Ahmadinejad warns of power vacuum in Iraq, says Iran can fill gap

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned Tuesday that a power vacuum is imminent in Iraq and said that Iran was ready to help fill the gap.

"The political power of the occupiers is collapsing rapidly," Ahmadinejad said at a press conference in Tehran, referring to U.S. troops in Iraq.


Read more: http://www.pr-inside.com/ahmadinejad-warns-of-power-vacuum-in-r211542.htm

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. Something about that stinks.

First of all, I don't think Ahmadinejad is that stupid. Therefore, I have to believe that there's a reason he'd say something that would antagonize the U.S. to consider keeping our troops in Iraq longer than we otherwise might. I mean, he's basically saying, "As soon as you guys leave, we're going in," which doesn't exactly make it safe for U.S. policymakers to withdraw our troops, thereby possibly negating his own words. As I said, I don't think he's stupid, so there's got to be some other reason involved here. I wonder what he's trying to instigate...

[Tempest]

2. By keeping U.S. troops in Iraq

They not available for an invasion of his country.

Also, Iran influences the largest and most powerful Shiite group in Iraq.

It's a win-win situation for Iran regardless of what happens with the troops.

He's actually a very astute leader.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

4. Yep, you're right there.

Great point - they're fighting in Iraq so they don't have to fight in Iran, to borrow a phrase from Bush. It's very astute. Thank you.

[Tempest]

5. OT: Will Boston beat up on the Yankees the way Detroit did?

Or will Boston allow the Yanks to creep back like they did before?

I'm not a Boston fan, just a Yankee hater.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

6. They'll take 2 out of 3.

Boston is finally starting to hit the ball again. The biggest problem plaguing the Sox this year has been their unbelievable ability to leave runners stranded. That said, they've still got the 4th highest runs scored total in the bigs. It should scare the bejesus out of the rest of the league that they've scored that many runs without the typical power numbers from Papi and Manny.

With the bats coming out of hiding, and Yankee pitching being a fairly reliable cure for poor hitting, Sox will likely take 2 out of 3, leaving New York 9 games up with a month to play, essentially clinching the AL East. I'd pay good money to see a sweep, however, and deal serious damage to their Wild Card chances as well.

[Tempest]

7. Boston needs to sweep

If I was Boston, I wouldn't want to see the Yankees as the wild card.

Seattle and Detroit don't seem to want the wild card all that much the way they're playing.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

8. Well, I'd actually prefer the Yankees have the wild card over Seattle.

One reason - travel. Likely to finish with the best overall record, the Sox will play the Wild Card team if not the Yankees, or the worst division winner if it is. Traveling to Seattle is NOT a great thing. I'd much rather have to go to Cleveland or Detroit. Of course, I'd prefer if one of them one the Wild Card outright, but I don't see it happening.

As fun as it would be to see the Yankees sitting at home for all of October, the goal is a World Series.

[KamaAina]

11. uh, guys: The gap in right center is not the one Ahmadinejad intends to fill

but while we're at it, Repuke Stepdad is a huge Yankee fan (as in, every game is on, unless they're in the car, in which case they're stuck with the worst radio calls in all of baseball). Impending Yankee failure could actually lead to rampant grumpiness in the R.S./KaMakuahineOKamaAina ("Mom") household. Fortunately they will be in Europe for most of Sept. where R.S. will have to scrounge his scores from the Herald Tribune (no, really, this is how it's gone on past trips).

[zanne]

3. Sounds like something from the Republican playbook...

I wouldn't put it past them.

[populistdriven]

9. he is telling * that US & Iran should cooperate on Iraq

also saying Iran is not going to abandon the Shiites

[KamaAina]

10. Tinfoil hat corner: Wouldn't that bolster those who want to see us in Iraq indefinitely?

As in, "Well, we can't leave now, 'cause the big, bad Iranians would just go in, and then the fit woukld really hit the shan." :sarcasm:

So here we have nutjob Holocaust denier Ahmadinejad saying things that help the fading prospects of nutjob PNACers Cheney & Co. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.... :tinfoilhat:

[hollowdweller]

12. I say nothing better than for us to get out and Iran to get tangled up in Iraq.

Look what it did for the US. Toppled the ruling party. Taking vital funds away from our residents. Focusing international terrorists on us.

If Iran is indeed a threat or nemisis of the US I can see nothing worse we could do to it short of attacking it ourselves than to pull out of Iraq and let them get in there. Heck we've already started arming the Sunni Insurgency to fight them so maybe it's in the works.