Avigdor Lieberman Blasts The West For Not Helping Iranian Protesters

TIME:

For a man who has a reputation for being blunt and confrontational, Avigdor Lieberman has kept uncharacteristically silent since taking over in March as Israel's Foreign Minister. His boss, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had reportedly asked him to muzzle his hawkish views for fear of riling the Obama Administration. But in his first major interview, which he gave to TIME, the burly Foreign Minister, who says he shrugs off "political correctness," came out swinging. He lambasted the West for not giving more support to Iranian reformists. "This really fanatic extremist regime is still in power, and the young people who are ready to fight and die for change are not getting any real support from the West," he said. "The fact that this regime continues to be an acceptable partner for dialogue is really a bad message. It shows the bad guys are winners."

Read the whole story: TIME

Comments

[Fareed Cader]

First thing first that he should ask Americans and the Western world to help stop building settlements and then get the Israelis out of Palestine who are occupying Palestine for the last 60 years. It is funny that he loves killing Palestinians and love the Iranians street protesters.

[Passenger57]

Israel would like nothing better than for the US and the Obama administration to "take care" of their archenemy du jour, Iran for them - and also be so entangled with them that they forget all about those pesky settlements Israel keeps building.

[jmundstuk]

Lieberman thinks black/white, good/bad, us/them, like Bush. He needs to be contained.

[yakaria]

America is in a sticky situation. We have a history of meddling in Iranian affairs. The reformist camp still hates America. We can't go in there because of foresight. Obama has done a good job voicing his concerns but not acting on his feelings.

[socialtalker]

looks like he is trying to start some mess some the revolution will fail, isreal will blame obama, and they can bomb iran like they have been aching to.

[who38]

Why negotiate when you can foment?

[Macready]

well said who38 . . . I suspect he thinks he can stirr up war . . .then israel can keep building its illegal settlements . . . etc etc . . . as jmudstuk wrote . he needs to be contained . . . big time

[bigben1986]

Here's the man who couldn't wait to send US made missiles to Iran and now want to help Iranian protesters? According to Netanyahu the Iranian crisis is good for the Israelis. So.. which is it?

[sf girl]

Exactly how was the West supposed to give support? By rolling into Iran with tanks and guns blazing? Iranians and the rest of the world already know how the US feels about what's going on over there.

[blutigeroo]

The Israeli fanatics want a war to tear Iran to pieces; it will remove their most vocal opposition and Palestine's strongest supporter.

[VS007]

Why dont you help out by making peace instead of creating war like situation for few acres of land?

[gbrooks]

The West should be more supportive of Iranian protesters? Are you kidding me?

How about the West should be more supportive of Palestinian protesters who've been occupied and oppressed for 60 years?

Hypocrite.

[alexa07]

Bravo!

[TJCole]

He might be right...

We and many other western nations may be blowing it...

If we end up attacking Iran eventually anyway over the nuke program then why not now and take out those forces and assets these thugs are using against their people...so they have a fighting chance..?

We may regret that we didn't do it now...

It is a valid point worth considering no troops, just air and missile bombardment...for days..day after day until this regime falls...collapses and the people drag them out and well do what they do...!

[martin2]

This now nuke program in Iran no WMD in Iraq
What you call a regime was elected, they have had 30 free elections
How they run their country is their business.

[Samlas]

Why doen't he worry about his own problems in Israel, or he just want to divert attention.... LOOK OVER THERE !!!!!