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Iran's False Prophet

(New York Sun) Youssef Ibrahim - If intelligence organizations are doing their work, their agents ought to be reporting that most Iranians think their president is a rather simpleminded fanatic, not someone to be taken seriously. Those cunning Grand Ayatollahs - while silent for the moment - are not at all amused by Ahmadinejad's shenanigans. As with his predecessor, Mohammed Khatemi, a man intensely disliked by the ayatollahs, their strategy is to give the president a rope with which to hang himself. Ahmadinejad may be unbalanced, but his elders are not. They recognize that their whole country will be destroyed if they ever use, or almost use, a weapon of mass destruction. I lived there as a foreign correspondent for the New York Times before, during, and after the revolution of 1979 and have visited at least 20 times since. A closer look will reveal a citizenry far more eager to go forward with economic development than follow Ahmadinejad to any war, especially one against America or Israel. The Grand Ayatollahs know Iran would not stand a chance in any nuclear confrontation, but they would like to milk the tension for all it is worth. Instead of saber-rattling, now is a time to divide and conquer. Iran wants to be recognized as a power in the Persian Gulf, which it already is. In return, the Grand Ayatollahs would gladly serve up Ahmadinejad for dessert. American, Israeli, and European policy-makers should help them make the move.
2006-04-15 00:00:00
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