US Presidential Election 2008

[Rasputin]

Obama: McCain Helped Create Current Energy Woes During Washington Tenure

Despite the news about mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, whose share prices are in freefall, Sen. Barack Obama stuck to his planned script today, pledging, if elected president, an aggressive effort to reduce American dependence on foreign oil by investing in research on alternative fuels and relying more on nuclear, wind and other energy sources.

He said the energy ideas of his opponent, Sen. John McCain, such as a gas tax holiday and more offshore oil drilling, would do little to reduce prices at the pump immediately, a view shared by many economists.

"Now, a few days ago, Senator McCain said our dangerous dependence on foreign oil has been thirty years in the making, and was caused by the failure of politicians in Washington to think long-term about the future of the country," Obama said in a speech to several hundred at a school here. "The only problem is that out of those thirty years, Senator McCain was in Washington for twenty-six ."

McCain's campaign argues that Obama's energy proposals would not bring gas prices down at all, either. McCain has also pledged to work as president to increase use of alternative fuels, particularly nuclear power.

On the mortgage issue, while McCain told reporters yesterday "we cannot allow them to fail" of the two companies, Obama's campaign issued a careful statement through a spokesman.

"Senator Obama has long believed we should take all necessary steps to ensure affordable homeownership for millions of American families, and that includes an essential role for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac," Obama spokesman Bill Burton said.

[Rasputin]

[Rasputin]

In a sharp turnaround, Republican John McCain has opened a 5-point lead on Democrat Barack Obama in the U.S. presidential race and is seen as a stronger manager of the economy, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.

McCain leads Obama among likely U.S. voters by 46 percent to 41 percent, wiping out Obama's solid 7-point advantage in July and taking his first lead in the monthly Reuters/Zogby poll.

The reversal follows a month of attacks by McCain, who has questioned Obama's experience, criticized his opposition to most new offshore oil drilling and mocked his overseas trip.

The poll was taken Thursday through Saturday as Obama wrapped up a weeklong vacation in Hawaii that ceded the political spotlight to McCain, who seized on Russia's invasion of Georgia to emphasize his foreign policy views.

"There is no doubt the campaign to discredit Obama is paying off for McCain right now," pollster John Zogby said. "This is a significant ebb for Obama."

McCain now has a 9-point edge, 49 percent to 40 percent, over Obama on the critical question of who would be the best manager of the economy -- an issue nearly half of voters said was their top concern in the November 4 presidential election.

That margin reversed Obama's 4-point edge last month on the economy over McCain, an Arizona senator and former Vietnam prisoner of war who has admitted a lack of economic expertise and shows far greater interest in foreign and military policy.

McCain has been on the offensive against Obama during the last month over energy concerns, with polls showing strong majorities supporting his call for an expansion of offshore oil drilling as gasoline prices hover near $4 a gallon.

Obama had opposed new offshore drilling, but said recently he would support a limited expansion as part of a comprehensive energy program.

That was one of several recent policy shifts for Obama, as he positions himself for the general election battle. But Zogby said the changes could be taking a toll on Obama's support, particularly among Democrats and self-described liberals.

"That hairline difference between nuance and what appears to be flip-flopping is hurting him with liberal voters," Zogby said.

Obama's support among Democrats fell 9 percentage points this month to 74 percent, while McCain has the backing of 81 percent of Republicans. Support for Obama, an Illinois senator, fell 12 percentage points among liberals, with 10 percent of liberals still undecided compared to 9 percent of conservatives.

OBAMA NEEDS TO WORK ON BASE

"Conservatives were supposed to be the bigger problem for McCain," Zogby said. "Obama still has work to do on his base. At this point McCain seems to be doing a better job with his."

The dip in support for Obama, who would be the first black U.S. president, cut across demographic and ideological lines. He slipped among Catholics, born-again Christians, women, independents and younger voters. He retained the support of more than 90 percent of black voters.

"There were no wild swings, there isn't one group that is radically different than last month or even two months ago. It was just a steady decline for Obama across the board," Zogby said.

Obama's support among voters between the ages of 18 and 29, which had been one of his strengths, slipped 12 percentage points to 52 percent. McCain, who will turn 72 next week, was winning 40 percent of younger voters.

"Those are not the numbers Obama needs to win," Zogby said about Americans under 30. The 47-year-old is counting on a strong turnout among young voters, a key bloc of support during his primary battle with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.

It made little difference when independent candidate Ralph Nader and Libertarian Party candidate Bob Barr, who are both trying to add their names to state ballots.

McCain still held a 5-point edge over Obama, 44 percent to 39 percent, when all four names were included. Barr earned 3 percent and Nader 2 percent.

Most national polls have given Obama a narrow lead over McCain throughout the summer. In the Reuters/Zogby poll, Obama had a 5-point lead in June, shortly after he clinched the Democratic nomination, and an 8-point lead on McCain in May.

The telephone poll of 1,089 likely voters had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

The poll was taken as both candidates head into their nominating conventions and the announcements of their choices of vice presidential picks. The Democratic convention begins on Monday in Denver, with the Republican convention opening the next Monday, September 1, in St. Paul, Minnesota..

[Rasputin]

McCain ad: Obama 'passed over' Clinton

Republican John McCain launched a new ad Sunday claiming rival Barack Obama passed over Hillary Rodham Clinton as his running mate for "speaking the truth" about his liabilities.
The ad, called "Passed Over," features a clip of Clinton and repeats criticisms the New York senator made during the Democratic primaries over Obama's alleged lack of specifics on issues, negative campaign tactics and his relationship with Antoin Rezko, a former Obama fundraiser convicted in June on corruption charges.

The truth hurt, and Obama didn't like it," the ad says.

The spot is McCain's opening shot at grabbing headlines as Democrats converge in Denver to formally nominate Obama as the party's presidential pick.

McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said the ad is running in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Iowa, in TV markets where the former first lady did particularly well in primary contests against Obama. He said it will also air in Denver.

Clinton said the McCain ad was misleading and left out the New York senator's repeated praise of Obama. Clinton and Obama "share a commitment to changing the direction of the country, getting us out of Iraq and expanding access to health care," said Clinton spokeswoman Kathleen Strand. "John McCain doesn't."

McCain has been seeking votes from disaffected Clinton backers, and sees a chance to gain ground with them because Obama selected Joe Biden to be on the ticket.

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, appearing on ABC's This Week With George Stephanopoulos, echoed the ad's theme by noting Clinton and Obama nearly split popular votes in the primaries. "The story here is more the Obama-not-Clinton ticket," Giuliani said. "Why?"

Bounds said the point of the ad is that Clinton once leveled the same "unanswered" criticisms at Obama that the McCain campaign is making now and will continue to make through Election Day. The ads began a low-profile week for McCain, who flies today to California for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. On Tuesday, he speaks to the American Legion convention in Phoenix. McCain also holds four fundraisers in those two days.

No public events are scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday, though Bounds said that could change. McCain is also preparing for his convention next week in St. Paul. Starting Friday, he will campaign in the key states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Missouri, which may also feature the debut of his running mate.

[Rasputin]

The conventions of the two major U.S. parties were some amazing events, propaganda machines that have a great impact, both to publicise to the relatively passive general public, and also to energise the members and the believers. I waited to see both of the conventions, so to be able to express my opinion (a very short one) about the two candidacies for the US presidency. These elections are important not just for America, but also for the whole world, as America is the most powerful democracy in the world, and the only credible and capable defender of democratic values in the face of serious threats.

The two major American political forces, the Democratic and the Republican parties, have two types of images, a subconscious (or maybe unconscious) one, and another, an attempted one! The subconscious one for the Democratic Party is the party of Socialists and Liberals, who can rarely ally, unless (as usually is the case) in the face of a serious political or other 'calamity'. And the subconscious image of the Republican Party is the party of white Christians! White Christians, whether die-heart ones or moderate ones, can usually get along much better, though their absolute numbers are usually smaller than Socialists and Liberals put together. But their unity and belief in their cause make them a true force to reckon with in the United States. But these are not suitable images for two modern political parties to openly present to the public.

Of course the Republican Party also has black (or other non-white, or not exactly very white) or non-Christian members. As long as votes count, only stupidity, or too much of an irrational racism, can make one deny the presence of an extra vote (or voice) in the electoral process. And this cannot happen in today's relatively stable and old competitively-democratic countries. Membership of a political party, and more, voting for one party or another, is more often the result of the hatred and dislike toward the opposing political movement and threat rather than a true belief in certain political views, plans or ideologies. And it seems that Socialists and Liberals, by the matter of a historical accident, seem to be unanimous haters of white Christians, and white Christians seem to feel the need to come together for their hatred of Socialism and Liberalism (or what they understand as Liberalism, social liberalism).

When I was watching Joe Lieberman talk to the Republican crowd, it almost felt like an alien from Mars talking to the people of earth against the threats of Communists (for instance) taking over in Mars! It simply goes against 'common sense' to see a Jew (or an Iranian etc) become a supporter of the Republican Party candidate. The Republicans would not mind it of course, but it simply goes against the generally supported, accepted, and fact-checked, hate theory, toward the opposing view that is! This is unfortunately how political parties work, not according to platforms, messages, ideas and plans, but according to intolerance toward the other, or some others. This is democracy! It's the best possible option of providing for people's needs.

So, the conventions were great. When I was watching the Democratic Convention, and I heard all those great orators, especially the Clintons, I was just thinking "where do I vote now?" The psychological impact was so great one felt the need to go and vote right away, before he changed his mind. Then, when I heard the Republican Party orators, and Palin, the candidate for the vice-presidency, was more than I could imagine, I felt the same, the urge to vote right away! So, both parties are great in their abilities to attract crowds and motivate their people. The Democrats came with a black man who talked music to the leftist ears, pleasing both Liberals (who hate white Christians so much, they don't care about the Socialistic, leftist, details) by having the chance to elect a non-white president, and the usually relatively-not-so-wealthy, by promising them all sorts of goodies, social welfare and so on.

The Republicans threw at the Democrats and the general public, beside the white Christian old man they usually have, with a woman, and lots of born, or unborn, babies (of the VP and her family)! It was like saying "You have a black man, yeah? But we give them not just a woman, but lots of babies too!" The Republicans know almost for sure that none of their base (the white Christians) would vote for a black man whose father was a Muslim, and whose name is Obama (forget about Hussein), so they are trying very hard to appeal to the rest, so they came up with a woman (for the Liberals and especially the disaffected Ms Clinton supporters), and they are also lucky enough to have a strong Democratic Jewish voice (Mr Lieberman) to woo the millions of Jews in America, who are a serious voting block too, and usually a serious Democratic voting block!

This is going to be a serious battle! Will those who hate George Bush the second so much that they even wanted to change the colour of the president win over those who hate and fear non-white-Christians, in attracting the remaining who usually don't care that much? I have serious doubts about enough Americans voting for a black man (I am talking about those who will vote him BECAUSE he is black, not those who will NOT vote him because he is black), though my concerns are usually about the policies, which are never the main issue (in reality) for the voters. And I like McCain's policies (theoretically speaking, smaller more conservative government, less taxes, more 'liberal' economic and social plans) because they are better for the US economy, and society, but I doubt this will be either the reason he will get votes, or the reason he will not!

I also agree with McCain's character and his leadership abilities, and his political courage to support a war which seemed all but lost just before the surge. I also agree with his plans for Iraq's future. But even I (and I don't have a vote in the US), as a person much more inclined toward McCain's policies and plans, find it hard to vote a man from the party of the white Christians! It almost doesn't feel right for an Iranian to do something like this! And I am sure this is how most other Iranians, and most non-white-Christians (Hispanics, Jews, African-Americans, Muslims etc), feel, still. But it is a beautiful country anyway, a great democracy, and no matter who becomes president, I am sure America will remain strong and prosperous and will still be the place Iranians who run from tyranny, call home!

[Rasputin]

America is a nation and an ideal, birthed by a group of visionaries that gave it the Constitution to nurture it and protect it. What makes America, America the Beautiful, more than just a blessed land is our legacy, the Constitution. Sadly, the Constitution also makes for America the Vulnerable by enshrining freedom that enables the malevolent to subvert and destroy America from within. You, the voter, are the guardian of the Constitution. Your vote determines the health and survival of America.

America is defined by the last phrase of our national anthem: The land of the free and the home of the brave. Freedom, in all its forms, is our greatest legacy, which this nation has bravely fought many wars on many fronts to preserve against the unceasing assaults of totalitarianism of all stripes. Time and again, the flowers of our nation bravely sacrificed their lives to protect freedom and liberty.

In the not too long ago past, we fought and defeated Nazism and Fascism in Europe and Imperialism in the Far East. Before the nation could have a respite, the flame of international Communism raged, consumed many parts of the world in its wake, and posed a great threat of scorching our land. Yet, we did not waiver, did not appease, and did not surrender. We stood and fought the scourge of Communism on multiple fronts. Once again, the forces of freedom succeeded in reducing the Communist menace to little more than a nuisance.

Now, we are faced with the insidious, multifaceted, and most deadly threat of Islamism. Since Islam has been around for centuries, there is a tendency to ignore or even deny the threat it poses to humanity. Various concessions are made, some of them as good faith offerings and some in the hope of placating the Islamists. Yet, concessions to threats are appeasements. And appeasements have never solved any problems. They only whet the appetite of the aggressor, give it more power, and make it even more dangerous.

And appeasement comes in many forms. When our leaders, for instance, call Islam a great religion, they are appeasing, if not lying outright. We the people elect our leaders and we hold them accountable to be honorable: using their voice to call a great religion a most deadly threat to everything we cherish as a great religion legitimizes Islamofascism, on the one hand, and infuses the rest of us with a false belief.

Go by the facts on the ground and not by rhetoric: Islam is not a great religion. It is a dangerous cult of hate and violence, intent at ruling the world under the Ummah with its barbaric shariah laws.

Calling Islam a great religion and misrepresenting it is not simply a harmless gesture of goodwill and peacemaking. This is flaming the fire that has every intention of consuming us. Therefore, it is imperative that we choose the chief custodian of our constitution, the President, with great care. We must entrust the helm of our nation to the hands of a person of impeccable integrity who is unconditionally loyal to the constitution, who does not sacrifice principles and truth at the altar of expediency, and who is not shirking from what he must do to ensure our nation’s survival in the face of internal and external assaults.

In a democracy called America, citizens exercise their power through the ballot box. Hence, when you vote for America, you vote for our freedom as well as for the aspiration of all people who yearn to free themselves from religious totalitarianism.

Once again, it is the election season. Once again, the slick easy-answers politicians are doing all they can to get our votes. The Democrats promise us everything and more. They will bring the troops home and will give us a raft of goodies, so they promise. But, when the Barbarians are at the gate, it is suicidal to run and hide in the cellar. That’s what Obama and his ilk tripping over each other, promise us. Islamists are not at the gate. They already have breached the fortress America in significant numbers. They are waiting for the opportunity to open the gate fully to their co-cultists and make the land of the free a graveyard of Islamic slavery.

First things first. Our highest priority is the preservation of this nation of the free. We have done what it took in the past and we must do what it takes now and in the future to safeguard liberty. Defeating the encroaching Islamism is this generation of Americans greatest challenge. We must meet the threat and defeat it. The alternative is to suffer the fate of the Europeans, many of whom are voting with their feet: fleeing to other lands and abandoning their ancestral homes to the Islamists.

Don’t be fooled by the accusations that the incurably sick leftists at home and America’s ill-wishers abroad level at this country. America is not perfect. Yet, it is the very best hope for a humanity struggling to find its humanness. America is worth defending. Vote for the candidate who is not going to cut and run in the face of Islamic jihadists.

[Rasputin]

هشدار مك كين و اوباما درباره برنامه اتمي ايران


اين اولين مناظره آنها بود كه به طور زنده از تلويزيون ها پخش شد
دو نامزد اصلي انتخابات آمريكا در جريان نخستين مناظره خود كه از تلويزيون هاي سراسري آمريكا پخش شد به شدت نسبت به "خطر" برنامه اتمي ايران به خصوص تهديد آن براي اسرائيل هشدار داده اند.
جان مك كين نامزد جمهوري خواهان در اين مناظره در دانشگاه ميسيسيپي گفت كه مجهز شدن ايران به سلاح اتمي خطر بالقوه ايجاد يك "هولوكاست دوم" عليه يهوديان اسرائيل را به دنبال دارد و به رقابت تسليحاتي در منطقه دامن مي زند.

اين سناتور اهل آريزونا گفت "ما نمي توانيم اجازه وقوع يك هولوكاست دوم را بدهيم" و افزود كه ساير كشورهاي منطقه "براي به دست آوردن سلاح هاي اتمي" تحت فشار قرار خواهند گرفت.

سناتور مك كين گفت: "ما مي توانيم تحريم هاي جدي و دردناكي بر ايران تحميل كنيم، كه به نظر من مي تواند اثر مثبتي داشته باشد."

وي همچنين دولت ايران را ناكارآمد دانست: "ايران دولت بدي دارد، براي همين وضع اقتصادش هم بد است، درحالي كه ايران صاحب درآمدهاي قابل توجه نفتي است."

باراك اوباما نامزد دموكرات ها گفت كه او در مورد ابعاد تهديد ايران با جان مك كين موافق است، اما مخالفت او با به كارگيري ديپلماسي مقابل تهران و ساير دشمنان آمريكا را قبول ندارد. او تاكيد كرد كه ايران در اثر جنگ عراق قوي تر شده است.

اوباما نگراني مشابهي را در مورد خطر به راه افتادن رقابت تسليحاتي در منطقه منعكس كرد و گفت كه مسلح شدن ايران به سلاح اتمي با توجه به تهديدي كه متوجه اسرائيل مي كند "شرايط بازي را عوض خواهد كرد."

اما سناتور دموكرات افزود: "من با سناتور مك كين موافق نيستم كه قادر خواهيم بود تحريم هايي كه لازم است را بدون مقداري همكاري با كشورهايي مانند روسيه و چين اعمال كنيم."

وي كه همواره خواستار گفتگوي مستقيم با ايران شده است تكرار كرد "ما همچنين بايد درگير يك ديپلماسي شديد و مستقيم با ايران شويم".

ايران بارها اتهامات داير بر دنبال كردن يك برنامه اتمي براي مقاصد نظامي را رد كرده است.

[Rasputin]

Let us get involved in this presidential election and rescue America from itself. Like any nation, America is facing the forces of good and evil both from within and from without. What America has to overcome at this crossroad is to recognize that contrary to what public is led to believe, America is self-destructing. Thomas Jefferson said it best, “An empire collapses more from within than from without.”
The nation has become the target of internal extremists who were opposed to its foundation some 250 years ago. Armed with ignorance, arrogance and greed, and in short colonial mentality, the extremists have wreaked havoc on nation’s infrastructure. They have managed to make a mockery of its Constitution, Bill of Rights and the American Ideals almost beyond recognition. Indeed, this grand betrayal could be called the undoing of the American Revolution.
The good news is that as Bill Clinton said, there is nothing wrong with America that cannot be fixed with what is right with it.” As Iranian-Americans most of us are proud of our privilege of participatory democracy that is one of the blessings in this home away from home and we intend to save it before that is totally taken away from us.
There are of course some of us who go with the flow and do not understand, appreciate and preserve the American Ideals. Their behavior stems from their lack of exposure to participatory democracy in their birthplace, Iran and choice of an apathetic life in America. They are generally blind followers and tend to chastise the Iranian intellectuals who make even slightest criticism of the American government by calling them the Agents of IRI or other derogatory names.
In short the opposition group unconditionally approves American policies at home and abroad. This is a betrayal of not only our loyalty to America, but to freedom and democracy movement everywhere. In short, with these friends America needs no enemy. An Ethiopian saying states, “Those who hide their wounds will never find a cure.”
Understandably this group is either non-voting or McCain-Palin supporters. Let us consider the emptiness of the strategy of this extremist group and their supporters in attacking Obama-Biden from the following perspectives:
While posing as anti religion and against IRI, the group praises Palin who thinks the Iraq War is God’s plan, pronounces Iraq as Eye Rack. If you recall, George Bush called Iraq Eye Rack for four month into his presidency even though his father had bombed the country before him. We all know what disaster that ignorance brought us. It is most ridiculous to repeat the same mistake. It is an insult to the intelligence of millions of Americans who are fed up with the status quo.
This is the same woman who calls killings of thousands of Ame



ricans and Iraqis in a futile war a plan from God while claiming to be “pro-life” by opposing to abort even a defective fetus even to save the mother’s life.
These two people pop up almost overnight to confront and prevent the change of status quo in America and ironically calling themselves the real agents of change!
This group supports John McCain even though he could not raise enough money to stay in the race just a short few months ago. He is called war hero of the humiliating and futile war that led the American forces to flee by helicopter from the American embassy roof; the same unpopular war that led America to do away with military draft under public pressure particularly by the young.
McCain is the same honest man who, in 1980’s was one of the five US senators known as Keating five who were convicted for illegally aiding the failing Keating Savings and Loan. A friendly judge later purportedly exonerated McCain!
This is a foreign policy expert who, twice in press conferences claimed that Iran was training Al-Qaida and twice was corrected by his cohort Joe Liberman.
This is the same peace loving wise man that considers war, death, and destruction as hobby and sings bomb, bomb, and bomb Iran for fun. This reminds me of nice saying in America, “The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.”
This is the same Ready from day one man whose party runs a campaign ad, “Who do you want to answer the emergency call at 3 A.M.”; and at the same time has not been able to apprehend Ben Ladin for five years. One should wonder whether the War on Terror is a joke, a put on, a fake make-believe cat and mouse game or what.
All of these are hypocrisy and making mockery of the American Ideals, promoting abuse of religion, repression, and hate and war mongering for profit. Why do these zealots pick on smaller repressive nations who emulate America instead of fixing what is wrong with America to make it the role model for the world like it was meant to be?
Making the Nation of Immigrants break at the seams is another hidden strategy of the extremist. How can we tolerate to watch this nation fall into traps and self-defeat time and again?
Yes, the challenge of our time is convince the betrayed American public that they can fix what is wrong with America by using what is right with it. Fortunately an increasing American public is waking up to recognize the factors of America’s decline under the disguise of hypocrisy and spreading freedom and democracy!
America needs to declare a War on Ignorance to inform and educate the public about the futility of the so-called “War on Terror” that is promoting terrorism and bankrupting America.

[Rasputin]

جان مک کین و باراک اوباما نامزدهای انتخابات ریاست جمهوری آمریکا در دومین مناظره تلویزیونی خود در پاسخ به این سوال که در صورت حمله ایران به اسرائیل چه خواهند کرد، گفته اند که به هر شکل باید از دستیابی ایران به سلاح اتمی جلوگیری کرد.
سناتور مک کین به صراحت گفت که در صورت حمله ایران به اسرائیل منتظر شورای امنیت سازمان ملل نخواهد شد.

سناتور اوباما نیز ضمن اشاره ای تلویحی به اتخاذ همین رویکرد، چشم انداز منع صادرات بنزین به ایران برای فشار بر آن کشور را مطرح کرده است.

در مناظره سه شنبه شب که با حضور تعدادی از رای دهندگان غیرمتعهد در تنسی برگزار شد یکی از حاضران از این دو نامزد پرسید: "اگر علیرغم حداکثر تلاش دیپلماتیک شما، ایران به اسرائیل حمله کند، آیا مایل خواهید بود نیروهای آمریکایی را در حمایت یا دفاع از اسرائیل اعزام کنید؟ یا اینکه منتظر تایید شورای امنیت سازمان ملل خواهید شد؟"

جان مک کین نامزد جمهوری خواهان در پاسخ به این سوال به "موانعی جدی که روسیه و چین" در شورای امنیت ایجاد می کنند اشاره کرد و گفت: "اجازه دهید بگویم که روشن است که ما منتظر شورای امنیت سازمان ملل نخواهیم شد."

سناتور اوباما نیز گفت که دستیابی ایران به سلاح اتمی این خطر را به دنبال دارد که سلاح اتمی به دست تروریست ها بیافتد.

ایران برخلاف اتهامات آمریکا می گوید به دنبال سلاح اتمی نیست. به علاوه هرچند رئیس جمهور ایران مکررا به اسرائیل حمله و "نابودی قریب الوقوع" آن را پیش بینی می کند اما مقام های جمهوری اسلامی اصرار دارند که هرگز در حمله به هیچ کشوری پیشقدم نخواهند شد. با این حال ایران اسرائیل را به عنوان یک کشور به رسمیت نمی شناسد.


من می خواهم مطمئن شوم که ما با پیوستن به متحدان خود فشار کافی بر ایرانی ها وارد می کنیم، از طریق اعمال تحریم های سخت و جدی برای وادار کردن آنها به تغییر رفتارشان. و من فکر می کنیم که می توانیم چنین کنیم


جان مک کین

سناتور مک کین برنامه اتمی ایران را یک "خطر بزرگ" توصیف کرد و افزود: "این فقط تهدیدی برای کشور اسرائیل نیست، بلکه تهدیدی برای ثبات کل خاور میانه است."

او از سناتور اوباما انتقاد کرد چرا که گفته است بدون پیش شرط با ایرانی ها مذاکره خواهد کرد.

وی گفت: "من می خواهم مطمئن شوم که ما با پیوستن به متحدان خود فشار کافی بر ایرانی ها وارد می کنیم، از طریق اعمال تحریم های سخت و جدی برای وادار کردن آنها به تغییر رفتارشان. و من فکر می کنیم که می توانیم چنین کنیم."

او در پایان سخنانش در پاسخ به این پرسش تاکید کرد که "ما هرگز نمی توانیم اجازه وقوع یک هولوکاست دوم را بدهیم."

'منع صادرات بنزین'

سناتور اوباما نیز در پاسخ به این پرسش بار دیگر هشدارهای شدید خود نسبت به آنچه "خطرات" برنامه اتمی ایران می داند را تکرار کرد اما گفت همچنان گفتگو با ایران را برای کاستن از این "خطر" لازم می داند.

وی گفت: "ما نمی توانیم به ایران اجازه دستیابی به سلاح اتمی را بدهیم. این وضع، معادله را در منطقه به هم خواهد زد. نه تنها تهدیدی برای اسرائیل، نزدیک ترین متحد ما در منطقه و یکی از نزدیک ترین متحدان ما در جهان خواهد بود، بلکه همچنین امکان افتادن سلاح های اتمی به دست تروریست ها را به وجود می آورد."

او با اشاره به اینکه برای جلوگیری از دستیابی ایران به سلاح اتمی هر کاری خواهد کرد گفت: "و ما هرگز گزینه های نظامی را از پیش روی خود برنمی داریم. و مهم است که ما برای عمل کردن در جهت منافع خود، به سازمان ملل یا هیچ کس دیگری حق وتو ندهیم."


ما نمی توانیم به ایران اجازه دستیابی به سلاح اتمی را بدهیم. این وضع، معادله را در منطقه به هم خواهد زد. نه تنها تهدیدی برای اسرائیل، نزدیک ترین متحد ما در منطقه و یکی از نزدیک ترین متحدان ما در جهان خواهد بود، بلکه همچنین امکان افتادن سلاح های اتمی به دست تروریست ها را به وجود می آورد


باراک اوباما

با این حال او فورا افزود: "به هر حال مهم است که از هر ابزاری که در اختیار ماست استفاده کنیم تا از سناریویی که در آن مجبور به اتخاذ آن گزینه ها [گزینه نظامی] شویم پرهیز کنیم."

سناتور اوباما تاکید کرد که آمریکا باید از مصرف انرژی خود بکاهد تا "پول (نفت) کمتری گیر ایران بیاید."

وی توضیح داد که ایران علیرغم آنکه یکی از تولیدکنندگان عمده نفت است به دلیل فرسایش تاسیسات نفتی اش، مجبور به وارد کردن بنزین است. ایران نزدیک به نیمی از بنزین مصرفی خود را وارد می کند.

آقای اوباما با این توضیح افزود: "... اگر بتوانیم مانع واردات بنزینی که به آن نیاز دارند و همچنین محصولات نفتی پالایش شده آنها شویم، این باعث می شود به تدریج تحلیل خود از مقرون به صرفه بودن (مسیر فعلی) را عوض کنند. این فشار لازم را به آنها وارد خواهد کرد."

او افزود که به اعتقاد او گفتگوی مستقیم با ایران لازم است "تا پیامی تند و مستقیم به ایران داده شود که اگر رفتار خود را عوض نکنید، عواقب خواهد داشت. اما اگر رفتار خود را عوض کنید، در آن صورت امکان آن را خواهید داشت که به دامن جامعه بین المللی بازگردید."

سناتور اوباما با تاکید بر اینکه "حتی این گزینه نیز ممکن است موثر نیافتد" افزود: "اما یکی از چیزهایی که ما آموخته ایم، این است که وقتی آن رویکرد (گفتگو) را دنبال می کنید، چه کره شمالی باشد چه ایران، آنوقت شانس بیشتری برای موفقیت دارید."

[Rasputin]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama has expanded his national lead over Republican John McCain in the presidential race to 10 points, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.

Obama leads McCain 52 percent to 42 percent among likely U.S. voters in the latest three-day tracking poll, up from an 8-point advantage for Obama on Tuesday. The telephone poll has a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points.

It was the third consecutive day Obama gained ground on McCain as the two begin the final sprint to the November 4 election.

"Obama just keeps growing, he has expanded his lead among almost every major voting group," said pollster John Zogby. "McCain seems to be out of steam for the moment."

The 10-point lead was the first time Obama's advantage over McCain, an Arizona senator, reached double-digits in the poll. Obama's lead had floated between 2 and 6 points in the more than two weeks of polling until stretching to 8 points on Tuesday.

Obama made gains with two key swing voting blocs. His advantage with independent voters grew to a whopping 27 points from 15 points and his edge with women voters grew to 16 points from 13.

Obama, an Illinois senator, led among all age groups and in every income group except for the most wealthy voters. He now has the support of 21 percent of self-described conservatives -- his best showing with those voters.

McCain narrowly trails Obama by 2 percentage points among men and saw his lead among whites drop to 6 points from 9 points, 50 percent to 44 percent.

[Rasputin]

[Rasputin]

gov.sarah@yahoo.com

[Rasputin]

[Rasputin]

http://www.npr.org/news/specials/election2008/2008-election-map.html#/president-nprOvM/

[Rasputin]

http://news.yahoo.com/election/2008/dashboard