Escape to magic mountain

Salutations, Roger.

Today, you are nearer to the Spirit of Iran and the Spirit of Islam than you have ever been before.

Contrast what you see in Iran with what one sees in Pakia, where the Army prostitutes itself and the Nation: to get American Aid they sell their own citizens to Neocon-Zionists for sustaining Gitmo. And then, the Aid given by America is usurped by senior Army Officers, Politicians and Civil Servants (together constituting less than 10 percentage of the population); the Army runs operations against its own citizens – killing hundreds – in its efforts to impress America with its war on terrorists. The truth is that the terrorists in Pakia are the Bureaucrats, the Army and the Politicians.

Also, contrast your observations in Iran with the situation in Afghania, a nation under Foreign Occupation where foreigners have made alliances with Warlords to profitably exploit the Drug-trade; where Afghan blood is not worth a dime – anybody who does not agree with the occupiers and their puppets is killed and news released that yet another terrorist has been eliminated. In fact the person killed might well have been a true Freedom Fighter, or an independent drug grower not wanting to be subservient to the Neocon-Zionist appointed concessionary for drug cultivation.

In Iran, the present religious excess that manifestly exists are a direct outcome of the ir-religiosity of the CIA installed ruler. This excess will in the fullness of time succumb to, or be overpowered by the Spirit of Iran. The implication here is that the Spirit of Iran in synergy with the Spirit of Islam will create a balance between individual desire for freedom and the needs of a strong state.

The region comprising IR of Irania, IR of Afghania, IR of Pakia and the R of Tajikia, once united and with a seat in the Security Council, will be able to play a just role in creating a better World Order.

Cheers – I’ll drink to that. Just a glass of pure Orange Juice!

Started to read this article, I sensed this was one of these magical moments of a long exeperienced journalist finding back his inspiration and youthfull skills; to climb up a on mountain, meeting young people who wants to enjoy life, looking forward into the future with confidence and optimism. Roger share’s their optimism, inspired by a young woman’s smile and the eternal snow covering an impressive mountain overlooking an opressing city, where young people are tortured, hanged or stoned because of passion or small disbehavior.
I think Roger has it right; good will beat evil.

I walked that mountain when it was free. A delightful place, dear to my heart. But make no mistake: civilization can go backwards, and stay there.

The Shah was abominable in many ways, but easier to get rid of, because he did not have God on his side. Abominable theocracies have proven very obdurate, because they are better at making people stupid, and encouraging those who enforce them to feel more righteous.

A war against Iran would be nice for the US plutocrats, and excellent for the Mullahs (because Iran could not be conquered, just scratched). This may prove hard to resist.

Patrice Ayme
http://patriceayme.wordpress.com/

Why do I see and hear Julie Andrews everytime I try to finish this column? Is Roger Cohen really in Iran? Can anyone really see so little of a country?

Congratulations for this excellent article, tant pour la forme que pour le fond.
Je n’ai rien lu d’aussi sensé sur l’iran depuis très longtemps.
J’ai vécu et travaillé en République islamique d’Iran entre 89 et 92 et, du fait de mes fonctions, j’ai été amené à rencontrer de très nombreux jeunes, étudiants le plus souvent. J’ai recueilli alors, peut être même sur les sentiers de l’Alborz, des témoignages très largement comparables à ceux dont se fait aujourd’hui l’écho Roger Cohen dans son article. Le phénomène s’est donc nécessairement amplifié depuis lors. Je souscris donc complètement à ses conclusions.

My first impression of this column is that it was so beautifully written.
At the same time it had an important point. Young people manage to find a way to be together and I think that should please everybody.
During the Bush administration I had the anxiety of war on Iran in the back of my mind. Now that anxiety is gone and the hope for Iran is their election coming up this year.
Ruth Beazer

“The Alborz mountains soar above the north side of the megalopolis that is the Iranian capital, their snowy peaks arousing dreams of evasion in people caught by the city’s bottlenecks. One day I could resist them no longer.”

It happened, that I’ve visited this beautiful place a few decades
ago, just after this “reverse gear revolution” happened.
Then, young peoples of opposite gender, were infrequently holding hands with each other there, it was crime to do this when down in town, the religious police was not around; this was first line of an innocent defiance against the power of suffocating religion.
The religious authorities seem to grant, anyway, this feeling of freedom then, due to … high altitude (!) …, I suppose.

I’ve talked to those young peoples, as well. It was rewarding experience.
Thirty years later, the story is still unfolding. The grip on power by mullahs is significantly easing. Society is slowly changing. It is becoming obvious that Allah is not that great after all, and it is high time to empower the man and get rid off this oppressive nonsense.

That’s why we must be gentle. The power of intelligence is there.

Do we have enough of our own intelligence to handle it? Who knows…, one can always benefit from the margin of the doubt.

Rolland Norman

I enjoy reading your columns- they are most insightful; however, today’s coumn made me wonder if you were not exposing these young Iranian women to persecution by naming names. It wasn’t necessary to put them at risk. False names would have served your purpose.

Two comments on the decision of the Army to recruit foreign nationals who live two years in the US and pay them by giving them the US nationality within six months.
1. We, who have to wait five years, plus years of processing time to become US citizens are insulted.
2. Native Americans are not good enough to serve in the Army.
The Roams did the same thing and they lost their empire.

Are you not concerned that using names in your column will expose these people to danger? I’m sure that they agreed to be named, but perhaps out of youthful bravado or even courage. Nevertheless, you as a more experienced person might act with some restraint. You have established a level of credibility by now and do not need to hit your readers over the head by naming names to create a believable report.

To those who commented that using the names of young people in the article might put them in danger: this is not a Stalinist regime. The government in Iran is actually very tolerant of opposing views as long as you don’t want to take up armed struggle against them. And it’s been getting more open. When I was a kid in Tehran, we had to be careful whom we criticized in public. Last year when I visited, I heard open criticism of everything and everyone in public.

Cohen disappoints me.

This article followes the cliched formula of the American journalist pretending to be objective while reinforcing stereotypes about a third world country that his country is politically at loggerheads with.

Mr Cohen, we all know that public displays of affection between the opposite sexes are frowned upon in Iran and that women are expected to be clothed conservatively in public but isnt the western aproach to the growth and consumption of some plants equally medieval?.

We know there probably are prizons where executions are frequent but some would ask where being executed in a prizon is on the civilization scale compared to bombing unidentified people with drones?

By bringing forth ad nauseam the same old tired images - “a society whose ultimate bond is fear”, Cohen proves he is an old world westerner unable to look at anything foreign without the prism of the -societies that dont agree with us are tribal and barbaric - mentality.

One sentiment in the article that I do agree with is that change in Iran is more likely if the United States shows restraint. Cohen is not exactly helping that cause by writing an article that is designed to make make his ignorant brethren favour more American interventionism in Iran.

Its true that Roger should feel at home in Iran-or perhaps more particularly Tehran-where the rich live.He is after all -despite his liberal credentials that Americans love to flaunt-essentially a rightwing freemarket capitalist looking for ways to justify the American way of life
And talking to these educated women -doing graphic design or electrical engineering courses (imagine!) its so homely-and American…
And if he delved deeper he might find more surprisingly American things- as in Pakistan where he would be taken aside by his rich friends and offered a glass of whisky or even some insight into the love affairs and sexual complexities of the upper classes…
And all this hypocracy rests of the endless pumping out of religion- religion-religion–to keep the mass of poor people happy .
In Iran the religious leaders know all about this -and probably dont really care-as long as private freedoms are kept out of sight of the masses-its the masses who have to be fed all the time with religion
I have said it before but -three quarters of the people are worked to death in these Muslim countries three quarters in modern Pakistan cant read or write a word in any language…the infant mortality rates that could be easily brought down with government effort are appallingly high
The whole thing is really only a huge confidence trick -ignore the National Geographic pretty pictures approach.

So what can be done? The only thing that can really lift up these countries is socialism .But nothing terrifies Muslems -and Americans more! I have not read the word socialism in any of these comments-not once!Where has it gone?

Having huge government owned industrial complexes is not socialism.Socialism is a desire to raise people out of their poverty or difficult living conditions and creating a condition to be able to do that

What Rogers approach subtely -and horribly suggests is a desire to bring the American dream really and truly to Iran .At the moment its got half the story-all the real money in the hands of a tiny percent,appalling healthcare for the masses and a people worked to death with no security-except their religion of course.

Now if we could only replace that religion with Americas real religion-ever more violent films endless sexual titivation with no real romance or satisfaction and of course the religion of eating yourself to death on junkfood -poisoning your brain with idiot TV programmes-and accepting whatever your Jewish controlled politicians tell you -what a conquest we would have made!

Yes- I confess I prefer the American religious dope to the Iranian but is there really much between them in their ultimate drugging effects?

Mr. Cohen,
I am most hopeful that Pres.Obama and his administration will read your elegantly written piece on “The Majic Mountain.” Our country’s patience and the firm support of the young, educated Iranians in your article are certainly the keys to the future of Iran and our relationship with them and many others in the Middle East. Bravo, and thank you.

Congratulations for this excellent article. I read it twice and i was very impressed, the feelings of the people are very well described and I like the last part very much,

All first world, civilized nations have a universal health insurance system, except America. Does that mean that the US is neither first world nor civilized?

Mr. Cohen,

Thank you so much for writing these wonderful articles. They are beautiful and show the humanity of the Iranian people. Your stories reflect exactly the experiences I had the last time I was in Iran:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/.....-coop.html

There is a naivete running through the commentary and interviews. Folks think the Ayatollah and his Islamist followers don’t really mean what they say, or perhaps, if they really do mean everything they say, some sit-down and discourse will clear the misunderstandings between us. Can’t we just get along? The answer is NO.

Read the Koran and Hadith, please, to understand that they mean every word they say , that they are obligated by Allah to make jihad, and to dominate the world. It is required of the leaders, no matter how unjust, to be obeyed, and to impose Islam on all, everywhere he can, The ruler may use any means, including lying to your face, and the sword, to achieve submission.

Roger thinks this reality can be finessed, that it couldn’t possibly be true that Islam must always and at all times seek to dominate the world.

WAKE UP!!!

I am re-submitting my protest to one reader’s comment because I don’t understand why my comment was cencored. In fact, censoring a response to a religious criticism suggests one religion is being exceptionally favoured by the IHT over another. Herbert Rubin, M.D., wrote:

“Read the Koran and Hadith, please, to understand that they mean every word they say , that they are obligated by Allah to make jihad, and to dominate the world. It is required of the leaders, no matter how unjust, to be obeyed, and to impose Islam on all, everywhere he can, The ruler may use any means, including lying to your face, and the sword, to achieve submission.”

Well, I have actually read the Talmud (the entire Babylonian Talmud) in English and can confirm that the criticisms levelled above apply even more accurately to the Talmud, so here’s yet another case of people in glass houses throwing stones. I am ready to accept the challenge, by anyone, of submitting passages from the Talmud that vary between moronic and barbaric.

dear M.Cohen

I appriciated very much your article.We iranian and jews are living together since 3000 thouusand years without any problem,culturel wise many of them are more iranian than many other iranians.
.During this recent revolution there was many unjustified and unfortunate mistreatment towards many iranians including jews.This was very sad,but that was mainely because of revotutionary fever.We hope that in futur the civil society of Iran wil prevail and avoid these sad events.
Now if we wnat to have stability in this region it is of prime importance to present Iran to the world as it is truly and not through the dark glass which were used till present due to many political and economical considerations