Posted on 03/16/2009 6:12:44 AM PDT by nuconvert
(EXCERPT) ...allow me to frame today’s US-Iran predicament from the perspective of one who has had a daily front-row seat into my country’s domestic theatre, and whose primary concerned is the individual fate of 70 million Iranians who’s legitimate aspiration for liberty, freedom and humans rights cannot be discounted under any circumstance.
In my view, we should first and foremost reflect on the big picture:
First, the clerical regime’s ultimate goal,
Second, my compatriots national aspirations, and
Third, the free world long term interests.
On the first point, we need to remember that the regime’s raison d’être is to establish a modern day Shiite Caliphate, thereby dominating the region and eventually broaden its reach beyond.
On the second point, which is my central mission in life, we seek a secular alternative to the world’s only existing modern day theocracy.
On the third point, the long-standing rhetoric of western capitals has been support for regional peace and stability. In practice, however, inconsistent policies have come into conflict with such desires.
Let us first take a look at the domestic picture from the prism of the citizens of Iran:
The regime’s total disregard for the people’s livelihood can be summarized in economic decay, corruption, mismanagement, repression – collectively leading to continued dwindling of the people’s living standards. My compatriots find it unacceptable that our national resources which could have easily supported their hopes and aspirations for social and economic prosperity have been squandered by the clerical regime, in pursuit and support of destructive adventurism beyond our borders.
Iranians today seek a solution beyond the clerical establishment. Visible and unwavering solidarity by the international community will strengthened this quest for democracy, unshackling the nation from militancy and rule by “Divine Law”.
In my view, however, the western world has yet to comprehend the simple yet fundamental fact that this regime cannot possibly coexist with it! The regime’s ideology is based on the countering and defeat of western ideologies and core values. Its vehement animosity against the West, and the US in particular, is not just a matter of taste or culture; it is at the core of the regime’s philosophy as to how the world ought to be governed.
Far too often we have seen this fundamental flaw in expecting the regime to reason on the same basis of rationality and logic observed in the West. It is not surprising therefore to witness a lack of breakthrough throughout these years. In short, the regime has cleverly utilized the west’s perceived naïveté towards its own interests and goals. It has bought time, inched closer to the nuclear umbrella, with the goal to equalize the balance of power, hence blackmailing the region and the international community with a fait accompli.
(EXCERPT)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU__q3t_qlI
Main points: The elections in Iran are a farce; we have been engaged in dialogue with the regime in Iran for 30yrs and gotten nowhere - unless we involve the Iranian people themselves, we will continue down the same road.
fyi - his opinion on a Gorbachev-like figure emerging - at about the 3min mark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU__q3t_qlI
Reza Pahlavi, or as I would prefer Reza II., is the only serious pro-freedom opposition leader.
The elements within the US that favor to cooperate with terrorists like the MKO are out of mind and counterproductive.
Obama meanwhile is hellbent on bowing down to the Mullahs.
Nixon BTW was a class act and a true friend of the Shah. While Carter denied the cancer-stricken Shah asylum in the US, Nixon had the diginity to attend the Shah's funeral in Cairo.
If the Mullahs launch a strike against Israel,there will be
70 million less Persians in the world.
The video is well worth listening to
The facts and the situation in a nutshell
Netanyahu is going to launch the first strike
The fight against the West will continue for a long time through the usual (maybe stepped up) terrorism and conventional aggressivity.
Is this the son of Shah Reza Pahlavi?
Reza (Cyrus) Pahlavi is referred by some supporters as Reza II. because 1980 in Exile in an address to the Iranian people he succeeded his father. But he does not style himself as Shah.
“Nixon BTW was a class act and a true friend of the Shah.”
Yes he was. He kept in touch with the Shah during Shah’s exile, warning him to leave Panama and he visited the Shah during his exile time in Mexico
Nixon walking in Shah’s funeral procession
http://www.flickr.com/photos/96884693@N00/2229368096/
Thanks, I agree with most of what he says, but I think that the economic situation in Iran is in such dire straits that it will be changes in the policies. The power makers in Iran want to keep their money and will plan for a gradual change, they know that if it will be a drastic change they will be swept away.
The question is who will steer the broom that will whisk away the mullahs to the mosques?
I would suggest Reza Shah II as the most appropriate appelation. Yours is one step short even if more currently accurate.
Glad you brought up Nixon attending the funeral, it was an act of loyalty and appreciation of what the late Shah had done for the West as well as Iran. No other Head of State except than the King of Spain attended.
What a shameful, cowardly bunch of people. Scared to offend the evil plague of Khomeini that has infested and infected the world. Nor offend Carter!!!
Thanks for the ping FARS!
Bttt
An Iranian co-worker is going to be very disappointed. He had hopes of Khatami, but I read today that Khatami has withdrawn.
This would be a sad thing. Should take out their Arab rulers instead.
Thanks for the ping!
Ideally, that would be best. How to do that wioll be no easy matter..
Agreed!
Today, Washington is abuzz with a new term: Engagement. As attractive as it may seem, the question remains, to what end and at what expense? Are the people of Iran left out of this equation?We submit that while engagement in fact may be an important diplomatic tool, any dialogue with the clerical regime must not exclude the legitimate aspirations of the Iranian people, namely liberty and human rights. If so, the west will only succeed in alienating the Iranian street, which by all measures has consistently rejected the regime’s venomous anti-western orientation since its inception.
With the new theme of hopefulness emanating from Washington, it is hard to imagine that the new president, elected on the platform of people power, could remain indifferent to the plight of 70 million Iranians who demand the same.
Engagement is only acceptable if it is based on a dual track approach that includes the Iranian people in parallel to the ruling clerics.
Engagement with my compatriots should start by using every opportunity to voice and recognize pro-democracy activists and movements within Iran and the condemning of human rights abuses perpetrated by the regime.
We believe that a democratic Iran will guarantee a popularly elected secular system of government with checks and balances and a clear delineation of power. This will ensure a vibrant civil society wherein people of different ethnicities, religious, socio-economic groups, and political persuasions will coexist peacefully while rebuilding their homeland. Iranians are a gifted people with a great civilization. It is time to allow them to freely choose for themselves the political system of their choice, and towards that goal, all Iranians and non-Iranians who share this end must unite.
Reza Pahlavi's views are precisely the recipe for true peace and stability in what has been and will continue to be the witch's kitchen.Hussein is against everything Reza Pahlavi has expressed here--two track, secular, democracy--
Hussein is a crypto-Islamist with a fascist core, the Marxist hatred of the masses, of their freedoms, aspirations--except to exploit for revolution and repression.
Hussein retains the glutinous Robert M. Gates who coauthored with Zbigniew Brzezinski the 2004 Council on Foreign Relations paper Iran:Time for a New Approach
Hussein falls all over himself wanting to hug Ahmadinejad, Hugo, Fidel, Kim, any America-hating dictator, but no freedom-loving peoples here or abroad.
Imagine George Bush having secretly asked Putin to keep Iran from attaining nuclear weapons in exchange for standing down from missile defense in Eastern Europe--
The conditions are perfect for Iran to get the weapons, develop delivery, continue repression at home and destabilization abroad.
It is vital to there being a world future that we depose the mullahs.
Imagine one nuclear weapon in one U.S. city, delivered by any of a number of unconventional means.
In this the mullahs have more to lose than Hussein.
He's knocked down all the security measures Bush installed after 911 that have kept us safe.
Now Hussein gives the green light to terrorists and the mullahs who pay their freight that it's a kinder gentler world for their evil machinations.
There are strong parallels between Obama and Khomeini. Khomeini had a shady origin, originating from India (al-Hendi) and could never conclusively proof his Iranianness (in the eyes of many Iranians). He had only a limited and rather poor command of the Persian language. From his rise in the 1960’s to this day rumors persist that he was actually British (one of the worst thing you could be in Iran BTW).
In his younger years, like Obama he was an agitator and “wrote” books. His first pamphlet appeared 1942 ripping Western modernity and secularism. In the 1960’s he was active in spreading violent unrest.
When he seized power in 1979, like Obama he was riding on message of “Hope and Change”, denouncing the unpopular Shah, just like Obama was denouncing Bush. Gullible, ignorant masses drank the Kool-aid and didn’t realize they trade something somewhat flawed with pure evil.
And like Khomeini, he rejects the “tyrant” label, presenting, and being presented as a democratic, wise leader by the sycophantic MSM.
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