Dear Senator Obama;
These are some of your quotes I have collected in my head on Iran. You see, I am a bit sensitive on Iran as my grandmother’s house is less than a block from what will probably be one of the first targets against the Iranian “nuclear facilities” in a precision targeted bombing attack, and seeing how imprecise some of them worked in Iraq, it worries me. It is actually just a university, but most of their research is done there and I really love my grandma. You have said:
“[T]he big question is going to be, if Iran is resistant to these pressures [to stop its nuclear program], including economic sanctions, which I hope will be imposed if they do not cooperate, at what point, if any, are we going to take military action?” [1]
“[W]e must preserve our total commitment to our unique defense relationship with Israel by fully funding military assistance and continuing work on the Arrow and related missile defense programs.”…“This would help Israel maintain its military edge and deter and repel attacks from as far as Tehran and as close as Gaza.” [2]
“[Iran] is a genuine threat” to the United States and Israel. [3]
Have you reconsidered any of the above statements Senator Obama? Is Iran still the big threat you described last year after reading the latest NIE report? If it is not, don’t blame me for wondering, but why are you not addressing the topic? After all, you promised to run on a platform that started with your opposition to the Iraq war from day one. Like many of us, from way before it started. You said you did not believe Iraq was posing any immediate threat to the United States and its allies. And it obviously did not. We knew it then about Iraq and know it now about Iran. But somehow this case is not the same? Why?
I will apparently never be granted your security clearance, so perhaps you’ve seen the proof of this upcoming “mushroom cloud” that the rest of us do not get to see. And I can only assume this cloud has Ahmadinejad’s beard in it instead of Saddam’s big moustache. Or maybe the McCain base of support is far more important to you than millions who don’t vote as they all paint you politicians to be the same. Didn’t you plan to bring them into the political arena instead of the ones who will never vote for you regardless, even if it is only based on your middle name alone?
Senator, like many students, artists, writers, dreamers and just middle of-the-road good hearted Americans, I too want to believe you in your campaign of Hope and Change. But I need more. I want to hear you pronounce these words bravely and dare them to call you weak. C’mon Senator Barack Hussein Obama of the South Side of Chicago, be brave and read this with me in your next major campaign stop, then add it to your stump speech so it is repeated often;
“I was against the Iraq war and for similar reasons am against a war with Iran today. We have no convincing argument or compelling evidence that justifies involving our youth and wasting our resources in yet another fruitless war that will be detrimental to both sides. My future administration will also oppose any hostile action by our allies in this regard and will act swiftly against spreading the hostilities in an already hostile region. The United States of America will forever and as always reserves the right to act on its own defense and with maximum force while working towards finding solutions and spreading peace around the world under a new leadership.”
And if you are ever on Oprah again, please add “Grandma, Pedram says Hi!” She watches the show everyday. Now you won’t do the speech part, will ya?
This piece was originally prepared for and later rejected by the Los Angeles Times. Pedram Moallemian is an Iranian writer and activist based in Los Angeles, currently working on his first book.
[1] Senator Barack Obama, interview with Chicago Tribune, September 26, 2004
[2] Senator Barack Obama, AIPAC policy forum in Chicago, March 2 2007
[3] Senator Barack Obama, AIPAC sponsored forum in DC, March 12, 2007
