Election 2008: The Importance of Involvement

Over the past few weeks I have been working feverishly gathering information and resources concerning the upcoming elections (both Presidential and Congressional). I remain amazed at the wealth of electoral knowledge and information that is easily available to everyone. No doubt many of the people who are reading this blog have already received NIAC reminders concerning the elections (as the notices are time sensitive those who have later primaries or caucuses will not receive theirs until later) and have seen how much information is really at your fingertips when it comes to voting and participating. It is our position at NIAC that every Iranian American can help initiate change and progress and to do so requires diligence and effort.

Naval Incident Shows Need for Greater Communication

The radio transmission that almost caused a firefight between US navy warships and the Iranian military might have been the work of a heckler known as the ‘Filipino monkey.’

NIAC Attacked on the Hill

Well, they’re at it again. At an event last Friday on Capitol Hill, entitled “Iran’s Strategic Concerns and U.S. Interests,” supporters of the outlawed terrorist organization Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) made an unsuccessful attempt to create a spectacle by attacking NIAC and its founder Trita Parsi. In the end, though, these supporters of a U.S.-Iran war ended up only embarrassing themselves.

Lantos has left the building: Sort of

Last week, Representative Tom Lantos [D-CA-12] announced his intention to step down in January 2009 due to pancreatic cancer. Lantos is chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and second in seniority on the Oversight Committee. His departure creates a critical opening in the democratic leadership and the potential to steer a new course in US-Iran relations.

Samore Wants to Talk to Iran…But Just Not Yet

Gary Samore doesn’t believe that negotiations with Iran should be pursued under the current administration. Instead, he thinks Bush should work towards another round of UN sanctions and leave the dialogue up to the next administration.

In his presentation at the Woodrow Wilson Center entitled “Prospects for an Iranian Nuclear Deal”, Samore argued that Bush should just ride out his current approach for the rest of his ‘lame duck’ term.

The Abuse of Iran’s Student Activists

The Los Angeles Times recently published a very interesting article profiling Babak Zamanian, a 22 year old student activist attending Iran’s Amir Kabir University. In short, the article describes his imprisonment in Tehran and the price he has paid for speaking his mind. His time at Evin prison, and the physical and psychological suffering he underwent there are a disturbing but common story in Iran.

Democrats Battle for Votes in SC and NV as Republicans Lay Out for Michigan

We are nearing the end of January as this presidential race is proving to be the most fluid and exciting in recent memory. Dare we say it, the Republican race is sizzling as the candidates are giving last-minute appeals for votes in the critical Michigan primary. The latest Real Clear Politics’ poll has former governor Mitt Romney (R-MA) holding a slim lead over Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) of 27% to 26.3%. The Iranian American community has a golden opportunity to make their voice heard as the Republican contenders are scrambling for votes.

Friendship on the Fault Lines

It is tragic when the only thing that is able to transcend bellicose rhetoric and confrontational policies is a catastrophe that flattens an entire city and consumes 50,000 lives in one night. In 2003 an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 destroyed the 2,000 year old citadel of Bam, entrapping and burying the inhabitants as the ancient city came crumbling down. Among those buried were Adele Freedman and Tobb Dell’Oro, two American tourists. Jahangir Golestan’s documentary, BAM 6.6, tells the intertwining stories of these two individuals along with the Iranians surrounding them.

The aim of the movie is to show how human empathy “transcends geopolitical differences with a simple message of love and hope amidst tragedy, unfolding through the story of two young American victims of this devastating earthquake.” Despite the uplifting feel good aura of the movie, what caught my attention was the international aid that poured into Bam particularly that from the United States.

The Youth Boom in Iran

In the world of demography, the term “demographic gift” refers to a situation where fertility and mortality rates fall and the resulting shift in population creates an influx of working age young people in a nation. This “boom” can help turn an entire nation around as a flood of young citizens can rejuvenate a lagging economy or bolster a weakened government. While a large workforce can be a powerful asset for a country, it will be difficult for Iran to develop opportunities for its youth without radical policy changes.

In order to address these issues, the Wolfensohn Center for Development at the Brookings institute, partnered with the Dubai School of Government hosted a panel discussion concerning the evolving demographic changes and the political economy of specific Middle Eastern countries. Titled “From Oil Boom to Youth Boom: Tapping the Middle East Demographic Gift,” the forum included an analysis from Virginia Tech Professor of Economics and visiting fellow at the Brookings Institute, Djavad Salehi Isfahani.

Our Community’s Influence on the Presidential Primary Races

As the national Presidential elections heat up after the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries, the Iranian American community can look forward to its participation in the states where it overwhelmingly resides.  On February 5^th, 50.9% of Democratic delegates and 44% of Republican delegates to the national conventions will be selected from states including California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and Minnesota.

Iranian-Americans have a real opportunity to affect the outcome of some of these elections for both the Republican and the Democratic parties.  However, we can only do this as a community if we are informed about the process and participate in great numbers.  This month, NIAC published an article on the potential Iranian-American influence in the Presidential Primary process that I hope helps further educate our community.

Below are a few thoughts on the candidates and I welcome you to join the conversation about these important elections.