[Pen-l] Daniel Pipes on Iran elections

[ken hanly <northsunm@xxxxxxxxx>]

Daniel Pipes is a well known expert on the Mid-East. He is usually on the right. In the case of the Iranian elections he takes a position that supports boldness in criticising the Iranian govt. and also supporting the demonstrators and even the MEK who are on the US terrorist list. 

http://www.danielpipes.org/6422/american-boldness-in-iran

Instead, flux in Iran should invite boldness and innovation. It is time, finally, for a robust U.S. policy that encourages those yelling "Death to Khamene'i" and that takes advantage of the hyperbolic fear the MeK arouses in Iran's ruling circles (first step: end the MeK's preposterous listing as a terrorist organization).
As Rep. Peter Hoekstra (Republican of Michigan) notes, regime change in Iran becomes the more urgent if the mullahs will soon deploy nuclear weapons. The vital and potentially victorious movement building both on the streets of Iran and in the halls of Europe better represents not only Western values but also Western interests.Instead, flux in Iran should invite boldness and innovation. It is time, finally, for a robust U.S. policy that encourages those yelling "Death to Khamene'i" and that takes advantage of the hyperbolic fear the MeK arouses in Iran's ruling circles (first step: end the MeK's preposterous listing as a terrorist organization).
As Rep. Peter Hoekstra (Republican of Michigan) notes, regime change in Iran becomes the more urgent if the mullahs will soon deploy nuclear weapons. The vital and potentially victorious movement building both on the streets of Iran and in the halls of Europe better represents not only Western values but also Western interests.
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However at the same time he claims that he would vote for Ahmadinejad and it would be good if he wins:

http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2009/06/rooting-for-ahmadinejad.html

Therefore, while my heart goes out to the many Iranians who desperately want the vile Ahmadinejad out of power, my head tells me it's best that he remain in office. When Mohammed Khatami was president, his sweet words lulled many people into complacency, even as the nuclear weapons program developed on his watch. If the patterns remain unchanged, better to have a bellicose, apocalyptic, in-your-face Ahmadinejad who scares the world than a sweet-talking Mousavi who again lulls it to sleep, even as thousands of centrifuges whir away.
And so, despite myself, I am rooting for Ahmadinejad.
I realize that this pragmatic view shocks the tender sensibilities of left-wingers such as Daily Kos, Huffington Post, and Rachel Maddow, but this is hardly the first time leftists think with their hearts, nor the first time that their unthinking sentimentality might lead to disaster
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So how do you square those two positions? It doesn''t matter if you are a mid-east expert and have taught at Harvard. Pipes' position in a way mirrors that of Israel where Netanyahu supports the protesters while the head of Mossad claims that Ahmadinejad won and it is a good thing too!

http://kenthink7.blogspot.com/2009/06/netanyahu-and-head-of-mossad-at-odds-on.html


Blog:  http://kenthink7.blogspot.com/index.html
Blog:  http://kencan7.blogspot.com/index.html
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