In the 1930s, Adolf Hitler spouted his "love for peace" in a series of speeches as the Nazis masterfully concealed their real ambitions to wage war. In public, Hitler became all but a peace activist, while in private, the German dictator spent more on Germany's rearmament program than unemployment relief. If we were in London or Paris in the 1930s, knowing what forces of evil Hitler would unleash onto the world, what would we have done differently?
Fast forward to almost 80 years later. On May 3, the president of the only government flouting its nuclear obligations addressed an international conference dedicated to strengthening compliance with those obligations.
In his 35-minute speech, the firebrand president of the Iranian regime defied logic and overstepped all bounds of deceit. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on the US to join a "humane movement" to abolish all nuclear weapons, which he called "disgusting and shameful." He also sought to put the world's mind at ease about the nature of his regime's nuclear program by claiming that there was not "a single credible proof" that Tehran had an illicit weapons program.
The five-yearly Nonproliferation Treaty review conference at the UN will discuss ways to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. The 189 treaty members discuss new strategies, for example, on how the International Atomic Energy Agency should be strengthened. But the Iranian regime has persistently and blatantly sought to defy and thus weaken the IAEA and undermine the NPT as a whole. So, granting a forum to Ahmadinejad is not only ironic but disastrous for the aims of the conference.
But, the Iranian regime is no stranger to irony. The misogynist theocracy was just accepted as a member of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. It is baffling how the UN body, which is dedicated to "gender equality and the advancement of women" in the world, could benefit from a regime that, among other things, stones women to death and systematically rapes female political activists in prisons.
These paradoxical developments, however, do not result from the regime's cunning or mastery at diplomatic manipulation. They are rather the undisputed byproduct of the West's ineffective policy towards a malevolent theocracy, where instead of firmly punishing the regime for its flagrant violations of international laws and treaties, the regime is given further concessions and rewards in a foolhardy attempt to convince it to change its behavior.
Prior to Ahmadinejad's visit to New York, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed hope that new sanctions would be aimed at "changing the calculus" of the regime on the wisdom of its current course of action. The problem, however, is that the regime perceives a nuclear weapon as the only guarantee for its survival in the face of domestic upheavals.
Later at the UN, Ms. Clinton explained, "Time and time again, I think we have demonstrated our commitment to the two-track process, the track of engagement and of moving forward together, and then the track of pressure."
The challenge is that the track of pressure is insufficient and engagement is problematic. The track of engagement has left just enough room for the regime to maneuver and to buy time for its pursuit of a nuclear weapon. The only way to confront Tehran's threats is to stand firm against it.
Both the UN Secretary-General and IAEA chief have highlighted Iranian non-compliance with NPT obligations. International consensus and growing impatience on the issue has even pushed China and Russia to warm up to a new round of sanctions.
In this context, time is of the essence. Although Tehran can block consensus at the conference for an official declaration, the US should lead attempts to adopt an unofficial majority declaration that isolates Tehran, paving the way for tough sanctions at the Security Council next month.
Furthermore, by virtue of a growing international chorus against Tehran's nuclear program, efforts to water down the new round of sanctions should be genuinely pushed back. Comprehensive sanctions against the regime should include measures against its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (domestic suppressive organ and exporter of terrorism), and an oil and gas embargo. As one House Representative recently noted, "There is no excuse for doing business with a tyrannical regime."
But, ultimately, sanctions should not be an end in themselves. Unless Washington pursues options to strengthen Iran's democratic opposition, the regime will only be emboldened. President Obama should set his sights on a strategic Iran policy by removing obstacles on the path of democratic Iranian opposition groups.
This is especially urgent as Iran is facing its most serious social uprising in three decades while economic woes of large segments of the population are intensifying. So, domestic, not international, factors can ultimately force change into the regime's calculus.
The most prominent Iranian opposition leader, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, has called on the West to support democratic change in Iran by the Iranian people and their organized resistance movement. That is the only strategic guarantee to safeguard the world from the unleashing of more warmongering and terrorism by the Iranian regime. After a nuclear arms race, future generations do not deserve to ask themselves, "If we were in Washington in 2010, what would we have done differently vis-à-vis the Iranian regime?"
It is very WISE to say: "DO NOT BET ON A DEAD HORSE!"
Well; your boys lost again. They tried to bamboozle the world, but even the Chinese and the Russians have given up on the Barbarians and Killers of Iran. It’s about time you folks looked for an honest day of work.
The Turks and Brazilians weren’t able to save the turbaned beasts. And now comes the real test, and that is the eradication of the savages by the Iranian people and its heroic resistance force, the People’s Mujahidin Organization of Iran (PMOI)and the parliament in exile, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
Incidentally, if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen… I don’t think “you can handle the truth” buddy boy; you are the one who has been desecrating the names and memory of tens of thousands of the fallen, audacitiously.
The race is on … stay tuned for the uprising to get an unprecedented momentum until such day that the ignominy of a these beastly creatures is wiped clean from my beloved land.
"stay tuned for the uprising to get an unprecedented momentum until such day that the ignominy of a these beastly creatures is wiped clean from my beloved land."
Oh the unprecedented event that MKO terrorist organization has been talking about for the past 30 years? Don't hold your breath.
An uprising came and went last year... but your boys, the MKO, where the cause of most of the turbulence and the violence which ended up crushing the green movement. MKO is the reason why the regime of Iran crossed the line of harsh punishments such as executions and tortures. The regime of Iran was emboldened by the MKO.
Well done.
Besides being full of contradictions, the author, who claims he watched Ahmadinejad’s UN speech, apparently wasn’t listening to it.
Iran is fully compliant with NPT and has cooperated fully with IAEA as reported by IAEA. It’s the US, Russia and several others who signed (but apparently not read the content of NPT) are not compliant. Those who signed the treaty agreed to reduce and eliminate their nuclear arsenal. This was signed back in 1970; so it took the US 40 years to start talking about disarmament?
More sanctions?!?! Iran says, “Go Ahead.” They have been living 30 years under severe sanctions and been doing fine. Your description of the revolutionary guard (IRGC) shows how out of touch you are with Iran’s internal affair. IRGC runs the country majority of people and small businesses work for IRGC. They are not just a military corps; they are the backbone of Iran’s economy. Targeted sanctions are oxymoron in this case and it hurts all without discrimination.
Furthermore, as Fareed Zakaria cleverly pointed out, as foreign companies are forced out due to sanctions, IRGC replaces their work adding to their strength.
And once again, articles by these MKO apologists end up with self-promotion, throwing Rajavi’s name around as if no one has heard of this cult leader with dark history.
"Fallacious, malicious and sophistic argumentation"
Care to point out which part of my post is all those names that you used?
"Characters that are related or contracted by the mullahs' Ministry of Intelligence and Propoganda" ...
That's all you have against a solid argument? Accusations?
"Crimes Against Humanity"
Are you talking about the crimes committed by the cult leader Rajavi against the poor captives in Ashraf?
The following may well be the consequences of appeasement, accommodation and miscomprehension of the intentions of the Iranian mullahs, at a time when the US is entangled in two wars and Europe is tackling some of the most challenging economic and social challenges since the end of the cold war:
1- An unprecedented proliferation race in an already volatile and unstable region of the world where all nations with large chunks of money and means will do all in their capacity to either buy or build nuclear weapons. As a result, we could easily witness a ball of fire which would spread globally.
2- The mullhas and their terrorist allies, especially in Iraq, Lebanon and other parts of the region, would be emboldened, should Iran actually acquire nuclear weapons, and thus engage in more serious mischief, begetting serious reaction from their opponents.
There are a number of other important factors inherent in the survival and weaponization of the regime in Tehran, that clearly remind one, of the catastrophe that did not get enough attention in the 1930s, and did in fact engulf the entire world in a devastating war.
Who are you talking about? Israel? India? Pakistan? The United States?
Certainly you aren't talking about Iran, a country that is fully compliant with the NPT that they signed and the country that allows the most IAEA inspections in the world?
It is definitely in the will of the revolution-experienced Iranian people to overpower and ward off this oppressing regime from the inside. Yet, most cynics stop there and say, "well it's their issue". This article, among the author's others, exceptionally addresses this negative and indignant focus by clarifying how the global players will evidently become entrapped in significantly larger quarrels if this mentality is not adjusted. It is NOT "just their [Iranian] issue" when millions of Iranians outside of Iran are marching the streets and informing the public of the atrocities committed within Iran. There's a reason. The Iranian people need support, not the Iranian government. Freedom and Democracy need to prosper, not the nuclear program.
Furthermore, there are always other methods of obtaining alternative energy that can be learned from the successors in various countries; why choose nukes?
Additionally, the NCRI and its largest member group the PMOI/MEK enjoy significant support in Iran. With deep roots in Iranian society, it has had over 120,000 of its sympathizers executed by the Iranian regime. It is highly organized and effective both inside Iran and internationally. Iranian officials have publicly blamed the PMOI for its role in mobilizing anti-government protests since the disputed elections. The regime continues to imprison and execute activists for ties to the PMOI . Mohsen Rezaii (former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps) said: One of Ahmadinejad's unforgivable actions was its lack of planning to prevent the removal of the PMOI/MEK from the terrorist list. He said, "If I win in the election, I will try to compensate for the billions of dollars that were wasted in this regard." Now why would a country waste billions of dollars in an attempt to silence an organization that had zero credibility among Iranians.
You may accept these talking points after hearing them over and over, but it doesn't work for the rest of us who are in touch with reality.
Oh yeah, if you click on iranfreedom link, be sure to read the comments too.