An Attorney Passed Away

Colonel A. Rahimi who had defended several of opposition figures during monarchy passed away. He defended men such as Mehdi Bazargan, the first prime minister of Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Taleghani; the most prominent leader of revolutionary days second only to Ayatollah Khomeini and many others. His actions as a defense attorney in military court were rewarded by his forced retirement from Imperial Army and a 3 months imprisonment.

He returned to active duty after revolution temporarily. His was a life worthy of studying and learning.

Many of those whom he defended adherently already are gone. Ayatollah Telaghani passed away before the first anniversary of revolution, exhausted by cheer amount of work and broken from tortures in Shah’s prison. His funeral was attended by all parties. Mehdi Bazargan resigned after only 9 months in office and spent rest of his life as an opposition figure under another political regime: Islamic Republic. Supreme Leader personally send his condolences when he passed away

The Hound of War

I was reading Peter Ralph (see New York Post). “We should destroy” I believe this sentence summarizes his whole argument. It is not about a global peace, it is not about Middle East peace, It is not even about USA security. It is about, and only about, destruction.

The more arguments I hear, the more I sense the hatred, the blinding belief in military power. Peter reasons that since administration “pulled too many punches in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and now we are paying the price.” Conflict must be made devastating.

I did not know that there is a regular Iraqi Army fighting in Iraq. I did not know Iraqi air force is harassing American garrisons. Above all I was not aware Iraqi WMD’s are being used. Mr. Ralph you are right you are paying a price but not because you did not cause enough collateral damage or destruction. Because you thought you can build a nation from ruins of Baghdad, Basra and Falujah. Because you thought if you shoot first and then shoot again and shoot again, your problems will be solved.

Now here is Iran. You must be fascinated my dear sir, like a hound smelling the blood. You are not going after nation building, you do not want to wage democracy either. You just want to wage devastation and destruction. Not matter what is collateral damage. Then you shall sit and tell the world: It was an acceptable loss.

Today I look at Iraq, a country who waged war on my motherland, at dozens who die there every day, at their people and their sufferings and I thank Lord that I do not tell the world that this was acceptable. I do not tell the World that had people have been wiped out, there would not have been a problem. Because unlike you I, an IRANIAN, cherish life, spring and hope. Go do your devastation in your kitchen sir, it calms you down.

Read This:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,1753857,00.html

One thing I like about Guardian is its no nonsense approach to events in Iran. Guardian at least mentions Iranians : people my people.
More I think more I found similarities between Mr. Bush and Mr. Ahmadi Neghad. They both think of people as chattel! (I understand why President Bush thinks that way). But we are people we have faces we have our own views, jokes, and views.
Do not treat us as some cow you used to whip. Read about us.

We Can Afford Only ONE Fundamentalist President at A Time!

I think one of the worst situations in the world is to have two fundamentalists in charge of opposing forces. Because they would act and play into each other hand. There is no place
in their mindset for tolerance nor any appreciation for the realities.
If Ahmadineghad announces enrichment, USA announces plans to use nuclear weapons. If Ahmadineghad says that he rather erase a certain country, O’Reilly says he rather Iran being wiped out. Ironically both sides justify themselves by good and evil approach of religious fanatics. There is no need to say that both sides are wrong. USA threats just unite Iranians around the wrong man. Iran's radicalism unites Americans for George Bush.
Both presidents seek historic legacies, and what that will be. History will not hold either man in high esteem. And why it should? One is responsible for daily destruction and bloodshed in a country where he used force so naively and so primitively that still astonishes the wise men of realms. The other is seeking a collision so foolishly that proves his illusive mindset. Both are head of administrations dealing with unemployment, health and poverty of their people. One has left people of a flooded city to hunger and heat the other has let his people to sleep in dangerous homes exposed to any earthquake. Both must be ashamed of what they have done to their people and their failure in addressing their issues. Both are hiding behind their illusion of a crusade. The history has already spelled its verdict: INCOMPOTENCE!

These two have a bit of time to save themselves, to serve their nations truly. Otherwise there is not enough destruction in the world to change that verdict. The history has its own way of judging presidents and that is not dictated by any power, even a supreme one.

The Nuclear Agenda

I really want to know since when having enriching technology is equivalent to having nuke!
CNN title is: "Iran Close to Nuke Technology" Another headline reads: "Iran: top secret missile tested."
It seems that crying wolf is not limited to neo cons. I would like to ask: Are these headlines chosen particularly to cause fear? Then what happened to objective and professional journalism?
is that type of journalism dead?

The Lovely Days We Have!

Have you ever felt your heart? I do now. It is beating faster and wilder everytime I read a piece of news about attacking Iran. PLEASE STOP! What I would give to have just a normal country to sit down and not to have every passing moment to be a count down toward a war.

The promised report of New Yorker magazine has made these days of this great spring grey. The air is filled by the smell of ashes. There is no joy in sensing dark forces are gathering to attack the one place that we call home. No matter what are the reasons to believe and what is the logic not to believe. It is not important that USA military forces engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan makes it impossible for her to spare forces to attack Iran. It is not important that there are anti war sentiments in Pentagon or State Department. What is important for me as an Iranian is that there is threat against my country, my family and my hometown.

I have grown up in an era where many shaked their heads with disbelief remembering how long the war with Iraq lasted. It can be sensed that there won't be enough wisdom in our esteemed politicians to prevent a war. The one lesson that Iranian history has taught us is that to expect the unbelievable the impossible.

It is on us now, no matter what political ideas we share, no matter what our disagreements are. Let us unite for Iran, Not behind any individual. But let us stay fast with Iranian people, who are targeted by these bombs, those who will suffer. Let us remember we shall suffer as well. Let us make our voices heard, let us remember we have Iran and she is the only thing we have. For good or bad, her virtues are ours, and our faults hers. Let her not suffer from our vanity this time.

When Was the Turning Point?

One does not need to be a political analyst to see that climate of Middle East has changed drastically. When new millennium started there were signs of hope. In Iran there was a reformer President in place, for last few years there were talks of human rights and civil society in the region. That wave had given strength to local population in Egypt, Syria, GCC countries and other Middle Eastern countries that there was hope. All over the region radicalism was in retreat, here and there radicals had made a stand using their grip on power or intelligence services but Middle Easterns knew that the dark days would be over.

As an Iranian I was optimistic, we all were.


5 and half years later nothing is left from those days. Optimism and the excitement of the days of reform have given away to disappointment and despair. Iran is on the verge of confronting the global order in place by the USA over its nuclear policy, in Palestine HAMAS is in charge officially, Iraq is falling apart. In the region the support for human rights and democracy has given the way to the frustration of invasion of Iraq and the agony caused by an ever increasingly ignorant west. The values of Islam are considered to be in danger, while traditional societies and the rules of engagement of last half century are not in place any more. When was the turning point in last years when the events were set in motion to bring these days as the result of Spring of Tehran? Many might argue the 911 was the catastrophic event which has drawn the picture of the Middle East today, however I beg to differ. 911 although a magnificent event in its own place, could not possibly cause all of these. It might ignite an engine, but it did not build the road.


Thinking of past I could think of many moments when foresight and elaboration could have altered circumstances. Dividing the campaign against terrorism I would like to highlight pre Iraq and pro Iraq invasion phases. In first stage, when Afghanistan was on agenda, the global agreement over necessary actions was easily achieved. The illusions of White House neoconservative residents did not prevent State Department from seeking help and assistance from the all quarters. The second stage orchestrated on false information, wrong expectations and weak planning amidst global objections. USA did not acknowledge the role played by Iran in Afghanistan calling the country a member of axis of evil. Iran felt threatened thus she became defensive. Reformers lost momentum at home entirely, radicals united their support base using their patriotic emotions moved into offensive. Confused EU countries chose to press on nuclear agenda in Iran, one of meager importance in Iranians’ daily life leaving them to be alone in their struggle for a civil society. Iraq began to fall apart; the united front which had brought success in Afghanistan was absent here.


USA paranoia of a strong Iran becoming the real victor leads this country into an aggressive policy over Iran. Iran believing in her own rights to be a regional leader chose to make a stand over an absurd issue. Fact is American arrogance and Iranian paranoia of foreign intervention both have been passing opportunities for a long time now. The truth is there are moments when one wonder what would have had happened had the actions and the words were different. But there is not one single decisive one.


Today has come upon us, neither because of our sins nor a single event. It has come upon us because presidents failed to be greater than words, because politicians seek answers in short term and because here and there good men failed to do something, anything. Because a supreme power feels righteous in changing a world and a world feels righteous in defending itself. It is not because of events, it is simply because of nature of power and what it requires: Righteousness, I hate righteousness!