Trudy:
I often agree with your editorials, but “Reject the idea of war with Iran” is not one of them. Let me explain. I am a basically peaceful child psychiatrist. But I recently had an eye-opening experience in both Oklahoma City and Denver. In both cases, I happened to have Iranian limo drivers.
They were “good guys” easy to talk with after I asked ‘em where they were from, and how long they’d been in the states. I won’t bore you with the pleasant conversation I had with each, but they both spontaneously made the following points:
“Peace loving” Americans have no idea what it is like living under a theocracy and how very dangerous it is for the world and for the Iranian population.
“These guys” (their language) are not nice. They are not kidding when they say Israel (and America) should be destroyed. They will not hesitate to bomb whoever they wish when they have the power to do so. They have killed many Iranian citizens and have no concern about killing outside their borders.
To depend on the basically good (and loving) population to overthrow the government or to stop a war “is dreaming” (Oklahoma City) or “crazy” (Denver). They expounded along the lines: “Do you think the average Iranian wanted to go to war with Iraq for 8 years!!!?"
In the minds of Iranian’s leaders (“it’s hard for American’s to conceive”) other religions should be wiped out and those of another religion deserve only to die or accept Allah. If they die, they are assured a really cozy spot in heaven. The rest of us will go straight to hell.
Anyway, Trudy, when I read your column advocating “waiting for internal change,” I just had to write. Most American’s were against the war in Vietnam, and many against the war in Iraq, and this did not stop either for years. And this is a democracy for heaven’s sake! The people are supposed to have some power!
If it takes internal change to change the Iranian government’s course, according to the men I talked to (and they did sound knowledgeable), it will be long after the bomb is dropped.
