It seems that the only people whose judgment about America is important to this administration are the corrupt dictators of the third world and the European corporations and governments whose economic interests depend on dictators, whether Saudi King Abdullah, Chavez, Kim Jong Il or Ahmadinejad.
Just a few years ago the Council on Foreign Relations published a report under the title, “Iran: Time for a New Approach,” in which they analyzed Iran’s political atmosphere as solid. The Islamic Republic, they claimed, was solidly entrenched in power and not on the brink of any revolutionary upheaval. They did admit, however, that the people of Iran shunned the reform movement and were becoming increasingly frank in their outright rejection of any political formula that retained the current theocratic system.
The conclusion of the report was that America must only focus on engaging the Islamic regime in a dialogue, with no preconditions and no deadline.
But, unfortunately, the report was based on the false premise that there has never been any engagement attempt made towards the Islamic regime in the past. In fact, there have been many frustrated secretaries of state during the past thirty years who have spent their careers negotiating with the Iranian regime with no success. Sadly, the conclusion of the report was nothing but wishful assumptions.
The uprising of the Iranian people is now ironclad proof that not only the Council on Foreign Relations but the pro-engagement crowed have been wrong. They overestimated the solidity of the Islamist regime and under estimated the Iranians’ intellectual capacity and determination for freedom and democracy.
After one whole month when the Iranian people cried out to the international community that this regime was not their representative, the chairman of the U. S. Congress, House Foreign Affairs Committee handpicked and heard the testimony of the same people with the same old failed policy from the same illegitimate regime of “political engagement” without preconditions or deadlines.
Allen Makovsky, the committee’s senior professional staff member, says that the regime is now weakened by the people’s uprising; therefore it is a good time to get them to the negotiation table. This is just wishful thinking.
Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton told CNN, “We did not want to get between the legitimate protests and demonstrations of the Iranian people and the leadership.” I think Ms. Clinton did not hear the people of Iran, who just gave their lives and blood to tell the world that this regime is not their representative and not their leader.
To add insult to injury, the White House spokesperson stands in front of the world and recognizes Ahmadinejad as the “elected leader” of Iran.
The irony is that President Obama has repeatedly expressed his concern for the negative image of the United States abroad. Yet he ignores the hopes and aspirations of 50 million young Iranians for freedom, and continues to pursue the failed policies of engagement with this illegitimate regime. This was the year that Iranian people who stood by us in solidarity, and went to prison for it, during the 9/11, lost their respect and trust for America.
Common sense tells us that our best weapon against the regime of Iran is only the people of Iran. We and they have a common enemy; together we can bring about a democracy in Iran, peace of mind and security for America and Israel, and reduce terrorism in the Middle East, North Africa and South America.
I have a proposal for President Obama: When the “engagement” policy fails, please fire the advisors who gave you the wrong advice and hire new ones, such as us, for the right advice?
