Thomas Friedman: Intercepting Iran's Take on America

[treestar]

December 5, 2007
Op-Ed Columnist
Intercepting Iran’s Take on America
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
There are two intelligence analyses that are relevant to the balance of power between the U.S. and Iran — one is the latest U.S. assessment of Iran, which certainly gave a much more complex view of what is happening there. The other is the Iranian National Intelligence Estimate of America, which — my guess — would read something like this:

To: President Ahmadinejad

From: The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence

Subject: America

As you’ll recall, in the wake of 9/11, we were extremely concerned that the U.S. would develop a covert program to end its addiction to oil, which would be the greatest threat to Iranian national security. In fact, after Bush’s 2006 State of the Union, in which he decried America’s oil addiction, we had “high confidence” that a comprehensive U.S. clean energy policy would emerge. We were wrong.

Our fears that the U.S. was engaged in a covert “Manhattan Project” to achieve energy independence have been “assuaged.” America’s Manhattan Project turns out to be largely confined to the production of corn ethanol in Iowa, which, our analysts have confirmed from cellphone intercepts between lobbyists and Congressmen, is nothing more than a multibillion-dollar payoff to big Iowa farmers and agro-businesses.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/opinion/05friedman.html?_r=1&n=Top/Opinion/Editorials%20and%20Op-Ed/Op-Ed/Columnists/Thomas%20L%20Friedman&oref=slogin

[hvn_nbr_2]

1. I read that column in my local paper today. It's a hoot. K&R

He mentions that the only place in America to get the real news is on the Comedy Channel (my gross paraphrase, from memory).

[ixion]

2. This guy bugs me... even when he's getting it, he's not

and the whole tongue-in-cheek thing about Iran was not particularly witty or funny, given that this is the same schmuck who acted as cheerleader for the illegal invasion of Iraq.

Sorry, perhaps I'm being too critical, but I still think this guy is an idiot.

[marmar]

3. "This guy bugs me... even when he's getting it, he's not"

Exactly....When he's right, it's for all the wrong reasons.

[treestar]

5. Don't know much about him

I just thought this particular column had some good points.

We wouldn't have to worry about Iraq, Iran, etc. if we broke our addiction to oil.

[rAVES]

4. Hehe.. Iran's WMD turns out to be americas shortfalls as a democratic republic..

Sounds about right.. as things stand.. other Counties vying for #1 spot just have sit back and watch America crumble, sad but true..

also.. I don't get all that crap about Clinton opposing globalization.. thats just silly talk..