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Clueless in Washington: Getting Iran Wrong

Arash Irandoost, Ph.D. - 11/24/2011

In a shocking interview with VOA’s Persian News Network (PNN), the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton provided a window to Obama administration’s fallacious, misguided and resultant policy on Iran.


Even though the Secretary admitted that she believed Iran was a “dictatorship” which was directly involved in carrying out a terror plot against the Saudi diplomat within the American soil and the Islamic Republic having a track record of terrorist activity around the world, she stated that the U.S. did not seek conflict and did not seem to have any problem in bending backward to appease the criminal and terrorist regime while seemingly apologizing for America’s past behavior toward Iran as if she had forgotten that it was the Carter administration that brought the regime to power and it was the regime that returned the favor and occupied the US embassy holding Americans hostage for 444 days. Astonishingly, she did not seem to be deterred or have a problem with the regime that has been the cause of the deaths of so many brave American soldiers who lost their lives by the IRI trained proxies and the Ayatollah made IED’s.


The Secretary even admitted Iran is moving toward a “military dictatorship” and its system of government as we know it might change by removing the presidency and vesting all the powers in the hand of a supreme dictator. But yet, she still naively was hoping for a change in regime’s behavior thorough dialogue and diplomacy.


The Secretary was saddened seeing creative, intelligent, strong and resilient Iranians with their rich history and culture to be oppressed by a group of narrow-minded Ayatollahs. Yet she was willing perhaps to look for some miracle to see that Ayatollahs would change their minds and see the errors of their ways and respect the wishes of the Iranian people. It might help the secretary know that Iran’s supreme leader despises Western democracy and much prefers Islamic democracy of rape, stoning, torture and killing.


When asked about the Libyan uprising and what the US might do about Syria, the Secretary stated that the Libyan uprising was an organic movement by the brave Libyans and merited the US support. The Secretary conveniently ignored the fact that despite thirty years of brutal oppression, Iranians dared to pour onto the streets, but apparently NEDA being shot by a regime basij in broad day light and brutal crackdown of innocent demonstrators did not qualify for the Iranian bravery and did not deserve a strong reaction and condemnation by the Obama administration. The Secretary seemed to imply that Libyans requested the outside help as if the Iranian youths did not. She then went on to say that the US government was notified by the Green Movement leaders that they did not want US help.


Iranians are shocked to hear that the US administration still believes that Mousavi is considered a leader or even respected by the Iranians. Iranians do not see any difference between Mousavi, “the butcher of Beirut” and the rest of Islamic Republic criminal leaders. Iranians used Mousavi as a pretext to pour onto the streets, and demand a secular democracy for Iran. Mousavi himself has publicly stated “Islamic Republic not a word more, not a word less.” Facts are that the Iranians were disappointed and appalled by President Obama’s inaction during June 2009 uprising where four million Iranians poured onto Tehran’s streets and sought help from Obama by shouting “Obama, Obama, are you with them or with us?” It is abundantly clear where the Obama administration has been or, is heading when it comes to Iran.


It was unbelievable to watch the Secretary referring to Iran as a dictatorship, yet willing to pursue a two track strategy that seems more like carrots, carrots, and more carrots. The arrogance and naiveté of the Obama administration Iran, a regime that sees the United States as the great Satan and source of all evil in the world, is indeed mindboggling.


Amazing that the Secretary is still is hopeful that she will be able to dissuade the Ayatollahs form acquiring nuclear weapons. Perhaps the U.S. intelligence has failed to inform the Secretary that mullahs see the possession of nuclear weapons as the only means of their survival for now, and Islamic expansionism in the future. Or could it be that, aided by extensive and sophisticated network of lobbyists, super wealthy Iranian-Americans who are doing lucrative business with Iran despite the sanctions, have successfully prevented the Obama administration from hearing the true aspirations and demands of the Iranian people?


The Secretary commits the same mistake much like President Obama, thinking that mullahs share or delight in Iran’s historical past. If the Secretary was adequately informed on Iran, she would have realized that mullahs despise Iran’s past history and culture and have been at work to wipe Iran of her glorious past by rewriting the history books. To think that the Secretary still thinks that mullahs and the Iranian people share the same heritage and cultural values shows exactly how misinformed and clueless this administration is on Iran. It might help the Secretary to know that the majority of Iranians view the current leadership as foreign occupiers.


What was more shocking and absurd was the announcement of a “virtual embassy” in Tehran. The IRGC effectively controls any and all types of electronic communication and accessing an Internet-based virtual embassy in Tehran by Iranians is tantamount to immediate identification, arrest and torture, since the IRGC can easily track the visitors, no thanks to sophisticated technologies sold to Iran by Nokia, Sony, Ericsson and Siemens, despite the watchful eye of the United States.


It is perhaps about time the Obama administration took off its rose colored glasses. Appeasing dictators is a short term strategy that might result in a quick win but will not ensure long-term security for the United States. It is perhaps about time that the Obama administration stops replacing dictators with equally dangerous, Islamic extremists. Timing is of essence, after six months of expense and US support, the interim Libyan government, much like Iran, announced a Shiia-based form of government, absent the U.S. leadership.


It is about time for the United States to revisit its strategy on the Middle East. By supporting secular democracy groups, the world community not only can avert a regional catastrophe, it will help establish lasting democratic systems of government in the region.