January 30, 2003
MAKE THE PIE HIGHER:
Iran Veers Between Admiration and Resentment of American Power: Even as Iran declares its opposition to an American-led war to topple Saddam Hussein in Iraq, it is leaving all its options open in case war comes. (ELAINE SCIOLINO, January 30, 2003, NY Times)At the Friday Prayer sermon last week at the University of Tehran, Iran's official national pulpit, Ayatollah Mohammad Emami-Kashani condemned the United States for "drunkenness" in pursuing the goal of dominating the world.That night, in a low-budget play that opened at a theater festival a few miles away, a despondent, drug-addled young man dressed in a T-shirt emblazoned with an American flag vowed to find happiness by going to America.
The two images capture the extremes in Iran's discourse about the United States. At one end, America is still an evil-intentioned enemy that must be opposed at every turn. At the other, particularly among the two-thirds of the population that is under 25, it is called the "Fortune Land," a mythical place of limitless opportunity and freedom.
But images can deceive. Quietly, as a result of the projection of American power in the region since Sept. 11, Iran has embarked on a pragmatic strategy of pursuing its national interests within the context of America's overwhelming military might. So even as Iran declares its opposition to an American-led war to topple Saddam Hussein in Iraq, it is leaving all its options open in case war comes.
My math isn't so hot, so maybe someone can help me, but if two thirds admire us and the one third that resents us is willing to work with us--even if only implicitly, rather than explicity--doesn't that get us fairly close to three thirds? Posted by Orrin Judd at January 30, 2003 9:09 AM
How much political weight do people under the age of 15 have in Iran?
Posted by: pj at January 30, 2003 9:34 AMConsidering that's half the country, probably a lot.
Posted by: oj at January 30, 2003 10:10 AMI think it depends on which third has the guns.....
Posted by: Barry Meislin at January 30, 2003 11:33 AMLike Harry said, the bazaar (small merchants) don't seem to have turned against the hardliners yet.
Posted by: M Ali Choudhury at January 30, 2003 11:38 AMWe have the toddler demographic, and that suggests that time is on our side . . . But Iran's race to stockpile WMD suggests that we'd better hurry. Will be interesting to see what tack the Bush admin takes. I expect they'll put off action to a second term.
Posted by: pj at January 30, 2003 12:15 PMWHY ARE WE STILL EVEN READING THAT NEWSPAPER?! IT'S FRITTERED EVERY LAST VESTIGE OF ITS FORMER CREDIBILITY.
Posted by: Sparky the Clown (my real name) at January 30, 2003 8:49 PMSparky - this is a humor site, and the NY Times is the nation's leading journal of comedic affairs.
Posted by: pj at January 30, 2003 9:45 PM