Postcard Diplomacy

A dissenting view on President Obama's Nowruz message

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Postcard Diplomacy
by ganselmi
22-Mar-2009
 

On Friday morning, President Barack Obama released a video to congratulate Iranians around the world on the occasion of the Persian New Year, or “Nowruz.” BBC Persian’s hugely popular and officially-banned satellite channel has broadcast the message in its entirety to Iran.

This video “postcard” to Iran reflects the new administration’s emphasis on renewing American soft power and public diplomacy to tackle the many foreign policy challenges facing the US and its allies. Politics aside, President Obama’s typically eloquent rhetoric is sure to impress the Iranian masses. And his demonstration of genuine appreciation for the artistic and literary contributions of Persians (he even quotes Saadi!) is a major improvement over George W. Bush’s often culturally tone deaf approach to Iran.

Tucked into this warm overture however, was a statement that should alarm all those concerned about the security of Israel, the long-term stability of the Middle East, and the Iranian people’s three decade-long struggle for freedom from theocratic misrule. “The United States wants the Islamic Republic of Iran to take its rightful place in the community of nations,” Obama declares. “You have that right.”

Coming from a US President, this is an absolutely stunning choice of words. For it seems to suggest that going forward, the United States takes for granted - for all intents and purposes - Iran’s clerical regime as a legitimate entity and a permanent fixture of the Middle East. In other words, the Obama Administration’s approach vis-à-vis Tehran is based on the assumption that the IRI’s recent ascent is simply an irreversible process, i.e. now it’s just a matter of learning to “deal” with the mullahs and encouraging them to become more responsible.

But this is clearly a false assumption. The IRI is currently facing a number of problems that threaten its domestic stability and undercut its ability to realize its dreams of regional primacy. These include falling oil prices, massive inflation, high unemployment, rising unrest among its ethnic minorities, resurgent student protests, and a looming succession crisis posed by the possibility of the current Supreme Leader’s death. (If the regime had truly consolidated and solidified its rule to the extent that Obama seems to think, then it would not be conducting so many domestic security/anti-riot drills such as the one pictured in this report by Mehr, the organ of the IRI’s nuclear establishment.)

The perils associated with overestimating the IRI’s power are revealed by Khamanei’s very own Nowruz postcard to the Iranian nation. In it, the Supreme Leader reminds Iranians that the “bullying powers” have conceded “that they cannot close the path to nuclear advancement by the Iranian nation.” And in to the President’s message, the venerable Jurisconsult offers more of the same defiance and obfuscation:

“As long as the American government’s actions, orientation, and politics remain the same as they have been for the last 30 years, we will also remain as we have been for 30 years!” [my translation]

Meanwhile, President Obama’s message is bound to reduce the confidence of Iran’s oppressed dissidents and leave them wondering if the US has now completely abandoned their cause.

Note
This piece was published earlier by Harry's Place and by Z Word Blog, the official blog of the American Jewish Committee (AJC).

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Ali's response

by Amir Kabir in Fin searching for a bath house (not verified) on

And in return here is the British-supported statement by one-handed-Ali for domestic consumption of the misguided silent majority:

//online.wsj.com/video/iran-sees-no-change-in...


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Surprise!

by notconcerned (not verified) on

Islam has been here for 1500 years and it will not go away in the next "30-50" years. Obama is doing the right thing by American people and Iranian people.

Cheshme hameye doshmanan koor!


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Well said. Your realistic

by Observer123 (not verified) on

Well said. Your realistic viewpoint is much appreciated in contrast to all the self serving interest group related ones.


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No suprise!

by Concerned Iranian (not verified) on

For all of you who voted for Obama (which is probably alomst 100% of the readers of this website), here is what any 1/2- brained imbecil could have foreseen: Democrats are friends of the Mullahs. They have always been. Have fun with another 30-50 years of Islam!
Anyone who expected anything different from Obama (like helping Iranians become free)needs to have their heads examined.


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POLITICS vs. LIFE

by POLITICS&LIFE (not verified) on

many people do not like the current regime in Iran. But the fact of the matter is that regardless the regime does current exist. Much like CHINA which was not officially recognized for some time the political community must make a deciscion of acceptance of a regime despite its differences. Iran is not the most EVIL nation on the planet and definitely not the most EVIL that the United States officially recognizes and has ties with. Saudi Arabia, China, and Russia are all close US affiliates whose violence against women and disruption of basic human rights far exceeds Iran's. The 9/11 terrorists were mostly Saudi whose women do not even have the right to drive, China is infamous for Tienamen Square and several even recent violations of human rights, and Russia has shown racial aggression to several subcultures in its country and stated laws to show such. Iran is an old but new country. To work with the regime and hope to administrate change from with in is better than to work against the regime and hope to administrate change without.

Second of all I do not understand why people have a hard time understanding that American Foreign Policy is simply Foreign Policy that is in the best interest of the United States and should be. America is not the world police even though they come off as such. They are a self serving country as all countries are and should be. No one is worried about the self serving foreign policies of France or Germany. There is no uproar when England decides to accept the Islamic Republic. US is doing whats best for the US.

The reality of the situation is Iran is currently the Islamic Republic of and has been for 30+ years. It isnt good but it could always be worse. Lets not help it get worse. Hopefully through diplomacy we can see change.


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Islamic Republic of Iran is

by Ano (not verified) on

Islamic Republic of Iran is 100% more legitimate than the state of Israel. The only problem I had with Obama's statement was the fact that he did not refer to Israeli and American terror and militarization in the Middle East. Terror and Arms will not help US and Israel.


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Question

by Anonymous8 (not verified) on

is it up to the United States government and President to decide who is "legitimate" and who is not around the world?

Are you in favor of not "dealing" with any other country in this category as well: China, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Persian Gulf countries, many African nations etc?


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re-write: Oostad, since you

by oostadofwhat? (not verified) on

re-write:

Oostad, since you are so worried about the "security of Palestinians ", as opposed to security of Iran and Iranians, what do you think Palestine must do to bring about peace and stability to the region, anything?! Do you think the supreme butcher of ultra-rightwing Islamofascist racists, whom the "peace-loving" IRGC selected to rule Iran, is an answer to those who want to pursue peace in the Middle East?!


Ostaad

In a nutshell, yes and no

by Ostaad on

Yes, the message was intended to "reduce the confidence", or even eliminate the confidence of those so-called dissidents who were wishing for the US to occupy Iran, kill a lot of Iranians and loot Iran a la Iraq. Sorry ganselmi, "dissidents" like you are all dressed up and nowhere to go due to Obama's ditching GW's policies that relied solely on threats and violence. You seem to express the wishes of Iran's enemies rather than its real dissidents by worrying about the security of Israel instead of wishing for peace for everyone. The only threat to Israel's security comes from Israeli policies of occupation, illegal settlements inhabited by Zionist extremists and terrorists and a criminal Apartheid regime. Israel can have security simply by changing its policies rather than seeking domination through violence and criminal means.

No, the US has not abandoned the cause of Iran's real dissidents at all - I'm talking about the ones who don't regurgitate IAPAC's talking points ad nauseam, I am referring to the descent people who are fighting for human/civil rights, economic prosperity and peace in Iran.

Obama's new Iran policy will remove the military threat and the sanctions that enables the rulers to keep their chokehold on the Iranian economy. Removing those wrong headed policies and threats will force Iran's rulers to respond to the US demands for negotiations. The Iranian people are aware of these developments and they expect Iran leaders to respond positively, as they have. To see what will follow we just have to wait.

ganselmi, since you are so worried about the "security of Israel", what do you think Israel must do to bring about peace and stability to the region, anything?! Do you think the Natanyahu-Lieberman duo of ultra-rightwing Zionist racists, whom the "peace-loving" Israelis just elected to rule Israel, is an answer to those who want to pursue peace in the Middle East?!