Majority in U.S. see Iran as a threat

[ECH1969]

Two-thirds of U.S. residents see Iran as a security threat, and 58 percent say it's inevitable Iran will use nuclear weapons if it has them.

A clear partisan divide has emerged with regard to the issue of Iran, a Zogby poll shows. Ninety-three percent of Republicans viewed Iran as a threat as well as 63 percent of independents. Democrats were split, with 42 percent viewing Iran as a threat and 43 percent believing there is no threat to the United States.

While Americans back the limited use of the military to thwart Iranian nuclear ambitions, there is no desire among any group for a protracted involvement like in neighboring Iraq, with just 26 percent in support of the U.S. bringing about regime change.

While 66 percent view Iran as a threat to the United States, 85 percent see it as a threat to Israel. A narrow 55 percent majority favor intervening to prevent an attack on Israel by Iran, and a stronger 58 percent would back the U.S. retaliating against Iran if it attacked Israel.

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060513-125140-8414r

[shadowknows69]

1. We're officially fucked

Terra wins again. World War Three is upon us.

[davekriss]

41. You must of missed the announcement...

...Retired General Woolsey already announced this is World War 4, the so called "war on terror". He told us WW3 was the Cold War. He really said this (on Fox news sometime in the runup to the invasion of Iraq). Meanwhile we've got Cheney and Rumsfeld telling us that, like WW3, this will be a "generational" war.

Of course this is a sooooo necessary war, too; ya' know Saddam was gonna' fly those taped up balsa wood toy airplanes over Kansas, spraying anthrax everywhere, and the Iranian nation holds 45 minute hate fests every morining, noon, and evening shouting out how they intend to off hapless Americans in Peoria. Scary stuff. We'd better nuke them now, over there, before they nuke us here -- otherwise, in 10 years, if they have the will and opportunity (i.e. our successful anti-proliferation programs cease working), and if they have the desire to set Peoria aglow, and if they develop the means to transport their bombs, and if they desire assured destruction from our bombs -- I mean, ya' gotta' believe Bushboy and Rummy and Condi-LIE-zza, this threat thing is real, cogent, pressing, imminent, our Leader Bushboy must act now, before Election Day 2006, if he's to ward off the real threat of change in Congress and subseqent trial for treason. He must act!! It's for his -- strike that, for our own protection!!


/ :sarcasm: off

[anotherdrew]

52. once again 'the majority' proves itself to be ignorant and foolish

we could have had a constructive positive relationship with Iran for the last 14 years or more, if we had talked to them rather than making unilateral demands and unfounded accusations. If we had shown them no hostile intent they wouldn't have had any need to look for ways to fight back, the moderates could have lead the country, rather than falling to nationalists, the predictable result of US aggression.

The ruling class in america must be removed from power permanently, by any means necessary.

[dipsydoodle]

2. It's the climate of fear,

which has been made to prevail,and the majority are falling for it.

"It is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exsposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
--Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering

[IndianaGreen]

18. Emmanuel Goldstein is everywhere, everywhere!

If Big Brother says (fill-in the blank) is a threat, then (fill-in the blank) is a threat.

[dipsydoodle]

22. Just waiting for

a subsequent replacement. What we really need is proof , one day , that such a person was completely fictitious - created only to spook the public in order to keep them under control.

[adigal]

3. I think Iran could be a threat

which we must disarm with discussion and diplomacy. And if the politicians can convince 'mericans that Iran is going to attack Israel, it will be 2003 all over again, followed by gnashing of teeth all over again.

55% of us are officially nuts.

[rodeodance]

8. I believe they are also but their threat has been blown out of proportion

[Media_Lies_Daily]

37. It depends on the political affiliation of the people interviewed....

...I suspect that the poll was over-represented by Republicans and not reflective of the current support for the NeoCon Junta.

The poll is also two weeks old...quite a bit has happened over the last two weeks to erode support for any additional U. S. military action in the Middle East.

[marmar]

4. Every time I feel a wee bit hopeul about Americans...

:cry:

[leveymg]

5. Provided Iran doesn't attack, most of us don't want in on this

The important paragraph, above, is the third one.

While Americans back the limited use of the military to thwart Iranian nuclear ambitions, there is no desire among any group for a protracted involvement like in neighboring Iraq, with just 26 percent in support of the U.S. bringing about regime change.

[ixion]

9. which means 'they' want Iran to be a turkey shoot, which it will not be

which means that 2/3 of 'Murikans are officially very ill-informed, deluded and outright confused and dangerous.

[Missy M]

6. and I'm sure if you took a pol of the Iranian people......

the majority would say the US is a threat. It depends on which side your looking at it.

[rodeodance]

7. of course they are: the WH and media has managed to spook the

bejeebees out of most people.

[leveymg]

51. Look at the GOOGLE tracking for Iran

Tracks the propaganda campaign. Didn't really go anywhere after the blip last summer. Took off Jan 1. Lots of hits these past 6 weeks.

http://www.google.com/trends?q=Iran&ctab=1&geo=all&date...

[JerseygirlCT]

10. Here we go nt

[Drum]

24. We're back to that Dr. Seuss book on brinksmanship.

What was that one called again? Was that a Cold War testament?

[leftchick]

11. fool me once!

It is amazing how the US propaganda machine woking so well regarding IRan. Considering they are applying all of the exact same message they did for Iraq you would like to think people would learn. :(

[tatertop]

26. Americans are dumber than sh** and ready for war!

The one thing we should never forget:
Americans are dumber than shit!

[daleo]

12. Americans want a nice painless bombing campaign in Iran

To teach those mullahs a lesson.

Of course bombing campaigns are never actually painless for anyone.

[OKNancy]

13. a "threat" doesn't mean we have to make war on them

even Feingold said Iran was a threat. What we do with the threat is the big question.

[IndianaGreen]

19. The biggest threat to peace and security is Bush!

The Bush dictatorship is the greatest threat the world has seen since the days of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan, and Bush has nukes that he is dying to use.

[ShortnFiery]

14. We are NOT in the same neighborhood as IRAN

They are NOT a threat to us as long as we don't push EMPIRE.

What business is it of the USA how the ME runs it foreign policy.

I say get the hell out of the M.E. and let Saudi Arabia negotiate a settlement.

The ones who should be afraid are those Nations in Europe first and foremost. Let Europe take the lead.

None of these M.E. Countries would be a threat to us if we have the intelligence to get OUT! :grr:

[sadiesworld]

15. What?!

You mean they aren't listening to the deafening cries of dem politicians outraged over a possible military strike against Iran? :sarcasm:

[Kolesar]

16. Iran is a threat to the U.S. oil supply

Iran is a threat to Israel. Hence we form our foreign policy.

"We"

[0007]

17. I've seen polls that say just the opposite. We all know that

poll experts can twist the wording to get the results that are wanted.

In other words its bombing time, not talking time.

[necso]

20. I have little faith

in the "work" of whose who take (fake, bake -- whatever) polls. Perhaps some more-or-less decent topologist could instruct them in the ways of mathematical rigor, as a "refresher".*

But I suppose that this would do little good. Because this country is all about money, power, managing perceptions** and perspectives***, and controlling people using these managed perceptions and perspectives (and directly using money and power, of course), why should polls be any different? Some lingering remnant of an otherwise long-dead general-concern for reality, maybe?

Regardless, however, of the specific numbers (these numbers strike me as being high), (it bears repeating that) the neocons have done a good job of scaring the dim-bulbs (a "rose" by any other name) into fearing a country (Iran) that poses very little in way of a nuclear threat to us. (They nuke the US, we'll incinerate them; and largely, very largely, they wish to live... like we do.) But scaring those who are already afraid is no great accomplishment, and, we must concede, many of our fellow Americans were, and are, already afraid: They're afraid of losing their jobs. They're afraid of getting sick. They're afraid of losing their healthcare. They're afraid that they won't be able to pay their bills. They're afraid that prices will continue to go up while their income lags. They're afraid for their children. They're afraid of what the future will bring... They're just afraid.

Moreover, the neocons (and their various fellow-travelers) have done an even better job of ensuring that many of our fellow-citizens have a very poor foundation on which to base (make) decisions and otherwise lead their lives. Many of these unfortunate peoples' heads have been pounded full of nonsense, disinformation, misinformation, misunderstandings, foundational propaganda and out-and-out lies. In short, their persons have effectively been implanted (although largely invisibly to them) with numerous little levers, buttons and switches (many of which take advantage of the inherent vulnerabilities of human, animal nature) that the knowing can reach in and play with, driving the manipulated this way or that: Driving them to buy. Driving them to approve. Driving them to follow. Driving them to believe... Driving them to belie and betray their own futures.

And like so many enraged, adrenal-and-endorphin-charged bulls, the fearful and deluded can't see beyond the red cape -- and at this cape they will recklessly charge, although this brings to them no relief and no revenge, no freedom and no safety -- but only more misery, pain and death.

We're headed for ruin. And those who have the power to stop this madness will not. (And it's more than just the wars, present and future; it's the economy, the loss of foundational values, the corruption and debasement of social and cultural institutions, the demise of an adversarial, informing media, and the rending of the very social fabric itself.)

Because they too are afraid.

Besides, it's much easier to rationalize rather than to reason; much easier to hesitate rather than to act; much easier to go-along rather than to dissent; much easier to believe rather than to doubt.

...

*:

Or should that be: "'refresher.'"?

Or should that be: "'refresher.'?"

Or should that be: "'refresher.?'"

**: What a person sees, otherwise senses, recognizes, becomes aware of, etc -- and gets a chance to perceive.

***: The way a person looks at a thing or things; broadly, including his or her "knowledge", "understandings", beliefs (all three are foundational elements for how one looks at things), general way of looking at life and the world, etc.

[ckramer]

21. Didn't the majority in U.S. see Iraq as a threat before too?

Majority watching too much TVs.

[leesa]

23. This is nonsense. It's just White House stenography.

[bunny planet]

25. How can people be so stupid as to fall for this again.

Don't they realize it will be their children forced to fight in *'s perpetual wars.
Oh, this is maddening.

[nguoihue]

27. Ignorance reins once again

in the "good ole USA".... sheeple land

I can see the neo-con chickenhawks chuckling among themselves and high fivin' one another now.

[Oak2004]

28. A lot of very objective, non-neocon people do believe Iran is a threat

people who did not believe Iraq was a threat. I count myself among them. Iran is a reasonably well-armed nation who hates us (for some good reasons, mind you, but also for ideological ones).

There's a giant difference between a "threat" and a "grave and imminent threat". Japan in 1941 was a grave and imminent threat. The Soviet Union was a threat. The only good thing we could do about Japan was fight them. The right action with the Soviet Union was to contain them.

I suspect this poll is either being interpreted neoconly poorly by our liberal mainstream media :sarcasm: or it was not a well-conducted poll, because I have seen other polls that make it clear Americans don't want a war with Iran. I think it's obvious that the disinformation folks lately have been busy cooking polls and/or promulgating warped interpretations.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

32. Iran, a Middle Eastern country of 60 million people with NO nuclear....

...weapons, is a threat to the U. S.? At what level? Militarily? I don't think so. Politically? Nope. Economically? If they shut off their oil, yes, but that would hurt them as much as it would hurt us.

China, an Asian country of 1.3 billion people WITH nukes, is a threat to the U. S. on a number of levels. I don't see the NeoCons yapping about China, do you?

[Oak2004]

47. You're forgetting the terrorism option

It isn't possible for Iran to bring us to our knees, as long as we have the sense to stay out of their territory. It is possible for Iran to support terrorism against us, either within the US or, more likely, against US interests, and they do have the pieces in place to do so quickly if they should so desire.

That doesn't make them a severe threat (i.e., they don't present a threat to our survival as a nation), but it does still make them a threat. The survivors of the Cole incident can tell you what a few terrorists, a rubber raft, and a bomb can do to a Navy ship.

Additionally they really do appear to want a bomb, and have been working to get one for years (I do not believe such a bomb is in any sense imminent, nor do I think an Iranian bomb justifies invasion. Containment was and is a perfectly good response). It's completely understandable, especially in light of what the US has been up to next door to them. But that still puts them in a threat category a notch or two above, say, Belgium.

The US is right to keep a watchful eye on Iraq. But * is insane to invade it.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

29. Let's see....a Moonie-owned media outlet uses a 2-week old....

...poll to trumpet the Iranian threat. Gee...what a surprise.

[FrogOne]

30. As a Jew, I have to disagree.

As a Jew, I have to disagree. When Iranian President Jalal Talaban denies the holocaust ever happened and says that Israel should be "wiped off the face of the earth" -- I'd say that makes Iran a threat.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

34. Did the Iranian president actually deny the Halocaust happened,....

...or was he "translated" that way by those hoping to get the U. S. into another Middle Eastern war?

IMHO, if Iran is really a threat to Israel, Israel should deal with it.

[HuffleClaw]

31. what the hell ELSE are folks gonna believe ?

the corporate media and the administration have been SCREAMING about 'the iranian nuke threat' for far too goddamned long. just like they are NOW screaming about 'the illegals problem'. this scapegoating is what the nazis did. what is truly sad is how easily people have fallen for it.

[kineneb]

33. News? 2/3s of Americans are dumber than a brick?

Iran is not a threat to the US. Especially if we leave them alone. Geez, I feel like I am surrounded by idiots. Many of the people there have family in the US - why on earth would they want to harm their own families?

More fear mongering by the Little Emperor and his Minions.

(Please, Mommie, can I move to Belgium or Germany? I will be very good!)

[FrogOne]

35. Iran is a threat to Isreal

It doesn't matter if Iran is not an immediate threat to the United States. It is a threat to Isreal.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

36. Then let Israel deal with it. Do you have a problem with that?

[FrogOne]

38. Yes

Yes, I have a problem with Israel being isolated and alone. We are supposed to be a world community.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

40. And I have a MAJOR problem with fighting Israel's enemies for them....

...And what "world community" are you seeing at this point in time?

[FrogOne]

42. Duh

Oh, I don't know, maybe the one housed in that building at 760 United Nations Plaza?
You know, the place where countries can band together against aggression and threats.
Or would you prefer that every nation acted unilaterally?
I sense a bit of anti-Semitism here

[Media_Lies_Daily]

45. Do you believe the NeoCons invaded Iraq with UN backing?....

...Do you believe the UN approves of NeoCon actions in the Middle East?

Do you really expect anyone to believe that the NeoCon invasion of Iraq was not a unilateral action?

I wondered how long you would take to play the anti-Semitism card. So, stating that Israel should deal with their own enemies, instead of having the U. S. fight them, is perceived by you as being ant-Semitic?

[Name removed]

48. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[kineneb]

39. Then time for Israel to develop some local friends

instead of creating more enemies. Nowhere in the US Constitution is there anything about defending Israel, or any other country, for that matter. If Iran is indeed a threat to Israel, then where are all the other countries stepping up to defend it?

I don't mind a country for the Jews, but when they begin to act just like the people that oppressed them, then perhaps they need to re-assess their policies.

[Name removed]

44. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

46. Looks like you're the only poster in this thread that's smelling....

..."the stink of anti-Semitism".

I find it interesting that comments about Israel fighting their own wars has caused such a reaction from you. I also find it interesting that you've tried to drag the UN into this conversation when it is very clear that the NeoCon Junta acted on their own against Iraq based on a pack of lies.

How does the UN feel about fighting illegal unilateral wars?

[Name removed]

50. Deleted message

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[Nickster]

43. I don't believe this poll at all. C'mon, just the other day they said a

majority of 'Mericuns were ok with the NSA listening in to their phone calls and we figured out that poll was crap. This is just another piece of garbage to make us think everyone wants to take out Iran. I just don't buy it at all.

[thunder35]

49. maybe threat is the US