Several students attended Tuesday’s lecture at the Jefferson, but came away with different impresssions. Please take some time to summarize and reflect on what you learned at this lecture (being sure to respect the opinions of others in the process). Thanks again to Chandana and the Office of International Education for this great opportunity.
World Affairs Council – Iran Speaker
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During the World Affairs Council €˜Presentation on Iran,' Michael Ledeen spoke about the current situation in Iran. He essentially addressed the relationship between the Iranian government and the people of Iran. Ledeen proclaimed that the Iranian government is tyrannical towards its citizens. He referred to the prisons in Iran, which use systematic rape on its own men and women as a torture technique, in order to show how repressive the Iranian government is towards its people. He stated that the Iranians have been suppressed for too long and are no longer afraid of their government; in fact, they hate the regime and are ready for a revolution. Due to this attitude, several movements have risen in defiance of the current government. The most well-known is the Green Movement, which was founded in opposition to the unmerited 2009 Iranian presidential elections and continues to be against the government.
Leaders of the opposition, who were presidential candidates during the Iranian presidential election in 2009, include Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi and Mohsen Rezaee. However, out of the lot of these candidates, Ledeen deems Zahra Rahnavard, wife of Mousavi, would be the best leader for Iran. Rahnavard has served as a political advisor under the former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, who is known for advocating freedom of expression, tolerance, civil society, constructive diplomatic reform, and free market and foreign investment economic policies. She has popular legitimacy and the respect of the people. She is a conservative and a religious woman, however she also believes in equality. For example, on the matter of veiling, she believes that women should have the right to choose whether they will wear a veil. This combination, which reflects the Iranians' outlook, is the main reason she has been able to rally a large group of supporters.
On the issue of American policy towards Iran, Ledeen states that the Iranians do not believe that U.S. will help them revolt against their government. He believes that President Obama is less willing than former President Bush to take action to assist the Iranians. He regards that the best strategy for U.S. to take in regards to its relations with Iran is for U.S. to support the Iranian people gain independence from the current oppressive government. Specifically, these are the actions the U.S. should take to help the Iranians:
1. Embrace the Iranians – embrace their desires for freedom of speech, to free their prisoners of conscience and provide equal rights for women
2. Facilitate the Iranians with the ability to communicate with each other
3. Endow money to support prisoners and €˜strike funds' (strike funds supply money to workers who go on strike)
4. Broadcast news about Iran in the country –the Iranians are unaware of the internal activities, problems and news that are going on in their own country
Ledeen concluded by describing the title of the book. €˜Accomplice to Evil' alludes to people who believe that "life is good and there is no evil in this world." Such people are not prepared to face the wicked and immoral in life, and in fact act as accomplices to evil by thinking in this manner. People should not pretend that Iranians are safe and secure; they must acknowledge and tackle the seriousness of the tyrannical government that the Iranians are subjects to.
I enjoyed Ledeen's talk about Iran and felt that his solutions to the Iranians' problems were sensible. I was captivated by his depiction of Zahra Rahnavard. Rahnavard is expected to take moderate stances on issues and be a stable leader. In addition, she will provide equal rights for women. With such anticipations, I must agree with Ledeen that Rahnavard will make a remarkable leader. Furthermore, I concur that the Iranians need all the international support that they can get in order to overthrow their current repressive government, and move forward to create a well-established and proficient one. Ledeen's procedures and approaches (outlined above) for U.S. and other countries to help the Iranians are sound and unassailable.