Posted on 01/25/2007 7:48:34 AM PST by freedom44
However, I was soon put at ease. After speaking with numerous Iranians from all walks of life – lower and upper class, religious and secular, Westernized and traditional, government- affiliated and civilian – I became convinced that this vilified member of the "Axis of Evil" is actually one of the most welcoming places for Americans to travel in the Middle East. Indeed, all Iranians with whom I spoke shared a positive opinion of Ameri- cans.
Iranians don't hate America. On the contrary, many of them envy Americans to an unrealistic degree and think of the US as a paradise, a land where no problems exist.
One encounters this sentiment in even the most unexpected places. For instance, when I ran into problems renewing my visa, an austere senior official at the immigration ministry offered to help. "Because you're American, I'll do this for you," he said. This was not unusual. Generally friendly to foreigners, Iranians were especially friendly to me once they discovered I was American. It was as if they were trying to prove a point. "Go home and tell the Americans we like them," the official continued. "You know, I have family in Chicago. Can you help me go see them?" On the way out, a soldier in the lobby was excited to see my passport, handling it as one would a priceless object. "How can I come study in America?" he wanted to know.
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
Iran is home to some 25,000 Jews. An Iranian friend who just visited there said things were very bad and getting worse.
"Pragmatic voices are wresting control from both neoconservatives in the US and their fundamentalist counterparts in Iran. Let's hope they win out. Opening up relations with Iran is not appeasement; it's necessary because it allows home-grown demo cratic forces to work on their own terms."
Yes, those of us who support democracy in the Middle East are reasonably compared to the Islamic radicals who rule Iran. Thanks CSM, that is very helpful.
The story omits the following details:
1. The government leads daily chants at major mosques in Iran shouting "Death to America and Death to Israel" This is done by mullahs with AK-47s on their hips. Why does the author not ask about this.
2. The government of Iran has said repeatedly that the Holocaust did not happen and that a real holocaust is coming for the Jews who presently live in Israel.
To write an article about opening dialogue with Iran and making no mention of these prominent public facts is to mock the cruel violence that the Iranian clerical state has inflicted upon its own people, the people of Iraq, and the people of Israel.
I continue to be amazed about how dedicated American intellectuals are to describing democracy as Evil and Tryanny as goodness.
--very frustrating.
I absolutely agree. Working in the high tech sector I have met many, many Iranians (Persians) and without exception found them to be warm, friendly, honest, intelligent and hard working. Whatever our differences are with the current regime the solution should do as little harm to the people as possible. They, after all, are already victims.
spot on!
While people are sabber rattling over Iran Saudi Arabia continues to spend billions to fund pro-Wahabbi movements worldwide.
"...The tragic cost of American misjudgment regarding the Middle East..."
I never said those words.
I agree.
But I guess the conservative Iranians stayed home and didn't vote "to make a point" or voted "third-party" in their last election.
Nutjob elected....
Hmmm...where do I see the parallels....
It is the man with the biggest smile that holds the sharpest knife.
-------------------------------------Number Six (The Prisoner)
As nice as they may be, they're still nothing but Mahmoud's human shields. And articles like this do nothing but play into the genocidal monster's hands.
Of course, given the tone and the author's transparent bias, that's probably by design. Some people are just inclined to side with evil.
Envy is not a cute emotion, it is powerfully evil and seeks to destroy. Envious people would rather bring America down than bring themselves up. Envy is the root cause of most war.
It may be true, but unfortunately it's not all that relevant in the near term. Unless we have the means to get them to revolt against their insanely jihadist-oriented government, then we're going to have to hold them responsible for the government they have implicitly chosen.
Before the ayatollahs took over, Iran had been a centuries-long refuge for Jews.
Yo! Ali! And what do all those friendly Iranians think about their government's program for nuclear weapons? [which you don't seem to have mentioned or canvassed about]. Or their involvement in killing Americans in Iraq, killing Iraqis in Iraq, and killing Lebanese in Lebanon?]. And what do they intend to do about their repressive government? And how long before our shared values kick in, or you're willing to do something?
I was reading that thread and came to the conclusion that many FReepers are just as clueless, if not more, than DUers.
These morons don't have the sense to see this is a "Iran is our friend" media campaign and are FAR too eager to buy that hook, line and sinker. More "we just need to take out the leadership and the people will LOVE us!" BS.
I don't know what happened to people in this country. Even the conservatives are bleeding hearts.
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