The New Hostage Crisis
For the first time in 27 years, US diplomats met Monday with representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iranian-American filmmaker Ardeshir Arian analyzes for Pajamas Media the reasons that the Iranians are talking - and why we shouldn't fall into their trap. By Ardeshir Arian
As an Iranian filmmaker living in Los Angeles who knows a bit more about the way that the Iranian Regime strategizes than the U.S. media, I offer this analysis of the true intentions behind Monday’s talks between the US and Iran.
The purpose behind the talks for the Iranian regime is singular. It is to ensure the existence of the Islamic government for another quarter century via a guarantee from America. Similarly, the intent behind the Islamic Republic’s development of nuclear weapons, and the negotiations about same, is also to force the US to give its guarantee not to attempt regime change in Iran for the same amount of time.
If the method looks familiar, it should. It is exactly the same as the IRI employed when the US tried to free its hostages from the hands of Khomeini’s terrorist government in 1980 via the Algiers Accords.
Remember that “hostage crisis” from the old 20th century? It is happening again. If America goes through with it, it has made itself the hostages. And Iraq is where it will be held.
In the current talks, America appears the weaker party. By requesting these talks through official channels, the US created an excellent opportunity for the mullahs to brag about their strength while illuminating America’s weakness in Iraq. The line being peddled by Iran is that a superpower like the “imperialist government of America” is begging their “godly” Islamic regime to sit down and negotiate.
Contrary to Iranian propaganda, which pretends the Islamic regime is stronger than ever on both national and international levels, the reality is that they are in the worst shape they have ever experienced since they took power more than 28 years ago. And their greatest enemy is neither the US nor other foreign powers. The strongest threat comes from inside.
The Islamic Republic of Iran consists of two factions. One is the so-called reformists, who are trying to take back power. The other is the hardline Ahmadinejad government which holds power and is desperately trying to cement it throughout the country.
Which of these two Irans should America make a deal with? Neither.
America should instead ask itself what has been the Islamic government of Iran’s contribution to the world over the past 28 years – besides terror toward its own people (particularly women) and the people of other countries, lies and instability. These “contributions” are the product of both factions in Iran. It does not matter whether it is the “reformer” Khatami or the fundamentalist Ahmadinejad. That is like choosing between two Mafia families.
It is disappointing that US Secretary of State Rice mentioned in Sharm-al-Sheikh that the US has no plan for regime change in Iran. Let us hope that she did not mean what she said.
Contrary to the party line of the mullahs’ apologists in the US, Iran is not Iraq. The American government needs to be reminded of this.
If any people is ready for an infrastructural change with total understanding of the possible consequences, it is the great people of Iran. Change in Iran is almost inevitable and long overdue. If the US authorities would take this simple fact into account, then the solution would be easier than it appears.
I am convinced that a friendly and sincere hand of support could spark the whole country to rise up against the tyranny and Islamic despotism, victoriously.
The Iranian people often compare the behavior of the mullahs to the behavior of the fox – always lying, never to be trusted. Although bending the truth is nothing new in politics, the mullahs are masters of the art and have raised it to new levels. They live by deception and rule with an iron fist.
They have no problem in eliminating thousands of citizens, as they did in 1988, when they slaughtered more than 10,000 Iranians http://www.americanthinker.com/2004/09/the_1988_iran_massacre_crimes.html in the opposition at the notorious Evin Prison and elsewhere in one night.
Imagine killing 10,000 chickens at once. Imagine the smell of blood, the unbearable scene of the bloody bodies, the task of moving them and the thought of having committed such an unbearable act.
These are the mullahs of the Islamic Republic. Making any deal with them would be a menace to humanity and a black mark in the annals of American history
“I am convinced that a friendly and sincere hand of support could spark the whole country to rise up against the tyranny and Islamic despotism, victoriously.”
Sounds good. But what does it mean? How do you know? What kind of “sincere hand of support”? Why is it needed? Why doesn’t it happen anyway? Is the backup the risers-up would need military?
It’s to imagine just what you are talking about. A public declaration? Please elaborate.
Ummm…. sorry, but no, been there done that.
For how long did we hear various Iraqi dissidents and those in exile plead for us to intervene in Iraq, promising a hero’s welcome to the GI and how the Iraqis would be so grateful?
Well, some of them obviously are grateful, but some of them are definitely not. More importantly, some of them are killing US soldiers and even more numerously their fellow countrymen. Additionally the law of unintended consequences has kicked in and now Iraq has foreign A.Q. on its land killing Iraqis.
So, Ardeshir, if you are hoping to depose the current Iranian regime then by all means go and help your fellow countrymen, forsake the comforts of Hollywood and take up arms.
But as for me… from now on no more helping the pleading souls of the Middle East.
Agree with Brian H. What *exactly* are the Iranian people looking for in terms of a “helping hand” ? Air strikes on the mullah’s security hq’s? Supplies of IED’s and EFP’s for the Iranian opposition to use against the Basij and Rev. Guards? (The latter sounds reasonable, well within the “good for the goose…” category).
Freetoken expresses understandable frustration, but mistaken. Ignore the left-wing MSM polls and listen to what the US forces say about the Iraqi reception: overwhelmingly, when Iraqis know that American soldiers are going to be *staying* to secure their area, they are genuinely grateful. Al-Q in Iraq may very well be an unintended consequence of the invasion, but it’s a good one as far as anyone can tell. AQ is pouring money and manpower into a meatgrinder for them where the Sunnis have turned against them. Better let our military chew them up in Iraq than have them training for an assault on the Mall of America I always say.
When will we learn that we can’t turn our backs on the Middle East? Iraq needs to be pacified. Iran needs to be dealt with. The Saudis and Egyptians need to stop funding the Wahabbis and inciting more terrorism. There is no Fortress America to retreat to anymore.
there is NOT A SINGLE SUCCESSFUL THING the usa can do in the middle east. no matter what we choose to do, opposition to it is immediately solidified. GWB should have stuck to his ealier position on democracy building. it is wrong, deadly and foolish. we have not helped ourselves, iraq or the world with our democracy building in iraq. it would be worse in iran
Excellent, what you have stated in this article should be the outline for the official US policy towards Islamic Republic.
Nobody’s commenting on what we told the Iranians when we met with them in Baghdad. We told them they have to stop arming and training the insurgents. Not only that, we announced to the world that this was our main message.
Sounds like a warning to me. It’s very chic to to say that Bush is done, spent, tired, etc., but it’s been said about him before. Many times.
If, by chance, we decide that we have to send a more tangible message to the mullahs, nobody can say we didn’t sit down with their lackeys and tell them to stop interfering in Iraq.
YOU CAN NOT TEACH AN OLD DOG A NEW TRICK!
MULLAH’S GOVERNMENT FOUNDATION IS BASED ON KETMAN (HIDING THE FACTS) AND THAGHIYEH (LIE IF IT NEEDS BE!)
HOW CAN YOU DEAL WITH A REGIME THAT IS BASED ON ABOVE (ISLAMIC)PILLARS?
28 YEARS OF TALKS, APPEASMENT, CARROT AND LOLLI-POP OFFERING IS NOT ENOUGH?
4 YEARS OF DIRECT TALKS? WHAT WAS THE RESULT?
O.K. YOU WILL AGREE TO HOLD TALKS OVER THE TALKS YOU HAD TALKED BEFORE FOR MORE TALKS?
UNTIL WHEN? UNTIL YOU SEE A MUSHROOM CLOUD IN REMOTE PART OF IRANIAN DESERT?
CIVILIZED WORLD MUST EMPOWER IRANIAN PEOPLE TO CHANGE THE REGIME.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, NO MORE APPEASMENT. NO MORE COLABORATION WITH MULLAH’S.
MULLAH’MUST GO. IRANIAN PEOPLE WANT A FREE, DEMOCRATIC SECULAR IRAN.
THE TOTAL REGIME CHANGE IS THE ONLY OPTION.
STRENGTH THROUGH UNITY
YARI NATIONAL GROUP
UNITED WE STAND. DIVIDED WE FALL
EXCLENT
Groundhog Day
http://www.irvl.net/august_23b.htm
To Yari National Group
“CIVILIZED WORLD MUST EMPOWER IRANIAN PEOPLE TO CHANGE THE REGIME.”
Yes, of course. And how exactly do you suggest we do this? Perhaps you could chat with ABC News and tell them to stop publishing secrets about our CIA in Iran?
FOX News is giving American and Canadian Iranians (even those who are leftists) a voice. I don’t know about CNN or the networks, all of which are more concerned with bringing our administration down than they are with enabling a regime change in Iran.
Whatever happened to “From the Halls of . . .” Since when do we agree to pay (either in money or blood) pirates?
Oh God, I wish that Teddy Roosevelt was back. We desparately need someone with a “big stick”>
What we need is a Truman. He wasn’t afraid to us a nuclear bomb. And that’s what it’s gonna take to finally end the decades of unrest in the ME.