Redstate

That's my understanding, too. Ahmanuttujob may SPEAK about Iranian foreign policy (just as a U.S. vice president or other official would), but that doesn't mean he sets it or is the ultimate authority -- I think that would be "supreme leader", Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. So whether or not Klein was making an overstatement, his general point of fact re: who sets Iran's foreign policy doesn't seem incorrect or at least not way off. Moreover, I don't see a contradiction with the Crocker quote you posted. Finally, even if there were a contradiction, hopefully we would examine it in a manner other than just comparing resumes, particularly considering that both guys in question may have bias or an agenda that could color their respective comments, regardless of their relative levels of expertise on the matter.

argument over an irrelevant point.

The dems don't want to talk about the substantive evil in the world and the action required to confront it.

Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson

I agree that WHO within Iran is setting foreign policy is not as important as WHAT the policy is, but THIS POST is about the WHO question, so naturally that's what I was commenting on.

Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson

What I meant by "THIS post" was Bluey's post, not mine. Bluey's post was about WHO was setting Iran's foreign policy, and (I think) you pointed out as I did that Ahmanuttajob probably ISN'T the guy setting Iran's foreign policy (or at least not the ultimate decision-maker), so at worst Klein was guilty of an overstatement, and he may not have been incorrect at all. Nothing wrong with your raising the point that you did, and it's relevant, too; I'm just saying that my point is obviously relevant to Bluey's post, that's all.

Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson

I see. Well, I don't know the whole context, but if Klein was doing what you claim, than boo on him and booyyyy (just wanted to use your patented four y's) on whomever was interviewing him or sharing a panel with him for letting him get away with it, if they did.

correction: your copyrighted and/or trademarked four y's.

attention from the substantive evil and threat from Iran's rulers, because the dems are weak on defense. Klein continues to succeed when conservatives waste their time parsing Klein's fake controversy over nothing.

How soon will you let us get back to substance.

I made the most important point to be made about this "issue." Digest it and enjoy being a better man for it.

substance on dot rooster org

Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson

The quote from Ambassador Crocker says that Iranian actions are in concord with Ahmadinejad's statements about Iranian foreign policy.

The truth of Mr. Crocker's statement in no way hangs on whether Ahmadinejad is one of the policy makers or merely the spokesperson (or both). Mr. Crocker is simply identifying an identity between Iranian actions and Ahmadinejad's words.

Joe Klein accuses Crocker of "hype" but the basis for Klein's claim neither challenges the actions Crocker lists nor denies that Ahmadinejad spoke the words, which is what one would expect by any rules of logic or rhetoric to be the basis on challenging Crocker's statement.

Rather Klein asserts on his own authority as a KnownFact™ that Ahmadinejad (despite his title) is only involved with domestic policy but and nothing to do with foreign policy. Klein thus implies that anything President Ahmadinejad says relating to foreign policy should be ignored.

This is a extremely implausible statement given that 1) Ahmadinejad is President; 2) no other Iranian figure is a spokesperson for foreign policy; 3) Ahmadinejad would be embarassing Iran's government if he were to speak with authority on a topic that he has nothing to do with - yet has never been rebuked or contradicted; 4) people in government do not like others taking over their turf - and again no one has muzzled or demoted Ahmadinejad; 5) Ahmadinejad foreign policy pronouncements have been going on for months to years unchallenged by others in the government.

For Klein then to utterly ignore Ahmadinejad (and to assert that giving credence to Ahmadinejad's statements constitutes hype) is utterly divorced from any earthly reality and can only be viewed as representing animus towards Mr. Crocker and/or the Bush administration.

In other words, apart from the question of resume and experience in Middle East matters, Joe Klein's statement self-destructs on its own demerits alone.

And Rightly So!

Klein thus implies that anything President Ahmadinejad says relating to foreign policy should be ignored.

Aah, I see. If that was Klein's argument -- that because Ahmanuttajob does not SET foreign policy we shouldn't assume he SPEAKS for Iran on foreign policy (or at least speaks accurately about it) -- than Klein is guilty of a non sequitur (for the reasons you laid out very well), and the only question is whether it was due to stupidity or insincerity. Thanks.

As a Dem in the 80s and 90s, we always had to divert the conversation to a tangent lest our weakness on defense become too prominent for the conflict averse American public to stomach.

Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson