THEY MISS THE POINT:

Iran to US: 'It's a culture thing' (Shahir Shahidsaless , 5/15/09, Asia Times)

The term "cultural aggression", which is broadly and frequently used by the Iranian government, especially the commanders of the Sepah (the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Council) and Basij (gigantic part-time militia organization controlled by Sepah), is a reference to cultural infiltration by the West in general and the United States in particular, with the goal of ruining Islamic values in Iranian society.

Although parts of the Iranian government, even at the highest ranks (for example Hashemi Rafsanjani, chairman of the Assembly of Exports and head of the Expediency Discernment Council) is favorable to opening a dialogue with the US. They are also hesitant and appear perplexed by one troubling question: would establishing relations with the US provide an opportunity to the pro-Western elements - as they are called by the government - to rise and possibly challenge their authority?

American culture has benefited from an unprecedented level of capital and technology during the globalization process. Part of this culture, such as pop and rock music, Hollywood and clothing brands such as Gap, is seeping into Iranian society. Numerous Persian satellite television stations broadcast Hollywood movies, fashion and relations between young men and women, which are symbols of moral corruption in the eyes of the ruling power and its traditional religious supporters. But they are seen as symbols of freedom and modernity in the minds of a sizable and undeniable section of urban Iranian society.

One of the main tasks of Sepah is to combat "organized cultural aggression" and "soft subversion". These concepts refer to the attack and corruption of Islamic values within society in an organized and deliberate manner. In late March, in its biggest crackdown Sepah arrested a network of 26 men and women who were involved in producing pornographic movies and stories mocking Islamic beliefs. One of the seized porn sites had 300,000 registered Iranian users, and some porn clips were downloaded six million times, according to Sepah.

The government of Iran is convinced that pursuant to a new plan, the US is now plotting to corrupt Iran's very young population. According to the Woodrow Wilson Center, 70% of the population is under the age of 30. In the eyes of the Iranian authorities, this gradual process of cultural imposition and domination has replaced the doctrine of militarily force and regime change.

We don't plan the corruption. It's a function of communications and superior culture.

Posted by Orrin Judd at May 14, 2009 6:05 AM