Charlie Rose

sksfloor  09/01/2009 03:24 AM Report

Never mentioned once in this interview is the Apartheid and Genocide against the Women of Iran*****The last letter written by Dr. Parsa from prison to her children "I am a doctor, so I have no fear of death. Death is only a moment and no more. I am prepared to receive death with open arms rather than live in shame by being forced to be veiled. I am not going to bow to those who expect me to express regret for fifty years of my efforts for equality between men and women. I am not prepared to wear the chador and step back in history." She was executed by firing squad.

sksfloor  09/01/2009 03:24 AM Report

Never mentioned once in this interview is the Apartheid and Genocide against the Women of Iran*****The last letter written by Dr. Parsa from prison to her children "I am a doctor, so I have no fear of death. Death is only a moment and no more. I am prepared to receive death with open arms rather than live in shame by being forced to be veiled. I am not going to bow to those who expect me to express regret for fifty years of my efforts for equality between men and women. I am not prepared to wear the chador and step back in history." She was executed by firing squad.

REMant  06/24/2009 05:52 PM Report

We can of course withdraw what recognition we have accorded the regime, but I am not sure that accomplishes very much, and I suppose that the protestors there have their hawks as much as we. That the regime is digging its own grave by its action should be evident to everyone. The only way they can turn the bad publicity around is by externalizing it, such as blaming the BBC. It is interesting that they have largely avoided blaming us. Obama, could, I suppose, like Reagan, suggest that Iran let citizens leave the country, which as in Eastern Europe might bring down the regime, or increase the pressure on them. That is. BTW, all Reagan demanded.

antonino227  06/24/2009 01:49 PM Report

I have been watching Charlie Rose since 2006. I just recently registered with this website so that I can start contributing to the conversation. First, I would like to say that I enjoy watching such thoughtful and deliberative discussions because they acknowledge the complexities that exist within these various issues. I just wish such conversations took place in the mainstream media. I commend Charlie Rose and the people behind the scenes who make this happen on a daily basis.

As for the discussion on Iran: I agree with the panel in that the United States must walk a fine line between engagement with the Iranian people (with regard to recognizing the human rights violations that have taken place), as well as not making the United States the central issue (which would play right into the hands of the Iranian government).

Honestly, I wouldn't know where to begin to remedy the situation in that country. There are numerous interests at stake, all of which are conflicting. Coming from a limited a U.S. national security perspective, I would continue to convey an earnest, diplomatic foreign policy. Allow the Iranian government to gradually cripple itself until there exists a culturally appropriate context for the Iranian people to make the changes they seek. If any drastic changes are forced from the United States or other Sunni nations, there will be a strong backlash, and the Iranian people will lose out on an opportunity to make some kind of incremental change.

The problem with my suggestion is that it goes against the grain of making great changes immediately. I have neither the expertise nor foresight to predict whether such policy changes are viable. What's important, I think, is for the media to acknowledge and communicate to the American people that we should look at the Iran case as both an evolving process, and also as a specific case that warrants the recognition of historical events and not application of broad foreign policy theories.