Misc

healthy suspicion

Then I take it your suspicion is a healthy one. Keep it alive. I personally preferred Reza Pahlavi taking a more active role in leadership. It's more effective and far better than this sort of suspicion that his current PR role creates. But this is what he does and I suspect if we see any change in it, it would be under the pressure of us, and him -again- as a spokesperson. But I wanted him to be more clear about him willing to be and remain the Shah of Iran, while the fate of the constitution will be in the hands of people.

Considering the realities of today's world, it is absurd to think Reza Pahlavi will go back to the same dictatorship solution that his father has chosen. Nonetheless, having this suspicion while considering this concept is far better than an abrupt rejection.

But try to understand. This is not about Reza Pahlavi. It's about us. It's about us facing our historic guilt and moving forward for a viable secular alternative to this regime. The real suspicious thing is inside us. 

Sazegara is doing well

So far - as long as he does not try to impose his or anyone elses views on what must replace the current AN coup government.   He has a tendency to push for Moussavi presidency at times - but apparantly he has now adjusted and is doing well.   I am glad to see people like him - with dark past - do what they can to make up.   I also like the fact that  he can focus on the future - look ahead instead of constantly looking back. 

Then, i go back to your own point

If none of those groups have the potential who does?

plus, let's say Mousavi finally overcomes the right. This time, he will have a strong mandate that Khatami never had. People will feel empowered and reform will bring more reform. At the end, the regime and the constitution will change. It's all better outcome than what we saw in 1979 since that one was the brainchild of Khomeini and everyone blindly followed him.

Right now, i believe, we should rally behind the people of Iran and demand the smallest: we want our vote to count. One small step at a time. 

Benross

Are you telling me that Reza Pahlavi denies himself of any leadership role, and is doing PR job for a headless organisation? If the answer is "yes" then I'd suggest you to read some works of pre-revolution Khomeini just to get enough insight to draw a parallel. You don't need me to tell you Brecht won't take you anywhere.

Irooni

جناح به اصطلاح اصلاح طلب ،خود ثمره نارضایتی مردمست که بهرحال تحت هرنامی ورنگی متبلور میشد. حلّ وفصل مسائل ایران محتاج بینش فراگروهیست. سلطنت طلبها، واخوردگان رژیم و متحجّران مذهبی ِمجاهد خلق و  چپ های سرگردان در آسیاب سرمایه داری غرب فاقد پتانسیل لازم برای ارزیابی وبرنامه ریزی جهت حلّ مسائل عدیده ایران هستند. مطلب دیگر اینکه برنامه‌اتمی ایران لقمه چربیست که سپاه تنازع خود را در گرو تصاحب آن میبیند و الی آخر...

spokesperson and leadership

Calling our collective effort for finding a leader "an emotional debate" sounds a bit skewed.

Agreed again. But this is how the reaction was so far, every time I bring-up the issue. Finding a leader is a bit like waiting for godot. If Reza Pahlavi was a leader, he could have shown us a bit of it until now. He is Reza Pahlavi and a very good spokesperson for what we want to achieve. And he has every right to be that spokesperson, not only by his training but by his inheritance.

Everything else in terms of 'leadership' should be resolved and produced by political activists who organize themselves in a single organization, which recognizes the monarchic constitution until freedom and an overhaul of the constitution. We abroad, organize ourselves around such concept, Iranians inside will follow in no time. But again, the concept has to be understood. We put down the project of modernity 30 years ago and we have to lift it up again and carry on.

The other option of-course, is what Irooni is suggesting.

ایرانیان خارج از کشور, سکوت

تنها  مردم داخل ایران توانایی و حق انتخاب رهبران و آینده  خود را دارند.
آنچه مسلم است  تغیر این رژیم فقط از درون خود رژیم میثر است.
همین جنبش کنونی سمرة سالها کوشش توسط جناح اصلاح طلب است.
موفقیتهای آینده نیز بستگی به شکافهای عمیقتر بخصوص در درون سپاه دارد.
اگر مردم ایران اشخاصی چون موسوی, کروبی,..,سازگارا را انتخاب میکنند, ما که هستییم که مخالفت کنیم؟

L.A Mentality Knows No Border...

I am totally flattered,Benross. It's been a while since someone called me a sample of modernity last time. This is too much pressure on my feeble shoulders!!. To whom do I owe it?

Calling our collective effort for finding a leader "an emotional debate" sounds a bit skewed.

Well, I'm not in L.A.

Well, I'm not in L.A. Faghaan and I don't know anything about flag sellers. But Iranian flag is a major part of this concept which rejects any part of Islamic regime.

The sample of modernity in the past is YOU in the present. For the rest, it is best to refer to the historic books as I'm reading now a couple of books from Ervand Abrahaman. He is quite good. But I'm not going to change a political debate to an emotional debate about the bitter taste that the historic failures of modernity project has left in the mouth of all of us. I say if we want to be truly modernist, -where secularism is coming from- we must connect to whatever it achieved in the past and not be like a bunch of orphans left in the emptiness of history.

Benross

I didn't know that monarchists have formed a solid concept; and who is leading them?. the "flag seller" in L.A ?

Can you also enlighten your readers on the subject of modernity in the past?. some examples will help everyone to understand what you're suggesting. 

concept first

A solid political proposal comes from a solid body of people not a single person. I honestly believe Ahmadinejad camp is more open to 'negotiation' than the green camp. But either way we should first represent a solid body of people. Perhaps you missed my comment in that link but if you didn't, then the focus should be on the concept first, before getting to a solid proposal.

The concept is to lift the modernity project in Iran exactly where we put it down. Meaning a total rejection of legitimacy of Islamic regime, formation of a single organization based on the only legitimate document of modernity project in Iran -monarchic constitution- and go from there. If we are truly modern and secular, we can then see how easily this concept can respond to any democratic and secular framework outcome.

It's Not Christmas Yet

Having a wish list is one thing; putting a solid political  proposal forward is something else. Don't disappoint me.

agreed

Then the best, if not the only feasible, way is to give much deserved prominence to the alternative that people like you suggest. Let's hear it.

Agreed. But promoting this idea, that we should give prominence to the discussions surrounding the alternative is right now more important than the actual alternative being discussed.

But to have an idea about my project of alternative, this is a discussion that didn't go anywhere:

//iranian.com/main/blog/jahanshah-rashidi...

Benross

Then the best, if not the only feasible, way is to give much deserved prominence to the alternative that people like you suggest. Let's hear it.

فغان

Do you have an alternative in your mind?

Yes I do. But this is not the point. The point is IS THIS AN ALTERNATIVE AT ALL? 

These people are killing any attempt, any discussion and any effort which is focused on an alternative.

If their excuse is the reality of repression inside Iran, then they better leave us abroad alone to focus on an alternative and not trowing a stone on every step of the way bragging about the number of people who shout allaho-akbar or ya hossain mir hossain.

They constantly claim people -specially young urban- are not putting their lives on line for Moosavi or anybody else. Moosavi says the green movement is increasing a national movement. Yet they remain completely mute about where they are going. If they are truly honest (which I doubt) they are begging us -Iranians abroad- to speak out load and clear on behalf of a secular alternative and the end of IRI.

Benross

Do you have an alternative in your mind?

who knows

what people like Sazgara are after? after all this is the same guy that created the facist reveloutionery guard.

I think what people like him want to do, is to remove Ahmadinejad and replace him with a milder version  like Mousavi. Then mousavi will most likely compromise on nuclear issue and he may even put an stop to it all together. In return U.S will recognize the new government as a legitimate government and might even start investing here and there in Iran. Finally  with a little luck the IRI lackeys in power now will put suite and tie on and continue with this regime under a new banner of 'reformed islamic republic'.  Politcs makes strange bed fellows my friends.....

dishonest

This is the most dishonest discourse I've ever heard. It can no longer be justified by the regime repression. I, as an Iranian -any Iranian- have the right to know where you want to go by intensifying the resistance and paralyzing the government.

This is a scenario to put happy face on the same rotten regime. I'm not game.