The Iranian-American Alliance (Part I)
If the title of this article caught your attention as intriguing – you aren’t alone. In fact, the words “Iranian-American Alliance” seem so strange that even the uninformed know something is terribly wrong with them. And the uninformed would of course know that we don’t have an alliance because we have fought bloody wars against one another, Iranians don’t respect women or Jews, and they are a governed by a ruthless dictator. The problem is that none of those things are true.
We have never fought a war with Iran, women and Jews are treated better in Iran than in just about any other Middle Eastern nation, and their leader is elected by the people. While their democracy has its flaws, Iran is perhaps the most democratic country in the Middle East outside of Israel (and arguably Iraq). Now make no mistake, the Iranians are not in love with America. The United States made a terrible decision in 1953 to follow British advice and overthrow the democratically elected government. This of course gave rise to a government friendly to the United States and Britain, but unpopular with the people. Without elaborating too much, the 1979 Revolution in Iran where Americans were taken hostage was the result of a population demanding their voice be heard. The result was a theocracy that in principle is fundamentally opposed to America.
Now, fast forward to 2007 – nearly thirty years after the Revolution. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is losing popular support at home. The Iranian people (50% of which fall between the ages of 15 and 30) are demanding more freedoms and a better economy. These are two things that their leader has failed to provide. What’s worse is that Ahmadinejad insists on defying the UN demand that he halt uranium enrichment. This news does not sit well with many Iranians who – while supporting their nation’s peaceful nuclear program – disapprove of their government’s way of handling the issue. Iranian youth are concerned about the things that their Western counterparts are concerned about – iPods and Playstation 3. That is a way of saying that the realities of 1953 have started to fade and that Iranians seek to become part of the international family with all of the luxuries and technological marvels that come with it. They are fed propaganda about the West (especially the US) in order to keep them more in line with the government agenda. Unfortunately, the US has done nothing positive to attempt to rectify the situation.
We still insist on having cold relations with Tehran while the honest people in the know will tell you that they pose little threat to our wellbeing. Our handling of the nuclear issue has so far been restrained, but lacks the American leadership to which we are accustomed. Instead of meeting with the Iranians, we have instead chosen to remain cold. Iran certainly isn’t making our lives any easier, but in the climate of today’s world, America should show a little humility. In fact, I think a single gesture could open up a tremendous opportunity between our nations. If President Bush would only offer to meet with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a neutral location, perhaps we could at least make some progress. Even during our Cold War with the Soviets, Reagan and Gorbachev met face to face to build a rapport with one another. It is unlikely that all problems will be fixed with one meeting, but it could be a great start if nothing else. Nuclear issues need not be discussed in the first meeting. Instead, a simple gesture of goodwill would probably do much to decrease tensions.
Iran cannot defeat the United States militarily, and the United States (if using military force) cannot defeat the Iranians politically. Neither side can afford a war of this magnitude the result of which will be wasted blood and treasure. The attempt to build some sort of fellowship between Bush and Ahmadinejad certainly seems ludicrous today. However, I think the world would breathe a collective sigh of relief if a meeting like this took place. If nothing else, it simply looks good. It shows that the spirit of dialogue is indeed alive and well. America used to be a master at dialogue and our national identity is that of solving problems using a pen and a voice. These are the attributes that made us a great nation and a respected nation in the eyes of many throughout the world. We can get back there without much work if we make the decision to do so. It is time for our leaders to meet face to face in the spirit of peace and an eye towards future cooperation and prosperity.