Confronting Iran

C-SPAN BookTV ^ | 15 July 06 | Ali Ansari

[leadpenny]

http://inside.c-spanarchives.org:8080/cspan/schedule.csp

Speech
Confronting Iran
DC International Connection

Ansari, Ali Massoud Professor, University of St. Andrews (Scotland), Modern History

Ali Ansari talked about his book "Confronting Iran: The Failure of American Foreign Policy and the Next Great Crisis in the Middle East," published by Perseus Books Group.

[jeremiah]

Talking about Iran Contra right now.

[leadpenny]

I zoned out and then got sidetracked. For some reason his speaking style is distracting to me.

[nuconvert]

He speaks very fast.
He's made a number of anti-neocon statements in several things he's written. He refers to the new hardliners in the Iranian gov't as neocons.
He also seems to be a reformist. Here, he sings the praises of Khatami (the president prior to Ahmadinejad)....

" The former Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, understood this problem. Hence his determination to build bridges, to promote a "dialogue of civilisations", and to provide assistance to the coalition in its war against the Taliban. He was rewarded with the "axis of evil"' a simple sound-bite that reverberated so loudly, it effectively derailed Khatami's foreign policy initiative."

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4159/is_20060115/ai_n16007172

I hope he's viewed with skepticism in Washington.

[nuconvert]

Just following up on a few more things he's said/written ) from an article dated Feb 14,2005.........

"That said, the most obvious and blatant acts of terror committed by the Iranian regime have been against its own people, not against westerners (Rushdie is arguably the exception in this regard), and we would do well to remember that more Iranians have died as a result of American actions since 1979 than vice versa (let us not forget that the captain of the USS Vincennes was awarded a medal for bravery). The allegations with respect to the bombing of the Jewish centre in Buenos Aires, and the al-Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia, remain just that, and to date there has been no evidence to substantiate Iranian involvement."

"Moreover, Iran does not help itself by perpetually denouncing Israel's right to exist, although even here the notion that the Islamic Republic of Iran would be willing to launch a nuclear strike against Israel and thereby destroy Jerusalem (the third holiest city for Muslims), strikes me as more than somewhat ridiculous. " (this was written prior to Ahmadinejad's presidency, but Iran has been threatening Israel's existence since Khomeini took over)

"Iran's nuclear ambitions, whatever they may be, have less to do with military might than prestige and the projection of political power and influence this implies."

http://www.newstatesman.com/200502140006