MOVEMENT

Where's the Persian Spring?

The struggle for democracy persists

by Amir A. Moheet
12-Oct-2011 (17 comments)
How has the Islamic Republic of Iran persisted when all indications point to its imminent collapse? Indeed, one of the most stylized facts to emerge from the study of democracy and dictatorship in the last quarter-century involves the robust relationship between a nation’s political elites and its prospects for democracy. As elites become divided in authoritarian regimes, the state becomes increasingly vulnerable to these fissures and inevitably collapses>>>

TEHRAN

Glimpses of freedom

The gulf between people and regime is evident

by R. Tousi
10-Oct-2011 (one comment)
“They’ve hacked into our accounts. Why don't they just take the trouble of responding to all my unopened emails too?” Samira’s reaction to news of a major cyberattack operation on Iranian netizens is typical of the psychic tension, even paranoia - but also acid scorn - provoked in them by living under the shadow of permanent surveillance. The number of internet-users whose emails were intercepted in this incident may have been around 300,000 (most of them Iranian), but the insinuating power of its invasiveness was to make everyone feel watched>>>

VIEW

An awkward Nobel Peace Prize

This year’s crop is not impressive for several reasons

by Saideh Pakravan
10-Oct-2011 (2 comments)
For the most part, the Oslo judges get it right when awarding the Nobel Peace Prize. From Albert Schweitzer to Aung San Suu Kyi, there has been a score of extraordinary awardees. Other choices have been more dubious, even absurd (Henry Kissinger) or perplexing (Obama). Also, a number of lackluster recipients receive a nod from the Oslo committee for not always valid political reasons>>>

ANTI-REVOLUTION

مانیفست ضد انقلاب

انقلاب عملاً تلاش بی فایده ای برای تغییر به اصطلاح جوهره آدم هاست

by cyrous moradi
07-Oct-2011 (18 comments)
کارل مارکس، فردریک انگلز، ویلادیمیر ایلیچ لنین، جرج واشنگتن، توماس جفرسون، ماکسیمیلیان روبسپیر، فیدل کاسترو (متولد 1926 میلادی) و همه انقلابیونی که در فاصله ششصد سال بعد از تولد عبید زاکانی به دنیا آمده اند اگر نسخه ای از کتاب موش و گربه را میخواندند، شاید در احساسات انقلابی خود تجدید نظر میکردند. آنهایی هم که این کتاب را نخوانده و مرده اند، حتماً از تصور نتیجه گیری وحشتناک آن روحشان در قبر خواهد لرزید>>>

FRIEND

The Death of a Secular Revolutionary

Mehrdad Mashayekhi was a humanist, pure and simple

by Rasool Nafisi
07-Oct-2011 (8 comments)
Here is my recollection of the first meeting with Mehrdad: At Iranshahr office, a dinky, dusty outfit at Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia. Mehrdad and a colleague visited us to show their concern about the "right wing leaning" of our newspaper . He was a young sociology student with a pleasant face, great hair, and resolute and self righteous as most of us were in those days. He was a revolutionary. He knew what was right for Iran>>>

IDEAS

Dreaming of God

Maybe that's the beginning of faith

by bahmani
05-Oct-2011 (one comment)
What if I was the next prophet? What if I was the one, who if he remembered the thing, was the thing that is supposed to save the world? What if because I was unable to remember the instructions, I now cannot fulfill my charter. What if the reason that I forgot the thing, was because I have been so faithless? What if this was a test and Jesus, Mohammad and God enter other people's dreams like this, routinely looking for the right person with the right kind of faith?>>>

OPINION

Spelling Danger

Iranian navy off U.S. coast?

by Trita Parsi
03-Oct-2011 (92 comments)
The world has grown accustomed to Iranian bluster. But even by the standards of the Islamic Republic, Adm. Habibollah Sayari's call last week to deploy the Iranian navy near the U.S. coast is stunning. The Pentagon knows, of course, that Iranian war vessels won't come near America's shores any time soon. As White House spokesman Jay Carney said, "We don't take these statements seriously, given that they do not reflect at all Iran's naval capabilities." The Iranian admiral may bark, but he doesn't have much of a bite>>>

ISLAM

The need to “understand”

What's with that?

by Saideh Pakravan
03-Oct-2011 (4 comments)
Constantly hearing that we have to “understand” is tiresome and irritating. I know this too-often heard advice makes the person giving it sound enlightened and open-minded but do we ever stop and think about the advice itself? Here’s the thing. I can live in peace with my Jewish neighbors without knowing about Shabbat and I can have my Indian friends over for a cookout without being familiar with the Bhagavat Gita or the gods of the Hindu Pantheon. Why is it different when it comes to Islam?>>>

COMPARISON

Who's the Terrorist?

MEK or IRI?

by bahmani
01-Oct-2011 (39 comments)
Instead of the MEK T-list status, NIAC should focus on the IRI's far numerous, and far more than interesting accomplishments. Anything else just helps the IRI skirt the real issue, and would actually be considered treason, if we were actually a free people. I'm no fan of the MEK. Any group that follows a deviant ruthless leader, claims to be unified and selfless, is doomed to fail. But let us not for one second forget, or worse deny, that the far bigger threat>>>

VELAYAT

Who needs a president?

When you have a Supreme Leader

by Rasool Nafisi
29-Sep-2011 (39 comments)
While Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was touring the UN last week, delivering acerbic speeches and giving interviews, back home in the Iranian parliament questions were raised not about Ahmadinejad himself, but about the institution of the presidency in total, and whether there is a need for a president alongside the Supreme Leader’s office. This may seem surprising, but in fact is in line with the incessant calls by the IRGC and the conservative camp for the absolute rule of Khamenei as the sole ruler of the country>>>

DISSENT

To Cure Shame

Protest against what shames a nation is the nexus from which that nation's pride will blossom

by Roya Hakakian
27-Sep-2011 (5 comments)
If April is the cruelest month, then September is the strangest. Strangest, that is, for Iranian-Americans. It's the month that brings Iran's mortifier-in-chief, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to New York City for the UN General Assembly. What absurdity will the man utter, we wonder to ourselves, what atrocity will he question, the existence of which minority will he deny this time? To ward off against the embarrassment he reliably causes, the expatriates have invented ways to cope>>>

CHARACTER

The Iranian art of lying

Why are we so good it?

by Siamack Baniameri
24-Sep-2011 (129 comments)
Ahmadinejad has mastered the art of Persian bullshiting theatricals. He represents the very persona of many of us inside and outside of the country. He is real. Like many of us, he lies without hesitation and in most situations, he actually believes his own lies. Ahmadi gets us. He understands that most of us take our cues from a defeated culture, which has adopted lying as a mean of survival. he looks you in the eyes and says it like it is NOT!>>>

IRANIANS

Coming of Age

Making collective achievements match individual success stories

by Alidad Mafinezam
24-Sep-2011 (one comment)
Over three decades after their mass migration began from their homeland, Iranian-Americans have reached the pinnacle of success in their new home. In widely diverse fields -- from media to high-tech entrepreneurship, from senior ranks of the U.S. government to academia – people of Iranian origin have truly “arrived” in America. Now, having conquered the peaks of career achievement, they also want to give back. Having done exceptionally well, now they also yearn to do good>>>

PALESTINE

Tale of Two Mahmouds

Security Council vote on Palestinian membership

by Guive Mirfendereski
22-Sep-2011 (12 comments)
On the basis of the reported stories in the media, Mahmoud Abbas will tender to the Secretary-General a document whereby Palestine will seek membership in the United Nations. Reports indicate that the U.S. will veto that request in the Security Council and Abbas will turn next to the General Assembly to admit Palestine to the United Nations as an “observer State.” This latter outcome will still be politically significant as it will recognize Palestine as a sovereign State, like the Holy See>>>

PALESTINE

Do not veto

Terms for establishing a two-state solution

by Alon Ben-Meir
22-Sep-2011 (one comment)
The failure to reengage in negotiations before Mahmoud Abbas presents his resolution to the UN General Assembly or to modify any resolution passed by the UN to produce positive momentum will usher in a period of instability with unpredictable consequences for all parties: the United States, Israel and the Palestinians. First, the clear consequences of the UN plan are reduced influence of the United States in the Middle East -- a de facto vote of no confidence in the Obama administration>>>
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