Is It All About Selling the Airbus?

Shaheen Fatemi, Iran va Jahan, Editorial:

In an article in the International Herald Tribune of February 19, 2005, Senator Jean Francois-Poncet asks President Bush to "negotiate" with the Mullahs but fails to make a convincing case for his recommendation. In his article he concedes that "neither Europeans nor Americans have any doubt about the military character of the Iranian program." He further agrees that this regime poses a security threat to Israel and to the stability of the entire Middle East. In addition, the former foreign minister of France who is familiar with the country from the days of his assignment in Iran, finds neither the Iranian "guarantees" nor the IAEA's inspections "enough to guarantee that the program (will) remain civil."

While the writer presents a convincing and factual account of the regime's ultimate ambition for obtaining nuclear weapons at any cost, he fails to recall the deceitful manner by which for 18 years it succeeded to advance its nuclear project while avoiding international inspection until it was exposed by an opposition group.

Under such circumstances, it is incomprehensible how the former foreign minister could recommend that President Bush proceed with the "lifting of the American embargo, which prevents Europe from delivering equipment, notably the Airbus, and the advanced technologies that Iran wants."

One should be grateful to Monsieur Francois-Poncet for being so clear and to the point. And for putting it in such a straight and simple language that everyone can understand instead of the Orwellian language of diplomacy. Thanks to him, now we fully understand the meaning of the so-called European initiative: it is all about-selling Airbus and making" advanced technology" available to the Mullahs regardless of its ultimate consequences.

What the Iranian people are most in need of is moral support from the free world in their struggle for democracy and freedom not more advanced weapons for an oppressive and totalitarian regime. Why is it that the European leaders prefer to retard rather than enhance the march toward freedom that has already begun in the Middle East? When was the last time that a European leader expressed support for the struggle of the Iranian people in their long and hard fight for liberty and equality?

As Presidents Chirac and Bush join voices in support of the people of Lebanon in their struggle for freedom and independence, one wonders why such a common front in defense of democracy could not be extended to Iran. After all, Ayatollah Khomeini fomented the destructive Iranian Revolution from the safety of French protection at Nauphle-le-Chateau and arrived in Teheran on an Air France plane.