Exchange "Khamenei" with "Congress".
Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.^ Congress can choose to not work with the President, but they don't have absolute say over the President's policies. Congress also doesn't get to choose who runs for the office or get to outright throw out the results of a vote if they don't agree with the outcome of the vote. Unlike Khamenei, Congress can also change hands without the need for an armed rebellion (and has three times in the last two decades).
In short, WRONG!
All your safe space are belong to TrumpWell, it is a figurative analogy, not a perfect one.
Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.It's apples and oranges is what it is. Other than both being fruits (or governmental structures, for lack of a better term off the top of my head) they have nothing in common.
All your safe space are belong to TrumpI don't think Radical was necessarily drawing a moral comparison with Congress and Khameini, simply pointing out that both Congress and Khameini act as a constraint on the freedom of action of Obama and Rouhani. Just as Obama wants redistributive taxation and more regulation but can't have either of these things due to the Republicans in Congresss, Rouhani may find his moves towards a rapprochement with the West thwarted by Khameini's veto.
Schild und Schwert der ParteiRepublicans aren't Obama's only stumbling block, but that's not on-topic for this thread.
As for Rouhani, as I've commented elsewhere (I think in the Arab Spring thread) I don't actually buy the "moderate" tag western press is giving him. I also don't think he's really chafing all that much (if any) under Khamenei's control as far as nukes go, given his former position of a decade ago.
And getting a hand cut off looks "moderate" when compared to an entire arm or a head being cut off. Doesn't make it actually moderate, though.
Something from Iran in 1995: Iran’s mysterious military plane crashes that amount to "mass purges"
note
edited 8th Jan '14 4:18:03 AM by Greenmantle
Keep Rolling OnNeither is "Which Mid-Eastern country is worst?"
Isn't that literally the topic in the OP? I mean, I can see how continuing that line of discussion might be a bad move, since it's massive Flame Bait, but what's the new, approved discussion topic?
What's precedent ever done for us?
Israel would be China in that comparison.
edited 8th Jan '14 9:41:28 PM by DeviantBraeburn
Everything is Possible. But some things are more Probable than others. JEBAGEDDON 2016Let's hope that we don't get a North Korea down the line.
Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.

Rouhani and Obama are different in that Obama largely chooses not to change. Rouhani can try to change, but Khamenei can block him.
edited 27th Dec '13 7:08:15 PM by Sledgesaul