The United States, which under President Obama has promised to engage Iran on the basis of mutual respect, and which under both presidents Bush and Obama has professed its admiration for the Iranian people and their culture (if not for their government), this week announced the appointment of Dennis Ross as the point person in charge of the Iran portfolio at the State Department (but curiously not the White House). In its announcement, however, the State Department referred not to Iran, but to some fictitious place it calls "The Gulf," a body of water not found on any reputable map.
In doing so, the State Department undoubtedly knew it would tweak the noses of the Ahmadinejad government as well as the Ayatollahs and leadership in Tehran, but it should have also known that Iranians everywhere, of every political stripe, inside and outside Iran, would be equally incensed at what they have perceived over the last few years as an attempt by the U.S. (and its Arab allies) to diminish, distort, and tarnish their history, which they view as glorious and deserving of admiration. As citizens of the only nation in the region with a history (as a nation) longer than 100 years, the name "Persian Gulf" is an incredibly sensitive issue for Iranians, and regardless of political opinion or leanings, they take great offense at any attempt to change a historic name they take great pride in. Leaving aside the issue of whether Ambassador Ross is the best choice given Iranian (and some Arab) distaste for his perceived biases, it would behoove the State Department spokesmen and women to carefully consider the sensitivities of the Iranian people (as well consulting a map or an encyclopedia) in future references to the region. Only if the U.S. is sincere in its desire to engage Iran, and to be a friend to (at least) the Iranian people, that is.
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Roxana Saberi
Journalist arrested in Iran
NPR: Authoritie
http://www
In Minnesota, a local estimate says some forty journalist
http://www
Last time an Iranian-Ca
http://en.
If the Arab countries were smart they would start uniting and stop being puppets to a country who considers you a friend today and calls you an enemy tomorrow. If any of these Arab countries have any self-respe
I hope that I can live long enough to see the ME left to its own devices. I would love to see real peace and real progress there, but given the history of the region, I doubt it will happen in this century.
And even today Ann Coulter urges the bombing/de
With respect to you sir, I think, in every logical sense, the idea that a U.S. diplomat would focus on one country instead of political dynamic of the region is ludicrous. To do otherwise is to suggest that Iran would get "special treatment" or new importance in a very troubled part of the world. To be frank, get in line stop acting like the smart, but ugly sister that never gets a suitor. Iran's leadership style conflicts with the world view of charity, intellectu
best of luck,
DenverJJ
http://wri
Sir, Elections in iran are nothing but a make-belie
The President in Iran is powerless. He is the mouthpiece of the "Supreme Leader" who has the absolute power of veto on everything and is the commander-
The candidates for presidency are vetted and selected by the Supreme Leader and another un-elected body. A good book about elections in Iran:
http://www
GH3VBWCHZC
More on sham elections in Iran:
http://www
http://www
The truth is that the Islamic regime, even despite the most restrictiv
More on fake elections in IRAN:
http://www
Supreme Leader:
http://en.
1. Negotiatio
2. Tightening of sanctions, denial of weapons; publicatio
Eventually Iranian theocracy will fall of its own irrelevanc
The IRI needs to understand that there are multipe realties because there are multiple perception
IRI's stubborn insistence on its own version of realties on the ground without considerin
Best report on Iran policy by more than 20 Iran experts:
The Middle East Institue:
http://www
Amnesty Internatio
http://www
http://www
Intoning zionism or labeling, hardly displays your ability to state your case in a well-reaso
I have seen the likes of you on many blogs and your chatter is repetition of the same lines of thought - nothing new. You hate any organizati
Obviously you wish nothing more than inviting Israel and the U.S. to do whatever they can, including spying on Iran, working with terrorist organizati
The tactic of divide and conquer is the masterpiec
Wow, talk about hysterical and overactive imaginatio
And that is precisely why I have decided to no longer stay silent .
The hubris of organizati
I wish the Islamic Republic comes to its sense and start to act like a NATION who cares about its citizens and the future of Iranian kids instead of bullying the world to buy legitimacy in the Arab streets by exploiting the anti-Israe
If the Islamic Republic had felt it was a legitimate government serving the interest of Iran and its own citizens, it would not have needed to resort to creating external enemies for no good reason.
Robert Fisk characteri
http://www
I am even more shocked by reading so many comments on a “progressi
A statesman who wants to achieve important and highly constructi
On a final note the body of water is and has always been called the “Persian Gulf”. No one can deny history no matter how some would like to distort the truth.
soori; I can't assure you have no idea what you're talking about. Attacking my person will further damage your credibilit
The problem with the Islamic Republic (an oxymoron, btw) is she demonstrat
Definition of Velayte Faghih:
http://en.
Here is what Phillipe Welti a career diplomat said about the Islamic republic leadership
He saw mendacious officials manipulate public opinion and was disappoint
He was struck by the provincial
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"As long as there is a gap between fundamenta
http://www
US-Iran Relations: Forty Years of Observatio
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“In a world torn by inequality
Perception
Israel is a state without borders because of its greed for more land and for full control over the entire ME. That's why it demands that Iran be harmed. Iran is not a perfect country; it needs reform, but so do Israel and the United States, which both torture and which are the proximate cause of the death of 1,350,000 Iraqis, etc. And you call Iran a bully state?
Harold Pinter, Jewish and Nobel Prize winner, and 102 other prominent Jews, wrote to the Independen
Israel who violated the June 19th truce with Hamas, by continuing to blockade food and all necessitie
I see, so because of Israel Iran is excused from oppressing its own population
And this is what passes for reasoned discussion in some circles?
Why is every progressiv
Let's be consistent
Let's use a version of a Golden Rule--don'
And let's have far less apologists and Ahmadineja
Having said that, as an average citizen, I don’t care if you are offended by our lack of knowledge about the region. If you people had your stuff together and not allow your cultish religions and sect warfare create havoc on the rest of us, we might give a damn. Until then, I for one could care less what you think of how we view your country and/or the region for that matter. Yes, that would be an intentiona
The hypocrisy is that the mullahs in charge of the country have done more to damage Persian culture and historic past than the rest of the world could ever do.
Destructio
Following the footsteps of Taliban, The un-Iranian government of Islamic Republic is set to destroy a major part of humankind'
http://www