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Iranians need to tell us what freedom is...

Reader comment on item: Will Washington Betray Anti-Regime Iranians?

Submitted by A Befuddled American Voter (United States), Aug 5, 2008 at 15:01

I've never been to Iran. Yet, I know enough to know that the MEK is reviled throughout the country. Iranians need to tell us what their interpretation of freedom is and, in order to secure the future of US-Iranian relations, we must listen to what they have to say. One of our chief problems (that ultimately led to the Revolution of 1979) was that our leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, did not seem to care what Iranians felt about their political system. I don't think we have enough experts on Iran to tell us what Iranians want from government. We are still stuck in the Cold War era in many ways. All we do know is that they have spent the past 55 years (since the overthrow of Mossadeqh) living under fascism. A knew, democratic Iran would have to be their democracy; not ours.

I, like many others, believe that the mullahs have to go (though it is important to note that there are religious leaders like Mohsen Kadivar or Hussein Khomeini who could make suitable leaders; both favor democratic secularism in Iran). Unleashing the MEK is a bad idea, though I don't consider it a terrorist organization; it simply has no legitimacy. The problem with the MEK is that it has little, if any legitimacy, in Iran. The fact that it dislikes the current regime is not enough. Iranians, at least as I understand it, will never forget the fact that the MEK invaded Iran on the Iraqi side during the Iran-Iraq war. That alone is probably inexcusable in their eyes.

Did I mention that MEK members also helped Saddam torture and murder Shiites during the 1991 uprising? If the MEK were unleashed, it would probably cause Iranians to run to the side of their current government. The impact would be even worse than the shockwaves that come about in local newspapers when that idiot Ahmadinejad opens his mouth. It would be just another in a long, sad history of bad ideas.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (38) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
About Ahmadinejad nuclear intentions [358 words]worriedSep 12, 2008 09:17138340
Will USA betray ARI [135 words]IfrahimMar 8, 2009 13:47138340
Iranians need to tell us what freedom is... [333 words]A Befuddled American VoterAug 5, 2008 15:01136314
I beg you, hold back [344 words]Peter HerzSep 4, 2008 16:12136314
Betrayal work of Washington [151 words]HCAug 4, 2008 17:49136276
Hard to trust Washington! [180 words]SohrabAug 5, 2008 22:24136276
Betrayal Work of Washington / Hard To trust USA [153 words]HCAug 6, 2008 16:07136276
Iranian Resistance: The only solution to Iran problem [84 words]AlexJul 26, 2008 16:10135694
i prefer Mollahs to MEK [115 words]zigouratJul 21, 2008 10:02135481
Amen to Zigourat [41 words]Peter.HerzJul 30, 2008 15:20135481
Second that [95 words]ParsaAug 4, 2008 20:36135481
Second that [51 words]ParsaAug 7, 2008 19:03135481
To Heck with the MEK [337 words]Peter J. HerzJul 20, 2008 18:00135441
Shahdom [8 words]Robert A KerrJul 20, 2008 00:04135413
Washingon betray people ? [8 words]Doug CorriganJul 19, 2008 20:04135404
Criminal Waste of a Potential Asset [196 words]Bob SternJul 19, 2008 12:45135400
disposable alliances, a political manoeuvre [88 words]trans-parereJul 18, 2008 18:05135373
definition of terrorist [19 words]joe roseJul 18, 2008 11:05135364
A moral duty and politically savvy [121 words]Stuart RoseJul 17, 2008 22:32135350
Will Washington Betray Anti-Regime Iranians? [36 words]GeorgeJul 17, 2008 18:18135344
Opportunists will make use of MEK opportunists. [205 words]M.D'SouzaJul 17, 2008 17:54135343
Use the resource [104 words]Arif Jayish Al AmirkiJul 27, 2008 20:13135343
Yes, in a word [85 words]Arif Jayish Al AmirikiJul 17, 2008 14:12135337
Depends one which Washington you mean [242 words]Lame CherryJul 17, 2008 14:08135336
Iran and Israel...Marxists and Capitalists vs. Islamists [207 words]DE TeodoruJun 21, 2009 18:33135336
3,500 anti-regime Iran [172 words]YnnatchkahJul 17, 2008 13:16135333
In support of Dr Pipes [640 words]Gabrielle (Australia)Jul 17, 2008 11:53135330
u.s.allies [26 words]jeff lipsonJul 17, 2008 09:41135326
Action, not words [122 words]Rebecca MouldsJul 17, 2008 08:58135325
Will Washington Betray Anti-Regime Iranians? [77 words]orange yonasonJul 16, 2008 21:01135308
Send MEK to Indonesia [77 words]MaureenJul 16, 2008 20:38135305
Obligations to Allies, Big & Small [268 words]RubiconJul 16, 2008 20:03135303
Betrayal [79 words]William C. LinkJul 16, 2008 19:55135300
Iraqi Sovereignty. [116 words]hyman peskinJul 16, 2008 19:50135298
Anti-Regime Iranians want to live in US [92 words]Romesh ChanderJul 16, 2008 19:22135296
MEK [60 words]Jonathan UsherJul 16, 2008 19:14135295
Will We Ever Learn? [118 words]MarciJul 16, 2008 18:49135293
Will US betray Iranian anti-regime citizens? [59 words]GaryJul 16, 2008 18:39135292

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