Comments | sangretu: Iran's letter deserves an appropriate reply.

sangretu

Iran's letter deserves an appropriate reply.

May 09, 2006 14:24

I have often said that if, instead of taking up arms against America or telling their own people how horrible we are, foreign leaders would simply appeal to the citizens of the USA, we would have an opportunity to hear them, sympathize with them, and influence our government to treat them fairly ( Read more... )

Comments 7

kementari2 May 9 2006, 21:27:34 UTC

This certainly sounds, except for maybe the last half-page, like a strikingly sane and appropriate appeal to Bush's principles. I agree also that it's a lovely method of diplomacy that should be far more often utilized.

Still, he's not without blame himself. And even if he, the President, is sane and relatively progressive, the Supreme Leader is most definitely not. He's said repeatedly that the second they get nuclear weapons, they're going to destroy Israel.

Iran is not a great place to live if you want basic rights. I don't think that a US invasion would at all help that, since they've still got a relatively decent infrastructure and economy that would be destroyed by such an attack. However, I'd keep a close eye that they don't get nuclear weapons ( ... )

kementari2 May 9 2006, 21:27:59 UTC

Oh, also, when was this letter written? I can't find it anywhere.

kementari2 May 9 2006, 22:06:22 UTC

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/05/09/iran.letter.ap/index.html

flamingophoenix May 9 2006, 22:13:38 UTC

I was going to ask what PBUH meant, but then I googled it. "Peace Be Upon Him." It's used for the non-Mohammed prophets, I think.

kementari2 May 9 2006, 22:55:36 UTC

It's used for the most major prophets, including Mohammed.

flamingophoenix May 9 2006, 23:40:49 UTC

Got it. Thanks!

crazy__sunshine May 10 2006, 02:47:20 UTC

The problem is that it's impossible to create a rational response to this letter which would represent the views of "the citizens" in any meaningful way. The main issue is that of religion: many US domestic policy controversies (abortion, gay marriage, etc.) are rooted in the religious divides which exist in this country. So long as these divides exist, the United States can not agree to take "monotheism" as a foundational principle for policy or international dialogue.