Joe: You are so kewl. An MTV poll-- I'll link you on the drinking thread at LGF tomorrow, if Colt doesn't do it first!

I really urge the pro-regime-change folks to consider just who these exiles are and why they may have fled in 1979. They may well be great people -- Westernized, secular, etc. But I don't think there's a great clamour in Iran to bring back the Shah. Something to keep in mind.

Reza is 100% American - look at his age (24), and the year his family left (1979). And there are many people who fled the Iranian revolution who had nothing to do with the Shah... take Pejman's family, for instance. Or leftist commentator Pedram of eyeranian.net.

If gangs of religious fanatics launched an armed revolution and took over your country, you'd be banging on my door here in Canada pretty damn quick, I think (and then on to places more distant).

Now, if Reza's uncle (who died before Reza was born) was SAVAK or internal security, then Reza is personally guiltless - but it would send absolutely the wrong message to Iranians. In that case, your concerns would be totally valid, and raising that possibility specifically is a worthy point. But it would have to be something that serious.

So I'd be a bit more specific in the concerns I raised, rather than slandering a whole class of people. Some of whom are people you do know here in the blogosphere. I know you, Praktike, and I know that wasn't your intent. But can you see how it might be read that way?

Anyway, assuming that there's nothing in his family's past that presents a serious problem, here's what I most hope for with Reza...

Having someone up there on the podium who can speak of 3 great themes:

[1] Coming to America, land of refuge and freedom, out of the eye of the storm. The classic American story.

[2] The human impact of the mullahs' regime, as well as the danger it represents. Both matter when talking to other humans.

[3] The desire of the Iranian people for a truly free future, and a plea to help them get there by helping them on many different levels. Including having GOP members getting directly and personally involved with the exile community, and lending a hand.

Reza is the only MTV candidate who can even hope do all of that. I'm hoping that everything works out, and checks out, and that he does. The stakes are very high, and it's a message the GOP needs to hear.

Pratike - I urge you to check out your history and take a bit more care in phrasing what you say. First of all - the majority of Iranians - both exiles and Iranians inside of Iran are ADVOCATING more than anything else, the ability to "freely choose" what type of system they live under. This is what is called 'Free Referendum, or vote'. First of all - the Iranian people never asked for nor were they struggling for what they ended up getting in the '79 revolution. It was really not a revolution, but rather it was a takeover by an Islamic Regime mafia that had the backing of the west (ie: Creation of the Green Belt to stop communism). Sure, there were many Iranians who were upset at some of the things the Shah had done, but they didn't want an Islamic state - this is what most people who haven't studied Iran get wrong. Yes, many Iranians were angry with the Shah, and were fighting to make the system even more free and more independent - and build on the progress that was made during the Shah's era - this "will and demand" for change combined with massive propoganda and psychological - warfare against the Shah and the Iranian people by the Western powers created a mass hysteria where no one really knew what was going on. Many people rose up because they thought they could bring something better than the shah or at least help bring about more change and freedom - they didn't want to import Khomeini - once khomeini was brought into power by English, French and America, etc.. and once the campaign of killing, torture and unbelievable repression began, Iranians saw what had happened to their country and they quickly made strong offensive against the Khoemeinist regime. There were MANY MANY MANY coup attempts by Shahs Imperial AirForce - and many attempts at fighting back against the regime by the Iranian people - numbers now point to over 500,000 Iranians executed by the regime over past 20 years.

Listen - the time has come for the regime to go to hell. They are the most evil and backward regime in the world - and the WAR ON TERROR means NOTHING if they are still in power much longer. If Bush wants to defeat Kerry he better get Iran policy straight, otherwise there is nothing to run on. Bush should get Iran on his plate - and then use his support of the Iranian people against Kerry in the debates and blow Kerry out of the water..

The Election issue whether the candidates want it to be the issue or not - will be IRAN!

That's good, and you're right, I should be clear. I tried to google to learn more about his family, but couldn't find anything. It doesn't help that there's a professor with the same name at UNLV, and another guy who makes hotel slippers.

So I apologize if that came across the wrong way. I know there is a circle of Iranian exiles who were tossed out or fled the country because their own people were fed up with the way the country had been run, but I have no idea if he represents this group. One telling indicator, though is when he writes lines like this:

"For over 24 years, the Iranian people have been robbed of their justice, their freedoms and their most basic fundamental human rights."

While no doubt the Shah's regime had its merits, there were reasons why it was overthrown -- crushing inflation, brutality toward the merchant class, the complete disruption of the rural economy, etc. Something to keep in mind. so remember: there was more than one revolution in Iran; it's just that the religious freaks won the internecine battle for power. Exiles who represent a class that failed to share the economic goodies may be fundamentally out of touch with some basic aspirations within the country.

So I'm concerned that we here in the US (and certain parts of Canada) get too easily swayed by people who can push the right moral and political buttons with us. I'm also concerned with the order of reform -- I guess I believe that perestroika ought to precede glasnost rather than the other way around. Too much rapid change can swamp a country and lead to chaos.

So yes: we should support those who talk about human rights, democracy, and so forth in Iran.

But we should not mistake them or the students as representative of Iranian society as a whole. I'm far more interested in what guys like Montazeri represent: evolutionary change within the context of Islam itself. A reconciliation of Islam and democracy, rather than a wholesale rejection of the former, which I view as bound to engender greater resistance and violence.

Think of it as boiling a frog by slowly raising the temperature rather than tossing him in a hot pot: he's less likely to jump out if the change happens gradually.

Prak:

Iranians are not looking to remove Islam from Iran. I think this is hardly the case considering that it has been part of society for about 600 years. What Iranians want is a return to a more free and secular country. To say things like Iranian exiles or students or those fighting for freedom do not represent Iranian society is a blatant insult - make me wonder where you're coming from, what your objectives are here.

No intention to insult you but from what you've written I come to the conclusion that you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

You're talking about a group of Iranian exiles that were thrown out of Iran by their own people? What are you talking about.

Millions upon millions of Iranians have left Iran over the past 20 + years because there are absolutely no opportunities there and no future. If the regime does not fall I tell you that Iran is going to continue down and down - mass heroin use because the regime PUSHES IT and encourages it so that it keeps the young people down - Society is depressing - MASS SEX SLAVE TRADE - EXECUTIONS - FUNDING TERROR!

This bullshit needs to stop. Prak - I suggest you read some books on the subject: Perhaps "The Iranians" and "Winds Of Change" would do you good..

thanks -

er, Winds of Change is written by, um, the Shah's son. This is exactly what I'm talking about. Sure, everything in there sounds great. And believe me, I'm no apologist for the current "shadow state" that is running things in Iran. But really, is Reza Pahlavi the answer? I don't know. Maybe he is. All I'm saying is that it would be prudent to examine our assumptions.

Democracy in Iran is the answer; I think they're ready for it.

If as part of that democracy they decide they want a constitutional monarch, more power to 'em. Works just fine up here in Canada. If that isn't what they want, it won't happen. And the son of the Shah wants... Iranians to be given full power to make these choices, near as I can tell (which was, I think, the point of the book recommendation).

This seems simple to me - I don't have to pick a side here.

I do not, however, buy the perestroika/ glasnost/ gradualist game. Especially given the link between the regime's current ideology, suicide-murder, and the pursuit of nukes. It's a dumb idea as national security strategy, and also a bad idea because I see a people ready to be fully free. I think "gradualist" approaches, in this case, are unnecessary and patronizing (whereas I'm more of a fan in cases like, say, Kosovo).

Patronizing? I don't think of it that way.

Remember that article you posted recently about the brothers Rafsanjani?

Well, I see more of that happening in the absence of reforms that ought to precede any kind of overthrow.

Several thousand students demonstrated numerous times in Tehran and the provinces and got Khamenei to back off a death sentence for Aghajari. Khatami, his allies in the Majlis, and Khomenei's grandson threw their weight against a death sentence, so he got five years in prison instead. That's promising indeed.

Does it mean that Iran is ripe for revolution?

Does it mean people are willing to die in great numbers to toss out the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the various other elements of shadow government?

Why weren't there any large demonstrations for 18 Tir?

No mass protests in February over the sham elections?

Is there plenty of righteous dissatisfaction: no doubt.

Is it the case that all they need is a little push: I don't think so. The people are hanging back, licking their wounds.

If they can't organize a meaningful opposition, how could the opposition groups be ready to govern?

I mean, the pro-regime-change people in the Pentagon and Congress are hoping that the MKO is going to be useful ... I think that's morally suspect and pragmatically dubious.

As for the nuclear program, do you really think it's just "the mullahs" who want it? Beware Iranian nationalism, my friend.

Why not vote for Clarence Dass...he is the youngest, and he's IRAQI for crying out loud. WE NEED AN IRAQI TO STAND UP AND HOLLA!

My vote goes to Reza.

Everybody, please click on the person who posted the last message. Interestingly enough, Ryan Carter is also known as Clarence Dass.

How low are the finalist stooping???

Reza Torkzadeh is a known supporter of Reza Pahlavi, the Crown Prince of Iran.

Go REZA! Go Thomas Jefferson School of Law!

I tried to vote but the contest already ended. I would have voted for Reza (he's cute)

what happened with the contest? did reza win?

No. I believe Princella Smith did.

we should get reza to write about what he would have talked about on this blog - i think just as you do Joe that democracy in Iran is the answer. We should give Reza a platform to write about what he would have talked about at the convention. Thoughts anyone??

btw check this link about Reza's subsequent activities.

Iran has been in the news lately; how about an update on bloggers activities.

1. Referendum
2. Nuclear Ambitions