I understand your points, but respectfully disagree, especially as a nonviolent Green Movement reformist activist for civility, i.e., for real peace and true justice.
Thus, the concept of the "consent of the governed" (in its Islamic context) is a definitional cornerstone of "Islamic governance," at least as enshrined in Iran's current constitution. So, when a so-called "Islamic" ruler (especially in Iran) steals the vote--and then tries to cover it up--that government becomes ANTI-Islamic, BY DEFINITION.
Now the government of Saudi Arabia is a formal dictatorship AND it has been installed (and is kept in power) by "colonialism," hence it is ANTI-Islamic on two "consent-of-the-governed" fronts.
The Zionist state is clearly ANTI-Jewish because it is a political/nationalistic ideology that in an Orwellian way pretends/abuses a religion to get legitimacy--much like its "sister" regime in Iran, especially after the electoral coup of June 2009.
As you say, these "theological/political realities are [unfortunately] the stuff of twenty-first century geopolitics."
I say however, per George Orwell's advice, let us say that the various co-dependent Emperors (per my comments above) have no clothes, rather than "[trying] to get used to this [horrific kind of Orwellian] reality."
Per my comments above, I fully agree with your analysis. However, one should not forget that what in part enables Israeli colonialism is the behavior of the regime in Iran, which is ANTI-Islamic and is certainly not "republican" (especially after the electoral coup of 2009) providing Netanyahu (and his ilk) with all the savage pretexts they desire--and vice versa--hence (per above) the co-dependence of extremists in "undermining the indigenous democratic capacity (preferably at the hands of 'internal despotism') of countries like Iran to resist 'external colonialism' [which] is the ultimate aim of the kind of [savage] sanctions/war that right-wing neo-con forces in US/Israel are fomenting." As a green movement Iranian, I say: Shame on violent extremism, especially of the colonial/Zionist variety. Peace and Justice, Moji Agha [ Founder of IISCCIW.org ].
Thank you Dr. Cole. In fact the racist and very dangerous "messianic feelings" of the likes of the Israeli Prime Minister is shared (in a co-dependent way) by their equally dangerous "messianic" brothers inside Iran, championed by the likes of Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi, who is an arch enemy of the "republic" in what remains of the "Islamic Republic" after the "electoral" coup of June 2009. Both regimes need one another as the "enemy."
I think undermining the indigenous democratic capacity (preferably at the hands of "internal despotism") of countries like Iran to resist "external colonialism" is the ultimate aim of the kind of sanctions/war that right-wing neo-con forces in US/Israel are fomenting.
A so-called preventive "war" against Iran would not only be illegal under international law, it would also be a disaster for Iranians who are struggling nonviolently for indigenous change for democracy and human rights in their own country--and indeed it would be a disaster for the region in general. Not only would it result in loss of life on a horrific scale, it would be environmentally catastrophic given that nuclear power facilities would be attacked. Western officials admit that Iran does not have any nuclear weapons, nor even a nuclear weapons program, meaning that the country is not currently a nuclear threat to either the United States or Israel. Here in the U.S. we have already spent well over $1 trillion on wars since 2001, while vital social programs are cut. The last thing we need is yet another unnecessary war--one which would only benefit war profiteers--particularly when diplomacy is still very much an option.
As Iranian thinkers have pointed out repeatedly, the country's experience of modernity has been profoundly poisoned by "external colonialism" in mutual co-dependency with "internal despotism" in the past two centuries.
Western imposed sanctions and threats are preludes to military aggression, which as President Obama has admitted have been “virtually grinding the Iranian economy to a halt.”
They are creating or exacerbating environmental, health, and economic crises for the Iranian people, while actually helping the internal forces that need such external "enmity" as pretext to legitimize their despotism in the name of religion.
This is why in Iran the green movement and other popular democratic forces struggling for nonviolent change have declared unequivocally that they do not want sanctions, outside intervention in their politics, or military threats or actual aggression against their country.
In short, as we have seen in Iraq, Bahrain, Libya and elsewhere, the first casualties of sanctions and aggression are the lives and indigenous aspirations of the Iranian people, while such "external colonialism" would only provide the pretext that repressive forces inside and outside the government need to consolidate "internal despotism."
Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program. Continued sanctions and military threats or actual aggression against the country would be disastrous for the Iranian people and their nonviolent indigenous democratic struggles, as well as for the natural environment in Iran and the region.
First the obvious: as an Iranian-American I am so so proud and happy for the award, for exactly the reasons Mr. Farhadi described.
Second, as a "Green Movement" Iranian I think at present, the crisis-needing "political classes" of all 3 countries (U.S., Israel, and Iran) are mutually co-dependent and need "the other" as "enemy." Given their "colonial" behavior, no one expects the war-mongering "political classes" of Israel and the U.S. to be civilized; but in case of Iran, its ANTI-ISLAMIC post-2009-coup current dictators CLAIM to represent "Islam." So, per their claim, are they acting in a "divine" manner?
Mirroring what Omar Khayyam says, this other Persian poem, by Rumi talks about why we ALL need to work together in these dark times for our imperiled planet, in "compassionate action," thus living "the story of passionate love" (if we are awake enough); please see: link to payvand.com
I am a proud Iranian "green" voter and activist. When I voted in June 2009, I wrote in Persian ABOVE the box on the ballot where I indicated my choice "Mir-Hossein Mousavi," the following: "yek ya-Hossein-e ma'navi taa." So, my actual ballot statement (which was stolen, i.e., not read, as we all know) said: "[We Iranians only need to say] an SPIRITUAL O' Hossein [seeking the martyred Imam Hossain's assistance and strenghth], till [we can have] Mir-Hossein Mousavi [as our President.]" Hence, The "green" Islam I believe in, desire, and struggle for CANNOT be imposed, because if it is (especially from above, and in the NAME of "Islam", it would be called dictatorship, NOT Islam. Beware Islamic Brothers!
"What the Iranians need above all is a certainty that if they rise up in larger numbers against their unpopular rulers they will not face the ethnic partition of their country, advocated by the Mossad chief, or a military attack on their country."
This is exactly where can we see the "co-dependence of extremists," Ahmadinejad (Mesbahieh cult) and Natanyahu, et al, whereby both are interested in killing the middle, namely "Iran’s defective but nevertheless meaningful and vibrant [Islamic] democracy," i.e., the reformist Green Movement; which is why Israel (along with its "Christian" Zionist "neo-con" backers) was DELIGHTED to see last year's elections stolen (and the subsequent repression), because the extremist Zionists want Iranians to "rise up," but only for either becoming a servile colony again, like Iran under the Shah (or "Saudi" Arabia), or for the country to become "partitioned," which is Bernard Lewis' "New Middle East Map" dream. No wonder the astute Israeli peace champion, Uri Avnery observed last year: "If Ahmadinejad is not a Mossad agent, he certainly acts like one.
Please read this CONTEXTUAL essay, in order to gain a deeper understanding of what is unfolding in Iran: link to votersforpeace.us
In re my comment above (re co-dependence of extremists), please read my CONTEXTUAL essay about what has been unfolding in Iran, herein: link to votersforpeace.us
"Ken Timmerman of NewsMax claimed that by failing to help Iranian protesters, Obama was strengthening the evil regime."
I am one of those Green Movement protesters. I am proud to be a long-standing "moderate Muslim" (i.e., reformist), and of course I voted for [the real President of Iran] Mir-Hossein Mousavi. I have no doubt that the reason the likes of Timmerman (i.e., Extreme Zionist Israel) want Obama to "help" us "Iranian protesters," is because Israel wants the Green Movement destroyed at the hand of Ahmadinejad/Mesbahieh cult coup "government" (remember the 1953 CIA coup?) given that they need Ahmadinejad, et al, as "pretext." And so far, the coup-makers has been very happy to play the role assigned to them, by their co-dependent partners in extremism in Tel Aviv--and D.C.
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Dear Warren,
Thank you very much for heart-felt response above. I wish Iran did not have oil.
Peace and justice,
Moji
Dear Hugh,
I understand your points, but respectfully disagree, especially as a nonviolent Green Movement reformist activist for civility, i.e., for real peace and true justice.
Thus, the concept of the "consent of the governed" (in its Islamic context) is a definitional cornerstone of "Islamic governance," at least as enshrined in Iran's current constitution. So, when a so-called "Islamic" ruler (especially in Iran) steals the vote--and then tries to cover it up--that government becomes ANTI-Islamic, BY DEFINITION.
Now the government of Saudi Arabia is a formal dictatorship AND it has been installed (and is kept in power) by "colonialism," hence it is ANTI-Islamic on two "consent-of-the-governed" fronts.
The Zionist state is clearly ANTI-Jewish because it is a political/nationalistic ideology that in an Orwellian way pretends/abuses a religion to get legitimacy--much like its "sister" regime in Iran, especially after the electoral coup of June 2009.
As you say, these "theological/political realities are [unfortunately] the stuff of twenty-first century geopolitics."
I say however, per George Orwell's advice, let us say that the various co-dependent Emperors (per my comments above) have no clothes, rather than "[trying] to get used to this [horrific kind of Orwellian] reality."
Dear SimoHurtta,
Per my comments above, I fully agree with your analysis. However, one should not forget that what in part enables Israeli colonialism is the behavior of the regime in Iran, which is ANTI-Islamic and is certainly not "republican" (especially after the electoral coup of 2009) providing Netanyahu (and his ilk) with all the savage pretexts they desire--and vice versa--hence (per above) the co-dependence of extremists in "undermining the indigenous democratic capacity (preferably at the hands of 'internal despotism') of countries like Iran to resist 'external colonialism' [which] is the ultimate aim of the kind of [savage] sanctions/war that right-wing neo-con forces in US/Israel are fomenting." As a green movement Iranian, I say: Shame on violent extremism, especially of the colonial/Zionist variety. Peace and Justice, Moji Agha [ Founder of IISCCIW.org ].
Thank you Dr. Cole. In fact the racist and very dangerous "messianic feelings" of the likes of the Israeli Prime Minister is shared (in a co-dependent way) by their equally dangerous "messianic" brothers inside Iran, championed by the likes of Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi, who is an arch enemy of the "republic" in what remains of the "Islamic Republic" after the "electoral" coup of June 2009. Both regimes need one another as the "enemy."
I think undermining the indigenous democratic capacity (preferably at the hands of "internal despotism") of countries like Iran to resist "external colonialism" is the ultimate aim of the kind of sanctions/war that right-wing neo-con forces in US/Israel are fomenting.
A so-called preventive "war" against Iran would not only be illegal under international law, it would also be a disaster for Iranians who are struggling nonviolently for indigenous change for democracy and human rights in their own country--and indeed it would be a disaster for the region in general. Not only would it result in loss of life on a horrific scale, it would be environmentally catastrophic given that nuclear power facilities would be attacked. Western officials admit that Iran does not have any nuclear weapons, nor even a nuclear weapons program, meaning that the country is not currently a nuclear threat to either the United States or Israel. Here in the U.S. we have already spent well over $1 trillion on wars since 2001, while vital social programs are cut. The last thing we need is yet another unnecessary war--one which would only benefit war profiteers--particularly when diplomacy is still very much an option.
As Iranian thinkers have pointed out repeatedly, the country's experience of modernity has been profoundly poisoned by "external colonialism" in mutual co-dependency with "internal despotism" in the past two centuries.
Western imposed sanctions and threats are preludes to military aggression, which as President Obama has admitted have been “virtually grinding the Iranian economy to a halt.”
They are creating or exacerbating environmental, health, and economic crises for the Iranian people, while actually helping the internal forces that need such external "enmity" as pretext to legitimize their despotism in the name of religion.
This is why in Iran the green movement and other popular democratic forces struggling for nonviolent change have declared unequivocally that they do not want sanctions, outside intervention in their politics, or military threats or actual aggression against their country.
In short, as we have seen in Iraq, Bahrain, Libya and elsewhere, the first casualties of sanctions and aggression are the lives and indigenous aspirations of the Iranian people, while such "external colonialism" would only provide the pretext that repressive forces inside and outside the government need to consolidate "internal despotism."
Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program. Continued sanctions and military threats or actual aggression against the country would be disastrous for the Iranian people and their nonviolent indigenous democratic struggles, as well as for the natural environment in Iran and the region.
Peace and Justice,
Moji Agha
Dear Wayfarer,
First the obvious: as an Iranian-American I am so so proud and happy for the award, for exactly the reasons Mr. Farhadi described.
Second, as a "Green Movement" Iranian I think at present, the crisis-needing "political classes" of all 3 countries (U.S., Israel, and Iran) are mutually co-dependent and need "the other" as "enemy." Given their "colonial" behavior, no one expects the war-mongering "political classes" of Israel and the U.S. to be civilized; but in case of Iran, its ANTI-ISLAMIC post-2009-coup current dictators CLAIM to represent "Islam." So, per their claim, are they acting in a "divine" manner?
Mirroring what Omar Khayyam says, this other Persian poem, by Rumi talks about why we ALL need to work together in these dark times for our imperiled planet, in "compassionate action," thus living "the story of passionate love" (if we are awake enough); please see: link to payvand.com
The Far Mosque
The place that Solomon made to worship in,
called the Far Mosque,
is not built of earth and water and stone,
but of intention and wisdom
and mystical conversation
and compassionate action.
Every part of it is intelligence
and responsive to every other.
The carpet bows to the broom.
The door knocker and the door
swing together, like musicians.
This heart sanctuary DOES exist,
but it can't be described.
Why try!?
(Rumi, via "translation" by Coleman Barks)
I am a proud Iranian "green" voter and activist. When I voted in June 2009, I wrote in Persian ABOVE the box on the ballot where I indicated my choice "Mir-Hossein Mousavi," the following: "yek ya-Hossein-e ma'navi taa." So, my actual ballot statement (which was stolen, i.e., not read, as we all know) said: "[We Iranians only need to say] an SPIRITUAL O' Hossein [seeking the martyred Imam Hossain's assistance and strenghth], till [we can have] Mir-Hossein Mousavi [as our President.]" Hence, The "green" Islam I believe in, desire, and struggle for CANNOT be imposed, because if it is (especially from above, and in the NAME of "Islam", it would be called dictatorship, NOT Islam. Beware Islamic Brothers!
"What the Iranians need above all is a certainty that if they rise up in larger numbers against their unpopular rulers they will not face the ethnic partition of their country, advocated by the Mossad chief, or a military attack on their country."
This is exactly where can we see the "co-dependence of extremists," Ahmadinejad (Mesbahieh cult) and Natanyahu, et al, whereby both are interested in killing the middle, namely "Iran’s defective but nevertheless meaningful and vibrant [Islamic] democracy," i.e., the reformist Green Movement; which is why Israel (along with its "Christian" Zionist "neo-con" backers) was DELIGHTED to see last year's elections stolen (and the subsequent repression), because the extremist Zionists want Iranians to "rise up," but only for either becoming a servile colony again, like Iran under the Shah (or "Saudi" Arabia), or for the country to become "partitioned," which is Bernard Lewis' "New Middle East Map" dream. No wonder the astute Israeli peace champion, Uri Avnery observed last year: "If Ahmadinejad is not a Mossad agent, he certainly acts like one.
Please read this CONTEXTUAL essay, in order to gain a deeper understanding of what is unfolding in Iran:
link to votersforpeace.us
In re my comment above (re co-dependence of extremists), please read my CONTEXTUAL essay about what has been unfolding in Iran, herein:
link to votersforpeace.us
"Ken Timmerman of NewsMax claimed that by failing to help Iranian protesters, Obama was strengthening the evil regime."
I am one of those Green Movement protesters. I am proud to be a long-standing "moderate Muslim" (i.e., reformist), and of course I voted for [the real President of Iran] Mir-Hossein Mousavi. I have no doubt that the reason the likes of Timmerman (i.e., Extreme Zionist Israel) want Obama to "help" us "Iranian protesters," is because Israel wants the Green Movement destroyed at the hand of Ahmadinejad/Mesbahieh cult coup "government" (remember the 1953 CIA coup?) given that they need Ahmadinejad, et al, as "pretext." And so far, the coup-makers has been very happy to play the role assigned to them, by their co-dependent partners in extremism in Tel Aviv--and D.C.