The West Must Not Appease Iran
By Aaron Goldstein (11/23/06)
If you are familiar with the long running British science fiction TV series Dr. Who you will know that one of its central features is that the Doctor periodically sheds his old skin and “regenerates”. A clever way to get around an actor who does not wish to be typecast or cannot agree to a new contract.
We witnessed such a regeneration in Britain earlier this week not with a time lord but with Tony Blair. In a speech before the Lord Mayor’s banquet on November 13th, Blair regenerated from Sir Winston Churchill into Neville Chamberlain. He did so by calling upon the world to engage Iran as well as Syria. Blair argued that Iran was using “pressure points” to thwart progress on suspending its uranium enrichment program. He identified the “pressure points” in the form of assistance provided by Iran to Hamas, Hezbollah and the Shiite militias in Iraq and recommended that these pressure points be relieved “one by one.” Blair specifically identified Israel/Palestine as the “core” of these pressure points. (www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page10409.asp)
So let me get this straight. The world, led by Tony Blair, demands Israel give up more land to the Palestinians in exchange for a peace that consists of homicide bombers and Katusha rocket attacks so that Iran stops funding Hamas, Hezbollah and Muqtada al-Sadr? What if Iran doesn’t hold up its end of the bargain? What will Blair offer then? Other than him insisting that he had the right idea not much. Well, he’ll be gone from office by then and it won’t be his problem to worry about. Meanwhile, Iran is emboldened and Israel left in an even more dire situation.
If Tony Blair believes in the notion that we can reason with the Iranian regime then he is living a fantasy world. Iran is committed to the destruction of Israel whether or not it surrenders any more land to the Palestinians. Any attempt by the West to facilitate this process, however indirect, will rightly be viewed by the Islamic Republic as a sign of weakness and an unwillingness to stand up for Western, pluralistic values.
President Bush is correct in his view that Iran ought to remain isolated “until it gives up its nuclear ambitions.” However, even the Bush Administration is considering direct talks with Iran to alleviate the situation in Iraq. Let’s be clear. Iran is running the show in Iraq or at least a very good part of it. It is not in Iran’s national interest to stop the insurgency. Asking Iran for help to stop the bloodshed in Iraq is like asking Hitler for help in addressing the plight of Jewish refugees in Europe. The United States, Great Britain and the West gain nothing by engaging Iran.
It is worth noting the day after Blair’s speech, experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) found traces of plutonium and enriched uranium in an Iranian nuclear waste facility and is demanding answers from Tehran though none have been forthcoming as of this writing. Something tells me it might not be such a great idea to get Ahmadinejad’s help in Iraq given that it is he who is causing much of the trouble there in the first place.
What the United States, Great Britain and all other countries that stand for decency must do is stand up to Iran not bend down to it. That does not mean to say that we ought to bomb Tehran tomorrow. Clearly, that should be a last resort.
It is our duty to show the world the tyrannical nature of the Iranian regime. Case in point. Earlier this month, Canada introduced draft resolution L41 (which was supported by the United States, Great Britain and 35 other countries) concerning human rights in Iran for the UN General Assembly’s consideration. The draft resolution expresses serious concerns about, amongst other things, Iran’s policy of shutting down newspapers and blockage of Internet sites, the use of flogging and amputation as a means of punishment as well as violence and discrimination against women and girls and religious and ethnic minorities such as Jews, Kurds, Sufi and Sunni Muslims and Baha’is. Henri-Paul Normandin, Canada’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, said, “Opportunities for Iranians to express themselves and to advance human rights in their own country are severely constrained. Iranians who speak out find themselves at risk of further human rights violations.” (www.eyeontheun.org)
It might not seem like much but it certainly got Iran’s attention. Iran replied by submitting its own draft resolution L43 to the UN General Assembly concerning Canada’s treatment of indigenous peoples and immigrants. I kid you not. The resolution, amongst other things, “expresses dismay over the negligence of the Government of Canada to address the specific needs of aboriginal women, as well as over suicide rates, prostitution and child welfare issues” and “deplores the worrying situation of women prisoners in Canada, in particular aboriginal women, women belonging to ethnic minorities and women with disabilities.” Painaneh Hastaie, Special Advisor of the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran, writes, “The Government of Canada, which has long tried to cast itself in the role of a human rights defender throughout the world, suffers from a poor human rights record at home, particularly when indigenous peoples and immigrants are concerned.” But Ms. Hastaie held out hope that the draft resolution would represent a “step towards helping Canada improve its human rights record.” (www.eyeontheun.org)
The Islamic Republic of Iran couldn’t give a fig about Canada’s aboriginal peoples or immigrants, especially the ones who left Iran. Somehow I don’t think the Ojibway of Northwestern Ontario are that high on the mullahs’ list of priorities. I am certain that if the Ojibway suddenly had the urge to move from Thunder Bay to Tehran that they would be treated about as well as the Jews and Baha’i. That Iran would express dismay at Canada’s treatment of aboriginal women prisoners when it flogs Iranian women and girls who have been raped for bringing dishonor to their families is pure chutzpah. But give Canadian aboriginal organizations credit. The Assembly of First Nations haven’t bought into Iran’s sudden concern for their plight nor has the Métis National Council, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami or the Pauktuuit.
Truth be told Iran has been in Canada’s crosshairs since the arrest and murder of Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi in July 2003. Iran has foiled the efforts of the Canadian government to have Kazemi’s body returned to her son, Stephan Hachemi, in Montreal. The Iranian government also denied Canada’s request to have observers present at the 2004 trial of her alleged killer, Mohammed-Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, despite assurances from then Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kamal Kharrazi. Aghdam Ahmadi would be acquitted at trial.
Think about it. Kharrazi was Foreign Minister under Mohammed Khatami, a so-called moderate Muslim. If Kharrazi personally assured the Government of Canada that it could have observers at Aghdam Ahmadi’s trial only to be denied why should the United States, Great Britain or any other civilized country believe anything coming out of the government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad other than they intend to destroy Israel?
It is also worth noting that when Khatami spoke at Harvard this past September an audience member grilled him about the Kazemi case. Khatami tersely replied, “Maybe if the relatives of Kazemi had not made into such a big political issue it could have been resolved a lot quicker and more to their liking.” So does that mean if Kazemi’s son had kept his mouth shut his mother would still be alive? This from a moderate?
Ronald Reagan was ridiculed and scorned when he pronounced the Soviet Union to be an evil empire in March 1983. But then he found Mikhail Gorbachev. Well, in 2006, Iran might not be an empire but it is certainly evil. So long as the mullahs decide who can run for office there will be not be a Persian Gorbachev on the horizon. As Edmund Burke wrote, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Evil can also triumph when good men have something to do with men who are good for nothing.
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