Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post: Kill scientists, defend human rights.

[JackRiddler]

Posted at 10:45 AM ET, 12/12/2010
Time to reset Iran policy
By Jennifer Rubin

Jennifer Rubin, a new columnist at the Washington Post (which I hear is an important establishment newspaper of some kind, in the US capital) writes that the US should "cut off the conversation" with Iran. As an alternative, she recommends a four-step program of her own for dealing with Tehran, including:

SNIP

First, we should give robust support to the Green Movement (financial, technological and rhetorical)...

Second, we should continue and enhance espionage and sabotage of the Iranian nuclear program. Every nuclear scientist who has a "car accident" and every computer virus buys us time, setting back the timeline for Iran's nuclear capability, while exacting a price for those who cooperate with the nuclear program. Think of it as the ultimate targeted sanction.

Third, we need to make human rights a central theme in our bilateral and multilateral diplomacy regarding Iran. The spotlight on the noxious regime helps to undermine the regime's legitimacy at home and emboldens the Green Movement. We should test the theory that the most effective disarmament strategy is a robust human rights policy, one that includes the EU and other nations exerting diplomatic pressure on the regime.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-turn/2010/12/time_to_reset_iran_policy.html?hpid=topnews

Comment from Salon's Justin Elliot:

To summarize: Rubin wants the United States to make human rights a central theme in its Iran policy -- and to indiscriminately assassinate civilian scientists.

The "car accident" line in her post is a clear reference to the bombing of two scientists' cars last month in Tehran. Here is a BBC account of those attacks, carried out by unknown men on motorbikes. One of the scientists was killed and one was wounded. Both of their wives were also reportedly wounded. Another nuclear scientist was killed in a similar bombing earlier this year.

No one has argued that any of these men could be considered combatants. It's also still unclear who was behind the attacks, though Iran has accused the United States and Israel of having a role. But even the U.S. State Department referred to these attacks as acts of terrorism, which would make them antithetical to any serious concept of human rights.

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/12/13/jennifer_rubin_on_iran/index.html

One point to add: I question the favor Rubin apparently wants to do for the Iranian Green movement, to associate them with US support for "human rights" by way of car-bombing civilians.

Who's the Evil Empire now?

More below!

[JackRiddler]

1. I nominate Jennifer Rubin for this year's Orwell Award.

You probably think you long ago saw examples of the maximum possible self-contradicting, arrogant, murderous crazylogic in the service of totalitarian power. But in pithy fashion, Ms. Rubin shows there are still ways to raise the bar of infamous rhetoric.

When you think the Overton Window can't be opened any wider, turns out you're in a high-speed elevator
in a tower that keeps getting higher.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window

"The Overton Window is a means of visualizing which ideas define that range of acceptance by where they fall in it. Proponents of policies outside the window seek to persuade or educate the public so that the window either “moves” or expands to encompass them."

Remember, that wasn't some anonymous Freeper. That's in the Washington Post. This is the reality of your country.

[JackRiddler]

6. Correction: It's called the Doublespeak Award

Unfortunately, the deadline for nominations was Sept. 15.

http://www.ncte.org/volunteer/groups/publiclangcom/doublespeakaward

Overview

The NCTE Doublespeak Award, established in 1974 and given by the NCTE Public Language Award Committee, is an ironic tribute to public speakers who have perpetuated language that is grossly deceptive, evasive, euphemistic, confusing, or self-centered.

Nominations for the Award

The NCTE Public Language Award Committee is now seeking nominations for this year's Doublespeak Award, which is given to a glaring example of deceptive language by a public spokesperson. The words must originate from an American. The committee needs a one-page description of the context in which the statement occurred and a copy of the print media source in which the quote appeared (with date). In the case of broadcast media, list the program, time, place, and date.

Nominations are also sought for the Orwell Award, which honors an author, editor, or producer of a print or nonprint work that contributes to honesty and clarity in public language.

The nominations deadline is September 15, 2011. Eligible nominations are those appearing or published between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011. Send nominations to the NCTE Public Language Award Committee, c/o Linda Walters, NCTE, 1111 W. Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096; fax: [phone].

Click here to see a list of recipients.

http://www.ncte.org/volunteer/groups/publiclangcom/doublespeakaward

[ladjf]

2. Is this some kind of a bad joke? nt

[JackRiddler]

3. Does Jennifer Rubin exist? Was this column published in the Washington Post?

[ladjf]

4. I don't know. Without going to the trouble to research your post,

it seemed so preposterous than a person could be paid to write idiotic stuff such as this.

I wasn't dissing your post.

[JackRiddler]

5. "Idiotic" is a kind word. "Vile" and "totalitarian" also come to mind.

Yup, it's real. And no diss interpreted, or taken.

Thanks!

[Uncle Joe]

7. Murdering scientists and making human rights a central theme.

:crazy:

The Washington Post must have reached deep in their toilet to dig this columist out.:puke:

Thanks for the thread, JackRiddler.

[JackRiddler]

8. Poor Jennifer Rubin.

I refer to the actor and human being, who unfortunately bears the same name as Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post columnist.

[Motown_Johnny]

9. Or we could get Reagan to not arm them in the first place, uh oh, to late for that one

[old mark]

10. Wow! She should run for President! We really don't have enough right wing assholes

on that list now, and she would be a good fit! How about Rubin/Bachmann 2012? Or maybe Rubin/Angle?


mark

[MilesColtrane]

11. Jennifer Rubin is clearly insane.

[Octafish]

12. Odd times, these, when ''journalists'' can openly call for murder.

Hope she gets a "Pulitzer Prize."

[Blue_Tires]

13. someone should ask the neocons why there needs to be an "iran plan"

when their "plans" in iraq and afghanistan have so successful:sarcasm:

[Hannah Bell]

14. warrwn buffett = biggest wapo owner.

[Rex]

15. When you hire idiots to write for you, expect this kind of drivel.

What a mess, I hope her brain works better then when she wrote that trash.

[JackRiddler]

24. Yes. Also when you hire fascists.

[FrancisTreptoe]

16. Worst Foreign Policy ever

Advocating murdering scientists...wow that is just plain wrong. So much for our us being a "moral christian nation" haha

[JackRiddler]

17. I'm afraid it's only tied with many other policies for worst ever.

[JackRiddler]

18. kick

[JackRiddler]

19. kick

[JackRiddler]

20. kick, damn you!!!!

[JackRiddler]

21. nextdaykick

[JackRiddler]

22. finalkickforreaders

[JackRiddler]

23. Ah, one more for Sunday drivers, I mean readers.