Obama and the Persian Treasures in Chicago

At a time when the American people finally have a President who understands diplomacy doesn't mean putting on a cowboy hat and talking like a gunslinger, a most unlikely case in a Chicago courtroom has the potential to derail President Obama's efforts to engage Iran.

Obama had hardly been President twenty minutes before he declared the United States would seek a new way forward with the Muslim world, based on "mutual respect." The President was making a clear overture to Iran, whose proud people have a keen sense of being wronged by the United States. The President has continued making overtures, such as when he declared "Persian civilization is a great civilization" on al-Hurrah.

At a sensitive moment like this, it's probably not a good idea to seize and auction off some of the most powerful symbols of Persian civilization. Yet, unless a Chicago appeals court overturns a lower court decision, that's exactly what's going to happen.

At the heart of this case are nearly 12,000 cuneiform tablets that tell the story of what was once the world's largest empire. University of Chicago archaeologists have in their custody the Persian tablets, which provide a first-hand account of daily life in the Persian Empire 2,500 years ago. For archeologists like Matt Stolper, Professor of Assyriology at the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, each tablet is a priceless treasure--a small window into Persepolis, the capitol of ancient Persia.

These tablets are unique because they provide a first-hand account of daily life in the Persian Empire while almost everything else we - and the Iranians - know of this passage of history comes Roman, Greek, Arab, or Biblical accounts.

Yet for several lawyers, the invaluable pieces of Persian and world heritage are worth nothing more than what they could fetch in a fire sale. The lawyers represent victims of terrorist attacks in Israel, who have sued the government of Iran for its material support of Hamas and Hezbollah. The Chicago federal court issued a $412 million default judgment against Iran, which refused to recognize the court's jurisdiction. When the plaintiffs were only able to collect a small portion of the money, their lawyer sued the University of Chicago, to seize and auction off the priceless artifacts.

Confiscating these Iranian artifacts would create a dangerous precedent and open the United States up to retaliation in foreign courts. Iranians could seek retribution for the U.S.S. Vincennes accident, for America's support of Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq War, for the 1953 coup to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddeq, or any number of other historical events.

Needless to say, this sort of tit-for-tat isn't exactly a recipe for increasing confidence and productive talks - requisites for any successful diplomacy. And not surprisingly, both the academic community and the Iranian-American community is up in arms over the issue. The National Iranian American Council has been mobilizing Iranian Americans to protect the artifacts.

Under the law, President Obama has the power to issue an executive waiver to stop the seizure of foreign assets if that would further US national security. Considering the importance of the President's efforts to reduce tensions with Iran and solicit its collaboration in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the dire consequences of failure, President Obama should do exactly that. It's not the easiest decision politically, but no one ever said overcoming 30 years of enmity would be easy.

Comments

[kandirug]

If they can get what they want from priceless history , then what we can get as Iranian from them with all they did (from UK to USA ) for what they did in past with that country and nation! don't you think there is no justic , all is politic ! changing other country's goverment for financial interest ! not let that country become democratic country long before USA because of conflict of interest ! making Sadam (Iraq) attack Iran for same reason and killing almost HALF millions persons because of that action ! how much money USA court would order as judgment for Iranian Nation!! I know NOTHING!!!! that how Justice work!!!?

[wonketteRAWKS]

With all due respect, "Under the law, President Obama has the power to issue an executive waiver to stop the seizure of foreign assets if that would further US national security." this not only sounds like blackmail, it sounds an awful lot like GW Bush.

[PlaceboStudman]

Just give the artifacts back to their rightful owners, the Iranian people, and be done with it. If the families of the victims want reparations from Iran, then they need to deal with Iran directly, and force Iran to own up to its actions in the past.

These Middle Eastern countries need to start dealing with each other face to face one on one, and stop using THe USA as "an honest broker".

We had no right getting involved in the Middle East in the first place, and we sure as shootin don't have a right to try to resolve their 5,000+ year old conflicts

[ApolloSpeaks]

Of all the idiotic things written on this blog about improving US Iran relations this takes the cake. The mullahs are hell-bent on becoming the nuclear hegemon of the Middle East as a means to the imperial restoration of Islam which is their non-negotiable revolutionary goal. Returning artifacts from Iran's ancient pagan past-items of profound impurity and irreligiou­sness-woul­d mean nothing to the mullahs. Nothing.

[Jimmyboyo]

"....profo­und impurity and irreligiou­sness...."

Is that your opinion of what the mullahs think and or your own opinion of such objects?

Persia's paganism lasted longer than judaism, xtianity, and islam and delivered actual results as far as culture goes. The 3 monotheists delivered nothing much culturaly though Islam did prserve much of the ancient texts, learning, math, bathing, etc from pagan times while jews and xtians were burning libraries and deciding bathing was a sin (dark ages). Heck dude, Sumeria stretched into part of modern day iran. Sumera! The freaking 1st civilization = delivered writing, agriculture, architectu­re....the freaking basics of civilization and they were pagan.

[ApolloSpeaks]

It's not my opinion but that of the Ayatollah Khomeine who regarded Iranian nationalism and patriotic pride as a form of "pagan idolatry." and an offense to Islam "Let Iran burn so long as Islam prevails," said Khomeine who saw the people of Iran as sacrificial fodder for his revolution. As for my love of pagan antiquity on the Greco-Roman side it can only be equaled and nor surpassed.

[Jimmyboyo]

This is crazy. This would set up a precedence that would cause chaos and overclog the court systems.

Peace with Iran and getting them to comply on the nuke issue would be a much better pay off to Israel and world wide Jews. In that spirit

"Under the law, President Obama has the power to issue an executive waiver to stop the seizure of foreign assets if that would further US national security"

YES~!

Then have the University of Chicago give them to the state department. Then we the USA give them as a gift to Iran while also publicly apologizing for our part in the overthrow of Iran's former democratic parlimentary system and installing the shah as dictator (which inevitably led to political islam= every action breads reaction).

The apology for our past f up and the gift of the tablets to Iran would go over so well in moving towards motivating Iran to aknowledge Israel and complying on the nuke issue (pre bush, Iran made overtures to do just that if we would meet with them but shrub said no and a hard liner (action breads reaction) Ahmadinejad came to power).

[triplbee]

Wouldn't this be a dangerous precedent for Israeli treasures housed in American museums? After all, by far the largest group of victims in the ongoing violence in and around Israel, are Palestinians. Consider that 13 Israelis died in the most recent war vs. over 1,300 Palestinians.

[who38]

To say nothing about the US treasures that might be held hostage to Iraqi's who have suffered under the US invasion. How did this case ever get to court?

[Bethab]

So...they should be punished for being better than their enemies at wars their enemies start? If the Israeli's put their soldiers in front of children so more of them will die in an effort to get international support...­then can they keep their stuff?

[mom792]

This is an outrage. The American acedemic community and the Iranian-American communities should get together and push back HARD. The ancient Persian culture was so rich as was written up in this National Geographic cover story last year.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/08/iran-archaeology/del-giudice-text

Its like saying one culture's artifacts and history are lessimportant than anothers. What hubris.

[Ardeschier]

Good article, good point. But do not worry that this court ruling over persian historical artifacts might derail obama's promise of reaching out to iranians. that policy is dlready DOA. his secretery of state on her first visit to the middle east told the israelis what they want to hear, told the palestinians what the israelis want to hear, and accused the iranians of every thing under the sun, also what the israelis wanted to hear.
you see, some of the players may have been changed, but the game remains the same. our forieghn policy concerning israel is written by all the zionist members of the AIPAC. and we have a few zionist jews in every institution of our government who all together will make sure the frozen relation between us and iran will never thaw out. because they see that not in the intrest of israel. remember iran used to be united states' number one ally in the middle east.

[Jimmyboyo]

Does Israel have a right wing religous nut problem (what you call zionists)? YES! So to America with xtian religous right wingers and so to Iran with muslim nutty right wingers.

There are many peace loving liberal Jews in Israel who bemoan current right wing regieme israeli relations with arabs and persians.

No people are monolithic. The Jews are not a monolithic group. Hell, get 3 Jews together and you will have 4 different opinions.

You do not help the cause by such rhetoric

[triplbee]

I'm not in the habit of defending Hillary Clinton or U.S. policy regarding Israel and the Palestinians, but her comments over the past few days have been remarkably even handed when compared to U.S. policy over the past 25 years or so. She actually criticized settlement building, Israeli attempts to annex parts of East Jerusalem, etc. This is not the normal U.S. rhetoric.

[ApolloSpeaks]

Not only is Israel blaming Iran for "everything under the sun," but so are Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Mubarack was recently quoted as saying: "Iran wants to devour the Arab world." As tensions with Iran rise throughout the Middle East the region moves closer to a cataclysmic war. All that it needs is a weak US president doing nothing to stop Iran from going nuclear to unleash the genie of vast destruction.

[saami]

Israel needs to look in the mirror. They are not innocents and have blood on their hands. Why is it wonderful that some of Israel's leaders and former leaders were terrorists?

[S1m0n]

Israel really doesn't want to set a precedent that would allow the relatives of every displaced palestinian to sue Israel in US courts for their lost houses and land.

[IndyReader]

If McCain were president, would you be demanding that he should DO SOMETHING about this? Does Obama know about this? If not, why? Maybe because it has nothing to do with him? If he does, what is he supposed to do? I don't understand people not understanding about the separation of power of the US government. Obama might be able to suggest, he can't decree because, unlike Bush, Obama isn't a despot. Let this case wind it's way through the courts and leave Obama out of it. The pettiness of ALL sides is just exhausting.

[tdell]

Did you read the article? The President has the power to prevent the seizures through an executive waiver explicitly authorized by the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. There would be no violation of the separation of powers. And no, this has nothing to do with partisanship. President Bush's Department of Justice opposed the seizure of the assets. Before him, President Clinton actually issued an executive waiver preventing the seizure of other Iranian assets.

[stpmdn]

this is crazy. What does one have to do with another? I hope Obama stops this from happening.

[Chuck Jones]

To read more about the Persepolis Fortification Archive Project of the Oriental Institute, University of Chicago see http://persepolistablets.blogspot.com

[JonSmiley]

So this is being done by Israelis in the United States? This is pretty outrageous and I hope president Obama does something about it.

[Claude203]

It just seems out of place to even consider doing this. These are not just Persian treasures but world treasures. Sadly, this entire article will probably be labeled "anti-Semitic" and I believe that's what people have come to expect, but I think that's getting old, and selfish. If these were Judaic treasures, what would Israelis be saying now? I think we need to move beyond all of that and remember who we really are ... humans.

[who38]

Thank you.

[tdell]

No, the plaintiffs are US citizens. It's still outrageous to attack the cultural heritage of an entire people, though. I hope Obama stops it too.

[who38]

Dershowitz, Lieberman and who else?