Ari Fleischer thinks Bush Deserves Some Credit for the Reformist vote in Iran

[MadBadger]

In a word: NO

"I don’t know who has won yet, and no one can yet know if Moussavi really does turn out to be a reformer, but one of the reasons there is a substantial reform movement in Iran – particularly among its young people – is because of George W. Bush’s tough policies. A big push for reform is because of the desire of Iranians to get out from sanctions, to put an end to the country’s international ostracism and also because Shiites in particular see Shiites in Iraq having more freedoms than they do. Bush’s tough policies have helped give rise to the reformists and I think we’re witnessing that today.

Plus, at the State Department under Bush, we did direct outreach to the people of Iran – we restarted people-to-people exchange programs for the first time since 1979 (under public diplomacy’s international visitor program – we brought groups of Iranian artists, medical professionals, film producers etc) and did extensive broadcasting to Iran through Radio and TV Farda as part of our USG int’l broadcasting – so I think you can accurately say we made the most extensive efforts since the 1979 revolution to speak directly to the PEOPLE of Iran."

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/12/updates-on-irans-presidential-election/

[alstephenson]

1. Ari must be on drugs.

Delusional idiot.

[Bicoastal]

2. Yeah, right, sure, whatever...

...but the economy? ALL Obama's fault.

[sabra]

4. of course any sign of recovery is because of Bush and Paulson

:sarcasm:

[C_U_L8R]

3. Baloney

Bush's chickenhawk policy rallied national unity around Ahmadinejad.
Nice try Ari.

[karynnj]

5. Perhaps he can explain why Iran when from Khatomi, who was pro democracy

to the current President in 2005.

The fact is that Iran was one of the first nation's to offer condolences for 911 and helped against Afghanistan. It was thought in the early 2000s that Iran, with its huge youth population would move to the a more secular state.

[LaurenG]

6. Ha!

:rofl: He deserves to serve time and he was such a dick to Iran that he gets a negative on it. :rofl:

[Ganja Ninja]

7. Does Ari get payed by the lie?

It's like they never miss an opportunity to tell some off the wall fib that nobody in their right mind would believe but they do it anyway.

[Tempest]

8. Ahmadinejad was elected because of Bush

Bush's speeches against Iran pushed the people to vote for Ahmadinejad in the first place.

[lxlxlxl]

9. gross...

x.x.x.

[Cha]

10. bush deserves a big plate of

steaming shit and it looks like ari just gave it to him.

[malaise]

11. Fugg Ari and Bush

That is all