Daniel M Pourkesali's blog

America’s Moral Deficit

Trita Parsi begins his opinion piece in the Inquirer by slapping the wrist of the Bush administration for its "apparent disregard for the expressed wishes of Iranian human-rights defenders" >>>

Google and the Persian Gulf

Online petitions are fine for venting frustrations but in practice, even a million notes on a computer screen do not amount to anything for the perpetrators of the wrongful act.

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Diplomacy for War

Reuel Marc Gerecht's opinion piece in the New York Times yesterday titled 'Attack Iran, With Words' advocating diplomacy with Iran may have taken some readers including this one by surprise >>>

Help Cyrus the Great Project

Hollywood's cinematic assault on Persian history in the movie '300' offended many Iranians even before the movie had officially opened in theaters>>>

Saber rattling us to the next disaster

It is abundantly clear that neither believes in obtaining a congressional authorization to bomb anyone or start another war. >>>

Mission Possible: A time to Act

Were you to ask this writer only 12 months ago if this administration would be willing to escalate its tough rhetoric into actual hostile action, the answer would have been... >>>

H.R. 1400: A recipe for war

The word “diplomatic” is derived from “diplomacy” which is the art of international mediation or negotiation for the purpose of maintaining peaceful relations. Imposing sanctions on a country to enhance diplomatic efforts is as absurd a notion as bombing to preserve peace or engaging in sexual assault to preserve virginity. >>>

Lynching at Columbia

Apparent from the crowd of cheering onlookers who turned out in droves to execute the verbal equivalent of such hideous practice on the Iranian president, not much has changed in the last few decades. >>>

Familiar but different

What is completely lost in all the irresponsible saber-rattling and irrational rhetoric threatening the use of force is the failure to realize that Iran of 2007 is anything remotely resembling Iraq of 2003. While the preparations are eerily familiar, the calamitous outcome of such a reckless attack will be far more devastating with dire global ramifications which will dwarf those of the current Iraqi debacle. >>>

Reclaiming their french fries

One would think that a person with such reputable humanitarian background would be strongly opposed to sanctions and illegal wars of aggression. But contrary to popular French and world opinion, Mr. Kouchner did in fact fully approve of the U.S. administration's plan to force regime change in Iraq. >>>

Portraying Iranians as insects

Let me assure you that I'm not writing at the behest of any certain group or organization but solely on behalf of our shared humanity in the meager hope that I may arouse some level of moral decency at your paper that would offer an apology to the 70 million Iranian people you have offended.
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Returning to his vomit

During a Press Briefing on January 9, 2003 in Manila, Philippines; a reporter asked then Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security John Bolton a question: "On Iraq; the arms inspectors have not found any specific weapons of mass destruction that you've been outlining so far. What would be the justification for the U.S. Government to take military action if indeed it does?" >>>