"The Iran Primer"
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-11-30/iran-primer
Since Iran's 1979 revolution, the West has struggled to understand the Islamic Republic and how to deal with it. The authors of a new primer on Iran’s history, politics, economy, military and foreign policy say the stakes — and consequences — are now greater than ever. Fifty seasoned experts – half from iran and half from the west – describe how Tehran’s controversial nuclear program, disputed 2009 election, increasing violations of basic human rights, and angry rhetoric are generating deeper hostilities with the outside world than at any time since the revolution’s early days. Three of them join Diane to discuss what lies ahead in light of recent Wikileaked documents.
Guests
Robin Wright
journalist, author and foreign policy analyst at the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson International Center.
Karim Sadjadpour
Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
David Albright
former U.N. nuclear weapons inspector and president of the Institute for Science and International Security
Comments
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Does Iran have reason to worry?
Consider...
the fact that in 1953, the U.S. (at the request of British Petroleum interests in Iran) organized a coup to oust Iran's democratically elected government and established a military regime under the shah, Reza Pahlavi.
the fact that Israel has nuclear weapons and is unconditionally backed by the U.S.
the fact that the U.S. invaded Iran's neighbor Iraq for dubious reasons, ousted its government and still maintains troops and influence in Iraq.
The caller just now had it right.
Iran surely has real reason to feel threatened.
Let's not forget that it is the US that invaded (on totally false pretenses, illegally by many estimations) and now effectively occupies its neighbors Iran and Afghanistan. Put the boot on the other foot? How would the US feel if a foreign power invaded Mexico and Canada?
This debate is hopelessly biased. Most of the rest of the world (Arabian KINGS excepted) believe its the US that's the aggressor. "The problems posed by Iran", indeed. Diane Rehm -- get properly informed, please.
As the investor said to his money, "what have you done for me lately?" I don't like to engage in ad hominems but frankly David Albright is well known as being pro-Israeli to the point it affects his judgement. His modus operandi is to always assume the worst case scenario with respect to the enemies of Tel Aviv and like a clock stopped at high noon he's sometimes right. But when was he actually correct about something recently? Certainly not on Iraq where his worst case assumptions led to absurd claims about Iraq's "likely capabilities" in the up-tick to the still ongoing war. He's also been ill informed on North Korea. I once relied on his work for a paper I wrote (specifically an article he published in the respected Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and later on I went back to that article and realized his sources and methods were complete rubbish as demonstrated by declassified documents covering that period (late 80s). So apologies for this negative post but really his actual track record has been quite poor for a long time and you really should get more creative in trying to find guests outside the beltway think tank treadmill.
The Iran Primer would have a little more credibility if its political and diplomatic timelines started in 1953 instead of 1979, and if it reviewed US-Iran relations under the last eleven presidents instead of the last six. We could start with the CIA sponsored overthrow of Iran's democratically elected government (Operation Ajax) and continue with the Shah's brutal repression for the next 25 years, which US presidents all but ignored because the Shah was "on our side".
When Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused last year's election protesters of working for the CIA, he was simply referring to previous history, because that is exactly what the CIA did in 1953, organizing paid street mobs as part of the coup. During the 1979 hostage crisis the TV show "60 Minutes" reviewed the previous history of the US overthrow of Mosaddegh, which almost all Americans were ignorant of while asking "Why does Iran hate us so much?"
Let's debate this question: If the USA and Britain had left the fledgling democratic government of Mohammad Mosaddegh alone in 1953, would Iran have had a chance to mature into a modern democracy? Is our current relationship with Iran not a prime example of what CIA insiders call "Blowback"?
Any discussion of Iran that ignores this history is worse than useless.
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Sneaker News gave you a look inside the design and inspiration of the Nike Zoom KD III straight from the mouth of Leo Chang,Nike Mercurial Vapor, the designer behind the KD III. A major emphasis on the concept of the KD III was team unity, which was proven further when Durant’s teammates were the first to wear the Nike Zoom KD III on an NBA court. This white/orange/black colorway was the first colorway worn by Durant,Coach Purse, which fell during his first game back after an ankle injury. Here’s another look at the ‘Home’ colorway of the Nike Zoom KD III; white a white full-grain synthetic leather with an alternating panel of glossy micro-perforated leather, the ‘Home’ colorway will be a KD favorite for games at the Oklahoma City Arena – until some new colorways and special releases come our way. Take another look after the jump and watch for these to hit Nike Basketball retailers like Eastbay soon.
Let's all keep in mind that there is absolutely no substantiated evidence proving that Iran is enriching uranium beyond what they are legally able given that they have signed the Non proliferation treaty.
Even though Bill Kristol, Fresh Air's Terri Gross, Rep Ros Lehtinen and other war pushers would like you to think that Iran does have a nuclear weapons program.
Best places to go get facts and have reasonable debates about the Iran situation are. Race for Iran (Flynt Leverett former Bush administration official and middle east expert, Informed Comment, Mondoweiss and Washington Note. Reasonable conversations with experts.
Diane and her producers might consider having formidable guest on their program with some well educated views on Iran.
"kathleen wrote:
Let's all keep in mind that there is absolutely no substantiated evidence proving that Iran is enriching uranium beyond what they are legally able given that they have signed the Non proliferation treaty.
Even though Bill Kristol, Fresh Air's Terri Gross, Rep Ros Lehtinen and other war pushers would like you to think that Iran does have a nuclear weapons program.
December 5, 2010 - 7:29 pm"
Well put, kathleen.
In 1993, Krauthammer claimed that North Korea had Dozens of Nuclear Weapons on Terri Gross' Fresh Air, among other places, including numerous Israeli and American Jew Media.
Some years ago, Terri quietly removed the Krauthammer piece from Her Archive.
Now, is there some Political or Ethnic or whatever association of Gross, Kristol, Lehtinen and Krauthammer that has rendered these People incapable of rational thought and telling the Truth?
Monte Haun mchaun@hotmail.com