Shameful Insanity in Iran

Amid the scenes of Iranians bravely and peacefully protesting the results of last week's blatantly rigged election, on Friday Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had the audacity to address his nation and blame the "Zionist-affiliated media [for] falsely portraying [the] political situation." This, in a world where even the most aggressive attempts by the Iranian government to block Internet, television and cell phone use all miserably failed to prevent thousands of protesters' high-resolution pictures, videos and news articles from reaching the outside world. The Ayatollah should be ashamed of his ignorance, while Israel and the West should prepare to act as Khamenei's goons are beginning to crack down on their fellow Iranians.

What the Ayatollah shamefully ignored is that the so-called "Zionist media" could not have falsely portrayed the Iranian protests, nor did anyone or any global entity have to do so mischievously. Instead it was and is Iran's own populace which continues to broadcast their nation's defining moment - proudly, defiantly, and peacefully for the whole world to see, using Twitter as their newest digital vehicle. In fact, equipped with its daft, geriatric leaders, the world's sole Islamic Republic finds itself all alone in ignoring the digital media revolution transpiring on their own youth-filled streets.

Unlike in 1979, Iranian students today are armed with the latest nigh-unstoppable technological means of instantly sharing their courageous message, and are doing a better job than any mass-scale misinformation campaign could ever have. Indeed, in an increasingly pervasive digital world, Ayatollah Khamenei's finger-pointing at the "Zionist media" is strikingly retro in its vague, generic ugliness. It is as if the Ayatollah does not understand that almost every cell-phone today is equipped with picture and video camera capability and thus any moment, anywhere, can be instantly recorded and shared with the world.

As a further indictment of the Ayatollah's age and fleeting competence, the re-anointment of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the least forward-thinking, purely short-term decision for the life of the Iranian theocracy. But in spite all of the obvious problems that Ahmadinejad represents to the world around Iran, Khamenei appears at this time more comfortable with the 'devil he knows' in his pal Mahmoud. Alternatively, while Mousavi is no political outsider to Khamenei --having served as Iran's Prime Minister from 1981-1989 during the horrifying Iran-Iraq War-- his alleged 'reform' platform may ultimately scare the Ayatollah away from giving him the presidential reins of power.

Again this uncertainty suggests that Khamenei's ultimate authority and intellectual supremacy may be crumbling inside the Iranian theocratic machine. Certainly some of Iran's political leaders have by now questioned Khamenei's wisdom in castigating an overwhelming majority of young Iranians, most of whom are now valiantly opposing the regime's oppressive actions. These are also the same young Iranians that will begin assuming positions of influence within the country over the next decade, learning the ropes of power to one-day-soon remove their clearly foolish political elders.

In my article published Tuesday entitled “The Inevitable Iranian Crisis", I suggested that if the Ayatollah's were calculating longer-term, then Mousavi was a more logical candidate for Khamenei to hand-pick to lead the Iranian nation. Nonetheless, in an effort to condemn the West, blame the "Zionists" and reinforce his rapidly withering grip on 'supreme' power, Khamenei has chosen a comfortable fate that tragically will only lead to future conflict, internal instability and more destitution for the Iranian populace. It may also lead to his deposal.

This is an outcome that Mousavi's supporters can most definitely foresee. The current vigor and enthusiasm displayed by the young 20-something crowds in calling for the replacement of Ahmadinejad will eventually give way to the cold, jobless financial and social realities of living in an increasingly sanctioned nation. Some might disagree and suggest that their dire physical situation will instead lengthen their protests and strengthen their movement. Either way, the protesters' resolve is being put to the ultimate test.

Further, as Iran's leaders relentlessly pursue nuclear capabilities --with all of the resultant questioning over its flagrantly covert nature-- these same young Iranians can see the potentially cataclysmic conflict that just might explode over Ahmadinejad's stubborn defiance of international demands to halt nuclear enrichment work. This issue presents a paradox for Israeli and Western policymakers, as the Iranian nuclear program is seen as a ray of technological hope and national pride for these same repressed Iranians, but is nevertheless a frightening tool wielded in the hands of Ahmadinejad, Khamenei and even Mousavi.

Accordingly Ahmadinejad's vile rhetoric will more than likely increase over the next few months as his re-anointment solidifies his belief that Allah has selected him to hasten the return of the 12th "Hidden Imam". In speech after speech this fanatical, Holocaust-denying national president has made clear his fundamental belief that Allah alone has placed him where he is to lead the world into the Islamic Apocalypse. If only Iran had the venomous weapons capability to ignite such a conflict, Ahmadinejad might soon be in paradise and the Persian and Israeli sands aglow with the soft green tinge of a fresh nuclear missile exchange.

This is not "Zionist" here say, Western hyperbole or underhanded slander against Ahmadinejad, but rather a factual account of Ahmadinejad and Khamenei's utterly twisted 'End Times' worldview. One need only watch Ahmadinejad's sub-titled speeches on YouTube (particularly at the UN General Assembly in September 2007) to uncover these disturbing truths about Iran's newly re-anointed, nuclear-weapons-seeking president. The terrifying realities should serve as a stark backdrop to the violent crackdown on protesters and to the Iranian Regime’s last-ditch efforts to maintain absolute power. This is a regime that will seek survival at all costs in order to soon fulfill their perceived apocalyptic destiny.

How then, does the West support such a repressed society against their loathed regime, while simultaneously putting an abrupt stop to that regime's contentious, rapidly-advancing nuclear program? How is it possible to engage the Supreme Leaders of Iran on the single most dangerous, volatile and lethal weapons technology, when the same men so proudly defy international calls either for a new election or at the very least an open, transparent recount of the votes?

This dilemma is so patently confounding that warning sirens should be blaring in the heads of any Western diplomat seriously considering "negotiations without preconditions” with the Iranian Islamic Republic. Any shred of credibility that Iran's "Supreme Leaders" may have possessed (and there was little even before this election) has now been incinerated in the fires of Ayatollah Khamenei's intransigence, ignorance and ignominy. If anything, these future nuclear negotiations should have more preconditions than ever before to ensure that any potential resolution on Iran’s nuclear program is actually adhered to, respected and enforced.

Israeli leaders would be wise to take note of this intellectual quagmire, and ultimately prepare for worst case scenarios. Israel is caught in the crosshairs of this international morass as a negotiable bargaining chip, while literally being caught in the crosshairs of Iran’s avowed proxy armies Hamas and Hizbullah. With a whole generation of young, freedom-yearning Iranians depending on the West's support during their current leader's shamefully insane moment, Prime Minister Netanyahu must stake Israel’s position and stick to it with unrelenting determination.

Further the protesters’ vivid pictures and Twittered accounts must speak far louder than Ayatollah Khamenei's failing attempts to shut them up. Iranian students are to be encouraged to continue aggressively seeking professions that will provide the experience and personal skills needed to lead Iran out of its dark days today, into a brighter future alongside the rest of the international community. As an emblem of peaceable democracy in the region, Israel too can join with these Iranian students to leverage their potential futures against their leaders’ delusional nuclear dreams. Israel --and the Iranian students-- have few other options at this contentious time.