Silence
: Iranian blogger Steppenwolf, from Tehran, has been silent and today he explains why:
You see, writing in English offers me a dramatically broader audience, while finely endangering me of being accused. Accused of providing the enemy(!) with information. With internal information. Yes, my weblog is anonymous. But then, I don't even want to jeopardize my peace. I am sure everyone can understand this. There is nothing in it for me being political.
Honestly, the fact is I tend to get excited as soon as my fingers touch the keyboard. I can't help it. I can't help my harsh feelings either. So, I prefer to stay silent, stay away from it.
It is hard for those of us who live with the privilege and right of freedom to know what life is like for those who have to worry with every word.
In the cause of democracy
: Pejman Yousefzadeh points to a superb open letter by expat Mohsen Moshfegh
to Iranian reformists, arguing that they must be ready to create a new government in Iran -- once the mullahs surely fall -- and that America is the best ally of democratic reform:
. . . In my opinion, the United States has a much more serious preoccupation these days than just money and financial rewards of a free and unhampered trade with Iran. This is not to say that the American capitalists care little about substantially lucrative opportunities that a democratic Iran under a free market system can offer them. But after the events of September 11 and the realization of its vulnerability to terrorism, the United States was painfully faced with two essential and very basic facts: first that money has no value when you're dead; and second that as long as the two issues of international terrorism and the proliferation of nuclear weapons are not effectively dealt with being dead is a very real possibility. Also, as the sole remaining superpower in the world, the United States does not only have the responsibility to deal with this problem, but is the only power with sufficient means and international reach to solve a problem of this magnitude. And solve it, it must. So, in my opinion, America's desire to eliminate the theocracy in Iran is based on much more fundamental motivations than money and financial rewards, and therefore, makes a much more dependable ally for our democratic forces than the European Union. Where Europeans are our tactical allies, the Americans can be considered our strategic allies in establishing a secular democracy in our country and propagating it throughout the region.
Am I claiming that the United States will never, under any circumstance abandon our secular democratic forces and make a deal with the Islamic Republic? No, not at all. We should not be naïve about this, either. The United States is driven by nothing more than its own national security objectives. But that's just fine, because at this historical juncture the United States indeed "has no better friend" than a secular democratic Iran. Our success in establishing a secular democracy in Iran would eliminate one of the most potent sources of anti-American sentiments in the Middle East and one of the major forces of international terrorism, as well as one of the most significant obstacles to peace between Palestine and Israel.
So, given that the United States -like any other sane country- is driven by its own interests, would it still make a good ally for our democratic forces? The answer is, of course it would. We should not fear taking a helping hand from the United States, if offered. The Americans do not have any hidden agenda. They are crystal clear about their objectives and are not after our independence. A peaceful, free, and democratic Iran is big enough of a prize for them.
It's a great letter.
If only the expatriate reformers of Iraq had had similar foresight.
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