Iranian lawyer wins Nobel Peace Prize

[jack merchant]

Full story

Sound like an excellent choice to me - promoting human (particularly women's) rights in Iran and the Muslim world at large. Moreover, it seems to me that the best thing the West can do in Iran is encourage and aid the reformists as much as they can.

 

[Kinniken]

I was hoping for Vaclav Havel, but she looks like an other great choice, though much less well-known.
This woman is a perfect exemple of what Iran and the ME in general needs more of! I wonder though how Iran will react - pride at an Iranian getting a Nobel or anger at the support for reformists?

 

[SeleucusNicator]

The Iranian "reform" movement, for all of the publicity it gets in the West, has been rather ineffective. If this is the shot in the arm it needs, so be it.

However, I remain skeptical.

 

[Riesstiu IV]

I have several Iranian friends who are absolutely disgusted with the theocratic government and would like to see a lot of reform. I think there are a lot of Iranians who dislike the current regime, though I am unsure.

 

[onejayhawk]

She is one reason I have hope for the situation in the ME. Iran is actually much closer to the West than many people believe. Her stand is one large piece of evidence. There are others. Iran was the most western islamic nation in the world a generation ago. The Shah had embraced a wide array of western ideas.

Then came the revolution. Then came a bloody war with Iraq, when Sadam Hussein tried to conquer the country in the 1980's. By the time of GW I, much of the western veneer had been peeled off, but some had gone to heart. This woman saw the western way of viewing a woman's place as being admirable. Being an admirable person herself, she attempted to achieve as much of it as she could.

The real point is that she was not alone. The Q'ran does not teach subjucation of women any more tahn the Bible taught the Crusades. Obviously the mulah's dont agree.

None the less, it is cause for hope.

J

 

[Norlamand]

Don't know much about her or her activities but she sounds like a pretty damned brave women to do that sort of stuff in Iran. Probably a good choice.

 

[Little Raven]

Originally posted by jack merchant
Moreover, it seems to me that the best thing the West can do in Iran is encourage and aid the reformists as much as they can.

No no no no no. The best thing we can do is stay OUT of Iran altogether. Remember, the whole reason Iran is in this mess in the first place is because we (the US) decided to "get involved and encourage reformists."

Religious governments, without exception, suck. Unfortunately, it can sometimes take people a while to see that. Especially if the religious government in question can successfully point to an external threat, a “Great Satan,” who is working to destroy the country.

But remove that threat, and people begin to question why their government sucks so much. Iran is now closer to real reform than any other country in the Middle East, and it’s the country we’ve had the least to do with. Let’s keep up the good work. Stay out of Iran, and rob the fanatics of any excuse for their poor performance. The people will demand change on their own, and change from within is ALWAYS better than change from without.

edit: I think this woman is an excellent choice for the award.

 

[onejayhawk]

Originally posted by Little Raven
No no no no no. The best thing we can do is stay OUT of Iran altogether. Remember, the whole reason Iran is in this mess in the first place is because we (the US) decided to "get involved and encourage reformists."

Ah. A neighbor from south Roundrock.

I gree with the sentiment, but not the statement. The best thing we can do with Iran is treat them like a nation deserving respect. This is not the same thing as leaving them alone.

For the record, the reason that Iran is in the mess that it is in is NOT because of US intervention. Actually, Iran is not in a mess at all IMO. There are many internal struggles, some of which are inflammatory, some of which the woman is involved with. Many of these are no one's business but theirs.

Many, but not all. The much lauded nuclear arms development is a real and very serious thing, which cannot be left alone. However, Iran is extremely different from Iraq. There is no central power which guides every aspect of life, as there was in Iraq. So the policy can and should be much different. IMO Iraq as it was at the end of the 20th century could not be long endured. Iran, as it is now, can be a good neighbor.

J

 

[Little Raven]

Originally posted by onejayhawk
I gree with the sentiment, but not the statement. The best thing we can do with Iran is treat them like a nation deserving respect. This is not the same thing as leaving them alone.

I think we have different definitions of “leaving them alone.” What I do not want to see is US involvement with parties striving for power. We’ve done that before. It didn’t end out well. In fact, we’ve done that in quite a few countries over the last 50 years, and its almost never worked out well.

This doesn’t mean we have to pretend they don’t exist. If we want to open up trade, bring over more foreign exchange students….that’s great. But we don’t want American dollars flowing into Iranian political parties. That’s a recipe for disaster.

Many, but not all. The much lauded nuclear arms development is a real and very serious thing, which cannot be left alone.

Unfortunately, our hands are somewhat tied right now. We already sanction Iran, so our economic clout is limited. The UN is now looking into Iran, but the council is still suffering from bitter divisions over Iraq, and even the threat of nuclear Iran will probably not be enough to unite it immediately. Our military is committed for the foreseeable future, and I don’t think the UN is going to back military action anytime soon. Israel may try to take unilateral action, but Iran fell for that once, and will probably make it more difficult this time around.

 

[TrailblazingScot]

So the Pope is disappointed...good.

 

[Archer 007]

This is good news. It really makes me feel hope for the whole region.

 

[Grille]

Originally posted by SeleucusNicator
The Iranian "reform" movement, for all of the publicity it gets in the West, has been rather ineffective. If this is the shot in the arm it needs, so be it.

However, I remain skeptical.

While I remain a bit skeptical too, the reform movement seems to have its roots in the society. That's not a bad sign at least.
The nobel price winner actually is a lawyer in Iran and she's not some freedom fighter in exile.
I agree with Little Raven that Iran is probably closer to reforms than any other Middle East country.

Btw, I've heard a report that the number of plastic operations in Teheran is the highest in the world ("small" operations though; the gals don't like their noses). That's just unexpected, when we think of the hard-core regime under Khomeni that denied any of such stuff. The situation seems to have become somewhat informal over there.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

The Shah had embraced a wide array of western ideas.

All the while retaining a brutal and dictatorial hold over the country - like the Saudis or Kuwaitis of today. But I guess that's what pleases Washington - western economics, medieval politics. That's why we hired Saddam in the first place, I suppose.

Anyway, back on topic. Congratulations to this brave woman and may Iranians continue their gradual reform of Iran.

 

[amadeus]

Originally posted by Pontiuth Pilate

All the while retaining a brutal and dictatorial hold over the country - like the Saudis or Kuwaitis of today. But I guess that's what pleases Washington - western economics, medieval politics.

The Shah has been gone for 20 years. Where's your concern over the despots around the world today?

Castro?
Mugabe?
Chavez?

Right...they're anti-U.S. I guess they're okay.

 

[HighlandWarrior]

good for her, i wait patiently for a free iran to emerge.

but sharpe...castro is cool guy...

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

The Shah has been gone for 20 years. Where's your concern over the despots around the world today?

Castro?
Mugabe?
Chavez?

Right...they're anti-U.S. I guess they're okay.

I'm definitely against all these people, I don't know where you got the idea that I feel otherwise

Are you opposed to dictatorships and dictatorial regimes in Saudi Arabia? Kuwait? Pakistan? Uzbekistan? Or does their pro-Washington stance "excuse" their little misbehaviors, you know, boiling people alive, chopping off their hands or tearing off their fingernails, female genital mutilation, that sort of thing...

 

[omichyron]

Originally posted by Riesstiu IV
I have several Iranian friends who are absolutely disgusted with the theocratic government and would like to see a lot of reform. I think there are a lot of Iranians who dislike the current regime, though I am unsure.

my government teacher last year was married to an Iranian. she seemed convinced that the government there was hanging on by a thread. evidently you can bribe yourself across the country with a couple of boxes of cigarettes.

 

[Nad]

Good for her!

Attitudes change over generations, not overnight, so this is a good step but I don't think it will be immediately significant.

 

[Aphex_Twin]

Well, it was certainly surprising. I expected the Pope to win, but my favorite was Vaclav Havel. Yet, after reading the article, I think she was the best choice after all.

 

[jack merchant]

Originally posted by Little Raven
I think we have different definitions of “leaving them alone.” What I do not want to see is US involvement with parties striving for power. We’ve done that before. It didn’t end out well. In fact, we’ve done that in quite a few countries over the last 50 years, and its almost never worked out well.

This doesn’t mean we have to pretend they don’t exist. If we want to open up trade, bring over more foreign exchange students….that’s great. But we don’t want American dollars flowing into Iranian political parties.

Indeed, but that was also not what I meant with my earlier statement on encouraging the reformers. The Shah, clearly was a disaster when it came to methods of reform (secret police, political prisoners and no respect for tradition whatsoever). This kind of encouragement is better, probably.
Though there are Iranians who wouldn't mind a US invasion either, it seems. Among them, curiously, Khomeini's grandson.