as the Poles did. After a period of martial law during the 80s, the Poles launched strikes which forced the government to allow them a better election process, which the people used to their advantage to enact even more democratic leverage points. I see the same thing happening with Iran.
Posted in: Republicans call Obama timid on Iran
0
yabits
mareo2:
Thank you for your posts and for your voice. When you say, "I think that is time for make clear that I have many critics but these is my biggest problem with the Neocon ideology," in my opinion, the Neocon ideology is the very same strain of nationalist/militarist outlook that has gotten many nations in deep problems.
Many of us Americans are working towards the goal of making our nation more of a peace-seeking country. I appreciate your thoughts.
Posted in: Republicans call Obama timid on Iran
0
yabits
It is universally accepted that the United States was completely wrong about Iraq's WMD, and ended up starting a war on false pretenses.
Now the same false accusers (and their toadies) who sold the Iraq fiasco are throwing out the big lie that it is universally accepted that Iran's nuclear program is directed to producing nuclear weapons.
The boy who cried Wolfowitz - Chapter Two.
Posted in: Obama scoffs at Ahmadinejad's demand for apology
0
yabits
Obama is going around the world apologizing for Americans like the writer of that quote. These are the ugly Americans -- the ones that need to apologized for continually.
Posted in: Republicans call Obama timid on Iran
0
yabits
SuperLib leaves out a key passage:
"This could be fake, as in the case of Iraq, or it could have substance. We do not know."
(That does not look like "univeral acceptance" by the head of the IAEA.)
Translation: Iran may well be intentionally leaving aspects of its civilian nuclear program somewhat ambiguous in order to be used as a bargaining chip to, for example, get economic sanctions lifted. Deception is what Saddam used, and the Iranians could be employing the tactic as well. WE DO NOT KNOW.
The same people declaring that Saddam definitely had mass quantities of WMD, and that they knew the exact locations of same, are of the same ilk as those falsely declaring that it is universally accepted that Iran has a definite goal of producing nuclear weapons.
It was a false statement when SuperLie first wrote it, and it is no less a lie now.
Posted in: Obama scoffs at Ahmadinejad's demand for apology
0
yabits
What should be identified is this tendency of people to filter out the bad and amplify the good when an action is taken by someone who they politically support. Finding "good" from the Iraq war is a bit like saying to Mrs. Abraham Lincoln, "Besides the shooting, how was the play?"
The war in Iraq was and is a disaster. A war with Iran would be disastrous too -- an even bigger disaster, if that can be comprehended.
Posted in: Republicans call Obama timid on Iran
0
yabits
Side question: What is it with JT discussions being cut off along the left margin?
Obama did not claim that it is universally accepted that Iran is seeking to develop a nuclear weapon. Obama did not claim that the IAEA accepts that Iran is developing a nuke. (Because the IAEA doesn't make that claim.)
Obama is certainly not a hysterical loon. The same can't be said for those claiming "universal acceptance" that Iran is on a track to build nuclear weapons.
Posted in: Obama scoffs at Ahmadinejad's demand for apology
0
yabits
People can read the latest (June 17 of this year) briefing from the head of the IAEA and determine for themselves that the above statement is false.
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Statements/2009/ebsp2009n007.html#iran
When some people claim "universal acceptance" of something that is clearly not you know they are simply bringing out their looney, hysterical side.
Posted in: Obama scoffs at Ahmadinejad's demand for apology
0
yabits
To the extent that Iran's nuclear program is for power generation and not for bomb-building, it should be defended. After all, it was the U.S. that first supplied Iran with nuclear technology. Iran does need a program for power generation for the future -- there is no getting around that. Its leaders have declared that making nukes is against Islam.
There is a trend towards greater liberalism taking place in Iran, and this is something that U.S. hardline conservatives should appreciate. (Even if they can't do so at home.)
Posted in: Obama scoffs at Ahmadinejad's demand for apology
0
yabits
VOR, you were one who criticized Carter for not giving unqualified U.S. support for the Shah to slaughter thousands of Iranians protesting in the streets, right?
Posted in: Obama scoffs at Ahmadinejad's demand for apology
0
yabits
Looking back to the period between WWI and 1953, Iran enjoyed even greater political freedom and diversity. They didn't get that from the countries in the neighborhood.
There is no "real democratic reform" next door. The Kurds would prefer to opt out of Iraq in favor of an independent Kurdistan if they would be allowed to. In Afghanistan, things are even less democratic.
The Iranians want to evolve their system in an Iranian way. The best thing the U.S. can do is to stand clear and always extend an open hand of friendship. President Obama has executed this to near perfection.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
0
yabits
The book, Parliamentary Politics in Revolutionary Iran by Bahman Baktiari, is one of the primary sources for my claims.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
0
yabits
VOR, RRII, TP, Wolfpack and others join Ahmadinejad in scoffing at America.
Posted in: Obama scoffs at Ahmadinejad's demand for apology
0
yabits
teleprompter told you that, and he's just as full of beans as any right-winger.
Posted in: Obama scoffs at Ahmadinejad's demand for apology
0
yabits
Sure they did. And it finally happened in 1979.
I've seen the right-wingers on this board castigating Jimmy Carter for not giving the Shah solid U.S. backing which would have given him an unambiguous green light to slaughter, imprison and torture many thousands of ordinary Iranians protesting in the streets against his regime.
Posted in: Obama scoffs at Ahmadinejad's demand for apology
0
yabits
This is not true, regarding Iran. The leaders do NOT pick the candidates. Any Iranian citizen is eligible to run for election, as long as they are between the age of 25 and 85, have no record of "moral corruption," believe in the Islamic Revolution, and can read and write. Believing in the Islamic Revolution is not procedurally different from a U.S. candidate swearing to uphold the Constitution that sprung from the American Revolution.
(Have you ever seen the restrictions/requirements placed on a U.S. citizen who wishes to be placed on the ballot to run for Congress?)
In the recent Iranian election, there were at least four major candidates for president, including Ahmadinejad and Mousavi -- and not one from column A or column B. As for the Majlis, the Iranian congress, in the Tehran district alone, it is not uncommon for nearly 200 candidates to compete for the 37 seats for that district.
There are definitely opposing factions -- as the Democrats and Republicans are opposing factions in the U.S. -- and Iran's elections have maintained a 50% or better turnover rate, which is far higher than most developed countries. The chances of an incumbent U.S. Congressman or woman keeping their seat is FAR higher than in Iran.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
0
yabits
We have a far higher standard for what constitutes "success" than conservatives. Obviously...
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
0
yabits
LOL! I'm hip. It was also castigating Jimmy Carter for not allowing the Shah's people to really wipe out the same kinds of folks demonstrating in the streets of Tehran (and other Iranian cities) today.
I think it was formed by the unholy union between an eel and a chameleon.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
0
yabits
What I meant to say here is that the disturbances following the recent Iranian election were not about the overthrow of the Islamic Republic.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence