IRANIANS DEFY MULLAHRCHY
By Charles R. Smith
Recent demonstrations in Iran have received little or no attention in the Western press. What is unusual is that the massive demonstrations that have rocked the streets of Tehran are not anti-American.
The demonstrations have confounded the Iranian government and shaken the pillars of power outside the Islamic republic. Iranian authorities have tried to crack down on the demonstrators and have even begun to confiscate satellite dishes in an effort to halt contacts with the outside world.
"The people, hundreds of thousands of people, are demonstrating," stated Michael Ledeen of the American Enterprise Institute. Ledeen, a resident scholar and author, is also a leading Middle East policy analyst at the public policy institute.
"Despite being billed as a 'reformer', Iranian President Mohammad Khatami is not a reform leader," stated Ledeen. "Khatami occasionally makes the sounds of reforms, but he is actually part of the Mullah-cracy, a government of oppressive religious clerics that have ruled Iran since 1979."
"Iran is Osama bin Laden's dream government," noted Ledeen.
"Iran is a living example of the failure of an Islamic theocracy. The Iranian people are demonstrating because they hate the oppressive government that has ruled since the Ayatollah took over."
U.S officials were also caught off guard by the sudden protests that have rocked Iran. The vast uprising has thrown plans to meet with Iranian officials into question, leaving the Bush administration without any policy toward the Khatami government as the war against terrorism heats up inside Afghanistan.
"We should do nothing," said Ledeen firmly. "Do not send diplomats and spies to negotiate. Don't do anything that could be interpreted as support for the Khatami regime."
"Yes, we can speak out and say that the Iranian government should respect the wishes of its people. They certainly need to end the human rights violations and stop state-sponsored religious oppression. We should be saying 'reform thyself' and leave it to the Iranian people to deal with as they see fit". ENDS IRAN MULLAHRCHY 91101
Editor’s Note: This is a selection of the full story that appeared at NewsMax ON 8 Nov. 2001