[Taraz]

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I don't think the USA should even be in Iraq, but that's probably not really germane to this discussion. Both sides are trying to effect their goals. The USA is doing so in a misguided fashion but at least the USA has good (if unachievable) goals in Iraq. Iran has bad goals because their system and ideology is bad. You have to be willing to make a value judgment and say that human and civil rights (Western style) are good whereas Shari'a is bad. Iran's regime wants bad things (though they think it is good).

It's not about who "has the right" to try to spread their ideology, but whose ideology is at core good or evil. Hanging gays for being gay and hanging teenage girls is bad. Many laws under Shari'a, oppressing women, denying women and religious minorities equal rights, giving Muslims civil rights ABOVE non-Muslims: those are EVIL laws. The Shari'a is EVIL. Naziism was evil. Laws and beliefs to oppress Jews are EVIL. Iran's regime is working towards evil things, though deluded as they are, they think it good.

The USA is doing evil things in Iraq, but not because the underlying belief system of the USA is evil. Rather, the Neo-Cons have developed doctrines and philosophies that are misguided and unworkable, which has led to doing evil. Democractizing Iraq will not free Iraq; it will only free and empower the Shi'ite majority to defeat and oppress the Sunnis and Kurds. Democracy in the Middle East will generally empower Shari'a, not free the Arabs to enjoy Western style human and civil rights. The Neo-Cons had a quixotic dream, and trying to implement it by force was (and still is) a huge error.

I guess my point is that the fact that both sides have similarly distasteful thoughts about each other is largely irrelevant, because the problem is not about just getting along. The problem is a fundamental clash of underlying ideologies and values. So it is a bad thing that Iran supports Hamas and Hezbollah, two genocidally-aimed organizations. It is a bad thing that Iran is trying to kill Americans in Iraq. It would be a bad thing if Iran's regime gains any more power.

Thanks for reading.

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All I'm saying is that the international rules of engagement can't be different for our two countries. I understand that we all think Iran is an evil force. This does not mean that we are allowed to wage war and they are not. Because we think they are evil doesn't make it okay when we do something and them wrong when they take the same action.