On IRAN :Obama Must Heed History

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On IRAN :
Obama Must Heed History


Former president Jimmy Carter's biggest misstep during his presidency was to betray Iran, a key ally in the region. Under the guise of promoting human rights, his administration assisted in the establishment of the current theocratic dictatorship.
President Barack Obama seems to be treading the same path that has led to Iran’s current situation.
In the midst of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's attempts at democratic and economic reform, Carter urged the Shah's regime to take up the cause of human rights while accusing him of blatant violations. Carter fuelled the discontent of the Iranian people and his betrayal to the Shah is still remembered as one of the most damaging foreign policy blunders of the American government.
President Obama is taking the same approach of betraying the Iranian people by calling for talks with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The U.S. support of the British-sponsored overthrow of the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadeqh in 1953 demonstrates yet another betrayal. The coup was planned by Great Britain, after the country was cut from profits post-nationalization of the oil industry. The false British propaganda portrayed Mossadegh as a communist, and the people’s discontent was fueled with lies and heavy sanctions, which left them too hungry to support their chosen leader.
Now, the Iranian people, reeling from decades of war with Iraq, must be given the opportunity to deal with the issues of their own country. They desire and deserve moral support for what they chose.
The Bush administration has inconsistently reached out to the Iranian people while labeling them as Evil. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called for swift military action against Iran. Clinton, unlike Obama, has been true to her war stance since her days in the Senate.
The problem is that the enemies are not the people of Iran but the theocratic hard-liners in control who, in the guise of leading their respective countries, are actually conducting widespread abuse of the people and their own power.
President Obama underestimates the intellectual capacity of the reigning theocracy. If the Obama administration were to pursue direct negotiations with these hard-liners, it will only legitimize the regime and the acts they commit. If there is any route the government must pursue, it is a road to the Iranian people, not the unelected leaders (President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s powers are limited; He is not the Supreme Leader, who is not democratically elected.).
If the Obama administration were to heed the lessons of history, they would allow the Iranian people to chart their own road to political change with only the promise of full support.
War with Iran would be an atrocity and direct negotiations a resignation. Let's not repeat the mistakes of the past and turn our backs on one of the most pro-American populaces in the world.
Let the Iranians create their own change. Let’s support them when they do.


Slater Bakhtavar is president and founder of Republican Youth of America, a frequent commentator and respected analyst on foreign policy issues, an attorney with a post-doctoral degree in International law and General Counsel of a national corporation.

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