But this is no different, and perhaps much more qualified than the unelected Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's claim that America would be destroyed in 10 minutes should Iran's nuclear facilities be attacked.
The above says that if Iran continues illegal actions, actions which Iran itself has pledged to stop, all options are reserved for the US. This is an implied threat, but the threat is in the context of the non-proliferation treaty that Iran is a party to.
Khamenei's threat that America would be destroyed within 10 minutes is the threat of a populist demagogue, who is fond of organizing (or turning a blind eye) to demonstrations that regularly call for "Death to America".
The point here is that our dear member Mansoor feels especially aggrieved at the slightest provocation from America, or American allies, and ignores any provocation from non-American allies. Not only that, dear Mansoor wishes to stir up old animosities by starting threads for the sole purpose of antagonizing Americans. Perhaps some time in the "time-out" room might be in order. I love a good political argument, but I don't know that JREF needs to give Mansoor a platform for his anti-American neurosis.
The good news is that after all the posturing of America and Iran, the two still seek diplomatic ties Iran, which I think is a great thing and shows that both countries realize that destruction of the other is not really a political goal. I am also encouraged by polls that show many Iranians now feel somewhat favorable towards the US, a trend which I hope would be reciprocated in the US. Alas, I don't think it is the case.
Anyway, maybe we can close these diatribe threads, or put them into one big anti-American thread, instead of being so polite and letting 4 or 5 individual diatribes clutter up the server.
