Neocon War Plans Undermine Iranians’ Quest for Democracy
The “Bomb Iran” crowd, fresh off their historic blunder in Iraq, is now at it again with Iran. As if the daily drumbeat of articles and op-eds advocating war with Iran was not enough, Republicans in the House of Representatives have introduced a truly dangerous resolution — explicitly green-lighting the use of force by Israel […]
New Report: War Not an Option in Dealing with Iran
A new report by the Oxford Research Group (ORG), an independent UK based non-governmental organization, maps out the growing risk of an Israeli military strike on Iran and the devastating consequences that could lead to a long, protracted war. The report, authored by Professor Paul Rogers, warns that an Israeli attack “would be unlikely to […]
Iranian Adventurer on a Quest to Help Malagasy Children
A year ago, Reza Pakravan went on a three-week trip to Madagascar as part of a volunteer campaign with the charity group Afazady. What he experienced during his trip would change him forever. “Living in a tent, eating rice and beans for every meal, using a bucket shower and working a demanding construction job with […]
One Year Later: Are We Missing the Real Story?
Much attention has been given to the absence of large street protests on the anniversary of Iran’s disputed elections. This focus on street protests however, largely misses the point of the opposition movement today. “A government that is scared of a corpse is a weak government,” Shirin Ebadi said, referring to the government’s decision to […]
The Iranian Diaspora’s New Political Awakening
There is change afoot in Iranian communities all across the globe. The Iranian Diaspora is coming of age politically, and nothing has helped propel this change more than the disputed presidential elections of June 2009 and the young Iranians who led the post-election unrest. Whereas once the Diaspora communities were psychologically fractured and plagued with […]
The Real Winner of the Flotilla Raid
Israel’s attack on the aid flotilla headed toward Gaza has sparked international outrage. But it also reminds us that since 2001, Iran has improved its geostrategic position more than almost any other country in the world, and it has done so based almost entirely on the blunders of others. Just as scholars have for years […]