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Misfiring on Iran

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While President Bush is trying to make the case that Iran is arming factions in Iraq, elements of the liberal blogosphere are trying to make the case that Democratic candidates for president need to meet a new litmus test on Iran: forswear any military action against Tehran.

I’ve always tried to stay out of this debate in this venue, but this setting of this litmus test is not only dangerous – it’s dangerously misguided.

The reason why Obama, Clinton, and Edwards are all refusing to take the military option off the table is because there is no credible expert on Iran, nonproliferation, or any combination of the two who would advise them to do so.

Now, before someone charges that the Beltway establishment is a bunch of no-nothing warmongers, let me be clear: they are receiving this advice from a wide array of experts, with differing views on the region (I can assume this with some degree of confidence having sat through some of these same briefings – given by people who advise the entire field -- with other candidates).

Also, in the very same breath that they are undoubtedly getting this advice, they are also being told in no uncertain terms that a military strike against Tehran, much less total war, would be long, nasty, costly, and unwise. But precisely because these Democrats want to avoid war with Iran that they must offer the now familiar formulation: no nukes for Iran, no options off the table. Hillary Clinton stated this today, Barack Obama gave a version of it two years ago, and John Edwards said it last month. If I had the time to Google, one would find this same formula parroted by dozens of Democrats.

Does this mean that we should not be skeptical of the Bush Administration’s attempt to “sell” an Iran adventure? No. Does this mean that Congress should not have oversight over any such potential action (as Senator Clinton said today)? No.

What it means is that the keyboard commentariat needs to come to grips with the realities of diplomacy. It would hurt America’s interests right now if Iran felt that they could proliferate without ultimately facing a military response. It is the most important stick we have, and as we use other ways to pressure the Iranians and also look into what carrots may be employed to walk them back from going nuclear, it would undermine our position if we unilaterally said that this move was off the table.

Now, there are some who are generally pacifist and believe that the US should always take the military option off the table; I am sure there are others who actually believe that Iran doesn’t mean what its leaders say or don’t see that regime having the bomb as a threat; and still others may question this strategic rationale of keeping the military option on the table.

Yet there is no mainstream Democratic candidate who is running as a pacifist or should; and those who refuse to believe that Iran is a threat and bent on asserting its hegemony in the region, which will have serious repercussions to American interests, are misinformed or naïve.

And as for those who doubt the strategy of no nukes, no options off the table, my only question is: what is that based on? Again, is there any person with real experience with the Iranians, diplomacy, or nonproliferation who has argued that? If so, let’s hear it. But – to my mind – rightly, the major candidates are listening to seasoned experts on this issue, and are thus sticking with the above formulation of no nuclear Iran, no options off the table.

So, let’s cut our candidates some slack and do away with this self-defeating Iran litmus test. What we should be asking our candidates are questions like: how do you perceive the Iranian threat? How does Iran and its designs intersect with the stability and future of the region – and our country’s interests? And how would you handle Iran if you were president?


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Mr. Baer, I hardly ever agree with anything you say and this is not very different. However I agree that it is not necessary for candidates to foreswear military action against Iran. What IS a requirement for any Democrat to get my vote is an attack on the Bush attempt to trump up a case for war following (just to make it easy to follow) the precise same script that he used in Iraq). Now if you, or Hillary, or Edwards or Obama are too tied to AIPAC to speak out forcefully against another phony war then our differences are clear. Otherwise it is absolutely essential that Bush's march to war with Iran right now be opposed without ambiguity by any serious candidate. So the bottom line is not foreswearing military action, it is making clear pre-emptive war is completely off the table.

I guess we all hear what we want to hear. I hear many, many voices, including 'authorities', saying that such a continued militaristic attitude will only lead to what amounts to an asymmetrical WWIII (or IV, if one counts the cold war as III).
I also read and hear voices all over the world challenging such a 'preemptive' position. The US, being the only true superpower now (eventhough a fast-fading one in my humble opinion), has every reason to conduct itself above reproach in international affairs, something it has sunken to new depths at in recent years. If we have learned anything from history and current events, it is that violence ONLY breeds more of the same: what you do will come back to you - a fundamental law of nature.
I personally see absolutely no reason why Iran should first, not have nuclear energy (and you can check my blog here about this), and secondly, so what if they have a weapon. Do you really believe they would ever use it, first? If you say 'yes', all I can do is shake my head at the fear that you have absorbed from Zionist and Bushite propaganda. Personally, I have two fears myself: that Israel would use its nuclear bombs first(the ones it doesn't have...lol), thinking someone else is about to get the draw on them, because they just can't let the holocaust be history....even though African-Americans have had no choice but to let their own much worst and continuing Middle Passage go; and, second, that all of the focus on Iraq and Iran have totally distracted us from real terrorists (not the kind that dropped 4-million cluster bombs in the last two days on Lebanon)securing nuclear material to blow the shit out of us here in this country, or other US interests; I doubt they are any threat to Israel since its borders are much more secure than ours ever could be.

Yet there is no mainstream Democratic candidate who is running as a pacifist or should; and those who refuse to believe that Iran is a threat and bent on asserting its hegemony in the region, which will have serious repercussions to American interests, are misinformed or naïve.

Perhaps if you'd laid out what these "serious repercussions" were, your post would have some substance. You didn't; it doesn't.

Baer: "...Let me be clear: they are receiving this advice from a wide array of experts, with differing views on the region (I can assume this with some degree of confidence having sat through some of these same briefings – given by people who advise the entire field -- with other candidates)..."

Then please give us some names? Which 'think-tank' advisors and experts? Next, as you have sat through some of these briefings, whose responsibility is it to filter that expert advice that arrives at our candidates table?

Also, I'm still trying to get my head around Clinton and others giving nuclear technology to India, "particularly since India, unlike Iran, has not signed the Nonproliferation Treaty." Isn't trying to stabilize relations between India and Pakistan also in America's national interest rather than possibly starting a arms race? Does this mean we are going to have Democratic candidate that has no interest in working towards Nonproliferation of nuclear technology and weapons, just doesn't want Iran to have them - hypocritical maybe?

"...Critics of the deal say it could boost India's nuclear arsenal and sends the wrong message to countries like Iran, whose nuclear ambitions Washington opposes.

"By shipping India fuel for its civilian reactors, this legislation potentially frees up their [India's] entire supply of domestic uranium for use in weapons," House Democrat Ed Markey said before the vote..."

Baer: "...Yet there is no mainstream Democratic candidate who is running as a pacifist or should; and those who refuse to believe that Iran is a threat and bent on asserting its hegemony in the region, which will have serious repercussions to American interests, are misinformed or naïve..."

What do you mean... economic interests or military? That's seems to be the GUT of the issue... And if we are talking about serious economic "repercussions" then no I'm not naive... Nor are many of us that have noticed that China has a far chunk of our DEBT and is also after Iranian energy and oil... So, that's why I think our candidates should come clean -- who is advising them?

I'm not a pacifist, but I totally disagree with using tactical nukes and US kids to fight for corporate interests. If the US has to adjust to the crazy policies of our Free Traders (with zippo regulations) then let's have that debate.

Mr Baer

Thank you for bringing some sense to this issue. Giving Iran an out by waiting for the next Democratic President does not seem to sensible.

The Democratic Party has an enormous advantage going into 2008 having George Bush as the sitting President. However, how do Democrats convince that rest of the country that the Party does not stand for defeatism and unilateral surrender and stil cope with the blogsphere?

Daniel A. Greenbaum

One thing that just plain goes without saying is that all nations reserve the right to use force of appropriate scale, when it is in their interest. So overtly referencing force is not simply announcing the obvious, it is a pointed reminder that force is not that far down the priority list.

I guess we have gone far beyond the confidence of TR who thought it best to speak softly. We have a plenty big stick--only wimps need to wave sticks for attention.

The only reason Bush is ratcheting up the rhetoric on Iran is that he is an idiot who is still listening to Cheney and other morons who sold him a bill of goods on Iran. Oppose the heated up rhetoric and encourage rational foreign policy decisions.

Tom

I'll address Baer's question--how would I handle Iran if I were Pres? Assuming I had not made promises about force in order to get elected I would simply do nothing about their nuclear program. I would, however, open negotiations on a security plan for the region, since they are an important player and could be an anchor.

The paradox is that in the campaign there might not be room to maneuver on Iran.

I note that Baer is assuming Iran is "proliferating". Iran is for now only enriching uranium, overtly. I would think that if Iran was planning a covert weapons program they would not advertise enrichment. They would have to be incredibly stupid to think they could hypnotize us with a peaceful enrichment operation, and then achieve breakout capability while we were lulled into complacency. Since exactly the opposite has happened, with a rudimentary enrichment operation instigating talk of bunkerbusters and the like, if that was the goal it has failed.

Could it perhaps be that the obvious is also the truth? There is enrichment, barely, and it is a national-pride endeavor, because it requires top-quality machines and engineers. With the West's history of sabotaging Iran, why should they trust anybody to provide them with fuel when some dispute arises? I sure would argue against it if I lived there. Would we really prefer they simply pump carbon to stay warm in winter?

If we go down this road of shooting first at folks that just act funny we'll become even more Roman.

Oh, perhaps with some realistic perspective to deal with fearmongering? It's hard to be defeatist with respect to Iran when Iran is presenting no significant threat other than a loudmouthed politician without much authority, although something of a flair for public relations.

As far as perspective, a good start would be pointing out that a goal is reducing terrorism worldwide, and that operations in Iraq are only one part of a whole. Many nations have had eventual victory when they recognized unworkable situations and reallocated resources, as with the British at Gallipoli and Dunkirk, or the US at Chosin Reservoir.
--
Howard

*equal opportunity offense to both extremes*

[Imagining Bush briefing]

"Well, yes. Why not help Indiana's economy with nuclear technology? It would make Dan Quayle happy. Maybe they'll let me start the Indy 500 this year.

"What? Not Indiana? Oh...well, next thing on the agenda...the bunker busters on the nucular facilities under Des Moines.

"Not Des Moines? I thought the threat was in a place starting with I, four letters, and not Iraq...

--
Howard

*equal opportunity offense to both extremes*

Yes, there are no credible experts left in the country. Donald Rumsfled once said on national television: “they were all wrong”; he was referring to CIA intelligence on Iraq. He only said that because it became obvious that there was no Weapon of Mass Destruction but Weapon of Mass Deception. He has to blame someone and CIA is the scapegoat. What a shame, a $30 billion organization can make such a BIG mistake. Now, whatever “experts” America may have, there is no credibility anymore.

It is interesting to see how this Cowboy President is able to balance the budget now that it is obvious America is sending more money out of the country than bringing in. It is a disgrace for the Harvard University, the world number one, to accept and produce a substandard student and to allow him to manage a country of 300 million people with no proper project plan. He has no project management training and cultural and linguistic abilities to understand foreign countries and dignitaries, all he has is a bunch of cowboy enthusiasm and “bring it on” attitude,

The consequence of a war with Iran would be:
1. More money spends outside the country which could have otherwise spent on health care and education and infrastructure and wealth creation within the country.
2. more casualties suffered on both sides
3. more hatred towards America around the world
4. the military is already stretched too thin and soldiers would become insane
5. more countries would seek nuke to protect their own interest against American imperialism
6. More American children would be left behind without proper education and as a result there will be more social problems in the years ahead.
7. More allies would be leaving Iraq and Afghanistan and distance away from America and America would ultimately bare the full cost of the war in Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran. In other words, the American economy would collapse in order to micromanage a few other countries. The cost could run up to many trillion dollars.

May God has mercy on the soul of this cowboy president and ask him to repent and show kindness and mercy to others. It is enough of accusing others of wrong doing and takes a step back to reflect how much damage he has done to others. It is ironic that America has the best universities to produce the best students in the world and yet it has turned out a bunch of liars and aggressors to tell everyone in the world what is right and wrong. It is also ironic that America is teaching the world about democracy and human rights and America is doing the exact opposite by terrorizing, intimidating and bribing weaker nations and justifies torturing of other nations. This is not democracy, it is called hypocrisy.

Mr. Baer,
How do you respond to Duncan Black's analysis of this process?

=== How It Goes


Winter/Spring - The clone army of foreign policy "experts" from conservative foreign policy outfits nobody ever heard of before suddenly appear on all the cable news programs all the time, frowning furiously and expressing concerns about the "grave threat" that Iran poses. Never before heard of Iranian exile group members start appearing regularly, talking about their role in the nuclear program and talking up Iran's human rights violations.

Spring/Summer - "Liberal hawks" point out that all serious people understand the serious threat posed by serious Iran, and while they acknowledge grudgingly that the Bush administration has fucked up everything it touches, they stress, and I mean stress, that we really must support the Bush administration's serious efforts to deal with the serious problem and that criticisms of such serious approaches to a serious problem are highly irresponsible and come only from irrational very unserious Bush haters who would rather live in Iran than the U.S. ===

It's the spillover effect from the antics of this administration. Only quiet time with a more rational adminstration will solve it.

. . . elements of the liberal blogosphere are trying to make the case that Democratic candidates for president need to meet a new litmus test on Iran: forswear any military action against Tehran. Kenneth Baer

Sounds like a strawman to me. See, Garance Franke-Ruta, here.

WHAT TOTAL & UTTER BALONEY STINKING TO HIGH HEAVEN!!!!!!

So there are no "credible expert on Iran" who would advise taking the "war-crime" option off the table, huh?

Here's a start: In this list, you'll find pretty much the who's-who of Iran experts in the US and around the world (people who have dedicated their entire lives to the issue and not made for TV insta-experts pushing the agenda du jour) in addition to Nobel Laureates, US ambassadors, and other distinguished persons.

We the signatories of this letter have dedicated our lives to studying the Middle East and it is in that capacity and as concerned citizens that we write to strongly oppose and warn against the military option in Iran....

Joel Beinin, Professor of Middle East History, Department of History, Stanford University.
Richard Falk, Albert G. Milbank Professor of International Law Emeritus, Princeton University.
Nikki Keddie, Professor Emerita of History, UCLA.
William O. Beeman, Professor, Anthropology; and Theatre, Speech and Dance Former Director, Middle East Studies, Brown University.
James E. Akins, US Ambassador, Ret.
Ted Swedenburg, Professor of Anthropology, University of Arkansas.
Mehrzad Boroujerdi, Director, Middle Eastern Studies Program Syracuse University.
Ahmad Sadri, Professor of Sociology, Lake Forest College.
Hamid Zangeneh, Professor of Economics, Widener University.
Ervand Abrahamian, Distinguished Professor of History, City University of New York.
Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, Professor of Economics, Virginia Tech.
Chris Toensing, Editor, Middle East Report, Washington, DC.
Kaveh Ehsani, editorial board of Middle East Report.
Sohrab Behdad, Professor and John E. Harris Chair in Economics, Department of Economics, Denison University.
Ali Akbar Mahdi, Professor of Sociology, Ohio Wesleyan University.
Guity Nashat, Associate Professor, University of Illinois, Chicago.
Mansour Farhang, Catharine Osgood Foster Chair, Bennington College.
Mahmoud Sadri, Associate Professor of Sociology, Texas Woman’s University.
Nader Hashemi, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Northwestern University.
Said A. Arjomand, Distinguished Service Professor, Department of Sociology, State University of New York.
Abdulaziz Sachedina, Frances Myers Ball Professor of Religious Studies, Department of Religious Studies University of Virginia.
Binesh Hassanpour, Dept. of Political Science, University of Toronto.
Farideh Farhi, Adjunct Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Maziar Behrooz, Assistant Professor of History, San Francisco State University.
Niloofar Haeri, Professor of Anthropology, Johns Hopkins University.
Deborah J. Gerner, Professor of Political Science and Co-director, Center for international Political Analysis
Mark Gasiorowski, Professor, Director, International Studies Program, Louisiana State University
Nayereh Tohidi, Professor of Women's Studies, California State University at Northridge.
Dr. Richard H. Beal, research associate, Hittitology, University of Chicago.
Kazem Alamdari, Department of Sociology, California State University, Los Angeles.
Norma Claire Moruzzi, Associate Professor, Political Science and Gender and Women's Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago.
Goudarz Eghtedari, Voices of the Middle East.
Laleh Khalili, Dept. of Politics and International Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies - London.
Kamran Rastegar, Assistant Professor of Arabic & Persian Literatures School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, University of Edinburgh.
Andrew J Newman, Department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies University of Edinburgh.
John Walbridge, Chair, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, Director, Middle East and Islamic Studies Program, Indiana University.
Hamid Dabashi, Hagop Kevorkian Professor, of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature, Columbia University.
Noam Chomsky, Institute Professor Emeritus of Linguistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Majid Mohammadi, Classical and Near Eastern Studies Department, SUNY Binghamton.
Kamran Talattof, Associate Professor of Near Eastern Studies, The University of Arizona.
Mary Ann Tetreault, Una Chapman Cox Distinguished Professor of International Affairs, Trinity University, San Antonio TX.
Christine Dykgraaf, Adjunct Lecturer of Near Eastern Studies, University of Arizona.
Nader Entessar, Professor & Chair, Dept. of Political Science & Law, Spring Hill College.
Ann Elizabeth Mayer, Associate Professor of Legal Studies, Department of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Behad Nakhai, Nuclear Engineer, Entergy Corporation.
Joel Walker, Assistant Professor, Department of History, University of Washington.
Charles E. Butterworth, Department of Government & Politics, University of Maryland
William A. Dorman, Professor of Government and Journalism, California State University, Sacramento.
David Yaghoubian, Assistant Professor of History , California State University, San Bernardino
Shahrough Akhavi, Professor of Political Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia.
Edward D. Martin, Director, Central and Southern Asia Program Mennonite Central Committee.
Charles D. Smith, Professor of Middle East History, Near Eastern Studies, University of Arizona.
Farhang Rajaee, Professor, Political Science & Humanities, Carleton University.
Hooshang Pazaki, Associate Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania.
Sattareh Farman Farmaian, President Emeritus, College of Social Work, Tehran.
Majid Tehranian, Professor & Director, Toda Center for Globar Peace and Policy.
Darius Rejali, Professor of Political Science, Reed College.
Mona El-Ghobashy, Assistant Professor, Political Science, Barnard College, Columbia University.
Sussan Siavoshi, Professor of Political Science, Trinity University.
Jeffrey A. VanDenBerg, Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of Middle East Studies, Drury University.
Masoud Kheirabadi, Ph.D., International Studies Program, Portland State University.
Narges Erami, Dept. of Anthropology, Columbia University.
Farzaneh Milani, Professor of Persian Literature and Women Studies and Director of Studies in Women and Gender at the University of Virginia.
Ali R. Abootalebi, Professor of Middle Eastern and Global Studies, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.
Mohsen Mobasher, Associate Professor of Anthropology & Sociology, Department of Social Sciences, University of Houston.
Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi, Departments of History & Sociology, University of Illinois.
Sherry Vatter, Department of History, California State University, Long Beach.
Hassan Mohamadi Nejad, Professor of International Relations and Political Science, Antioch College, Antioch University.
Reza Afshari, Professor of History and Human Rights, Pace University.
Ali Mostashari, Ph.D., Editor, Iran Analysis Quarterly, Co-Founder, Iranian Studies Group at MIT.
David Filipi, Curator, Wexner Center for the Arts, The Ohio State University.
Matthew Gordon, Department of History, Miami University.
Negin Nabavi, Fellow, Middle East Center, University of Pennsylvania.
Mahmood Monshipouri, Professor, Political Science Dept., Quinnipiac University.
Hamideh Sedghi, Department of Political Science, Villanova University.
Hamid Hosseini, Professor of International Business and Economics King's College.
Janet Afary, Associate Professor of History, Purdue University.
Ariel Salzmann, Associate Professor of Islamic and World History, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario.
Zohreh T. Sullivan, Professor of English & Comparative Literature, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Arzoo Osanloo, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology and Law Societies and Justice, University of Washington.
Arsalan Kahnemuyipour, Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics Syracuse University.
Shira Robinson, Assistant Professor, Department of Histor, University of Iowa.
Mojtaba Aghamohammadi, Coordinator, Project on Culture and Conflict (PCC), University of Arizona; Founder, Universal Coalition for Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue and Discourse.
Poopak Taati, Ph.D., Media for Thought, Sociologist and Journalist, Washington DC.
Minoo Moallm, Professor of Women Studies, San Francisco State University.
Leila Hudson, Assistant Professor, Near Eastern Studies, University of Arizona.
Ali Mirsepassi, Interim Dean, Gallatin, School of Individualized Study, New York University.
Freeda Saba, Journalist/ TV commentator, IRTV Communications, The Iranian Television Program.
Jill Crystal, Professor, Department of Political Science, Auburn University.
Sheida Shirvani, Professor of Communication Studies, Ohio University-Zanesville.
Cyrus S. Behroozi, Professor Emeritus, Indiana University.
Mehran Kamrava, Professor of Political Science, California State University, Northridge.
Nancy Gallagher, Chair, Middle East Studies Program; Co-Director, Center for Middle East Studies; Professor of History, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Esfandiar Bakhtiarnejad, Georgia Institute of Technology; Chair, Center for Middle Eastern Research and Studies, Inc.
Zahra Taheri, Visiting Associate Professor, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies Tokyo.
Ali Ferdowsi, Ph.D., Chair, Department of History and Political Science, Notre Dame de Namaur University.
Kamal Aras, Dept. of Economics, Cologne University-Germany
Fereydoun Safizadeh, Lecturer, Dept. of Anthropology, Boston Uinv.
Fred Dallmayr, Packey J. Dee Professor of Philosophy and Political Science, University of Notre Dame.
Simin Karimi, Associate Professor, Department of Linguistics, University of Arizona.
Reza Farahani, Adjunct Professor, City College of City University of New York.
Robert A. Rubinstein, Professor of Anthropology and International Relations, The Maxwell School of Syracuse University.
Juan Cole, Professor, Middle East History, University of Michigan.
Keyvan Tabari, International Lawyer, San Francisco.
Shaun Marmon, Associate Professor, Department of Religion, Princeton University.
Timothy Mitchell, Professor of Politics, New York University, International Center for Advanced Studies.
Shahla Haeri, Director of Women's Studies and Associate Professor of Anthropoogy, Boston University.
Morgan L Phillips, Professor of Hebrew Scripture and Jewish History; Chair, Religion Department, Ohio Wesleyan University. .
John Damis, Professor of Political Science and Director, Middle East Studies Center, Portland State University.
Reza Baraheni, Iranian Poet & Novelist; Professor of Comparative Literature, University of Toronto; Former President of PEN Canada.
Nadine Naber, Assistant Professor, Program of American Culture and Department of Women's Studies, University of Michigan.
Hossein Bagher Zadeh, former Professor of Mathematics at Tehran University, Human Rights Activist.
Maboud Ansari, Professor of Sociology, William Paterson University.
Houchang Hassan-Yari, Professor and Head, Department of Political and Economic Science, Royal Military College of Canada.
Julia Clancy-Smith, Associate Professor of History, University of Arizona.
Touraj Daryaee, Associate Professor and Vice-Chair of History Department California State University, Fullerton.
Arang Keshavarzian, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science Concordia University./li>
Kambiz GhaneaBassiri, Assistant Professor of Religion and Humanities, Reed College
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl, Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law.
Cyrus Bina, Ph.D., Distinguished Research Professor of Economics and Management, University of Minnesota.
Ali Behdad, Chair, Department of Comparative Literature, Professor of English and Comparative Literature, University of California, Los Angeles.
Mehdi Noorbaksh Ph.D., MBA, MHA, Assistant Professor, Center for International Studies, University of St. Thomas.
Hooshang Pazaki, Associate Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania.
Naghmeh Sohrabi, Brandeis University.
Jasamin Rostam-Kolayi, Assistant Professor, Department of History, California State University, San Marcos.
Afshin Matin-asgari, Associate Professor, Middle East History, California State University, Los Angeles.
Shirin A. Khanmohamadi, Assistant Professor of Comparative and World Literature, San Francisco State University.
Wali Ahmadi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Near Eastern Studies, University of California, Berkeley.
Mary Elaine Hegland, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Women & Gender Studies, Santa Clara University.
Nader Najafi, Ph.D., President & CEO, ISSYS Inc.
Haideh Salehi-Esfahani, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Washington.
Koorosh Angali, Ph.D., lecturer, University of California, Berkeley.
John Chalcraft, Ph.D., Lecturer in the History and Politics of Empire / Imperialism, Department of Government, London School of Economics.
Shahin Navai, Ph.D., Humboldt University, Germany.
Nahid Mozaffari, New York University.
A. Kamron Jabbari, Ph.D., President, Mazda Publishers, Inc.
Jaleh Pirnazar, Ph.D., Iranian Studies, Near Eastern Studies Dept, University of California, Berkeley.
Houri Berberian, Ph.D., Associate Professor/Graduate Advisor, Department of History, Director of Middle Eastern Studies Program, California State University, Long Beach.
Hussein Ibish, Ph.D., Executive Director, Foundation for Arab-American Leadership
Ali Zarrin, Lecturer, Regis University.
Barbara Emadi-Coffin, D.Phil., Senior Lecturer in International Relations Staffordshire University, UK.
Dariush Zahedi, Lecturer in International Political Economy and Peace and Conflict Studies, University of California, Berkeley.
Maryam Tabibzadeh, Author of Persian Dreams, Raeligh, NC.
Hamid Naficy, Nina J. Cullinan Professor of Art & Art History/Film and Media Studies, Rice University.
Omid Safi, Associate Professor of Islamic Studies, Colgate University.
Ghada Talhami, Professor of Politics, Lake Forest College.
Lawrence T. Geraty, President and Professor of Archaeology, La Sierra University.
Omnia El Shakry, Assistant Professor, Department of History University of California, Davis.
Camron Michael Amin, Associate Professor of History, The University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Dr. Esmail Koushanpour, Emeritus Professor, Northwestern University Medical School.
Adam H. Becker, Assistant Professor of Classics and Religious Studies New York University.
Hossein Kendy, Activist, Iran House of Greater Chicago.
Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak, Director, The Center for Persian Studies, University of Maryland.
Ali Rezaei, Department of Sociology, Universty of Calgary.
Mehdi Hashemi, President, Asian American Association for Advancement of Georgia.
Gladys Frantz-Murphy, History & Politics, Regis University.
Lisa Rofel, Professor, Graduate Director, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Alan Richards, Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies University of California, Santa Cruz.
Muhammad Sahimi, NIOC Professor of Petroleum Engineering, Professor of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
Helene Moglen, Presidential Chair in Literature, University of California, Santa Cruz.
David E. Skinner, Professor of History, Santa Clara University, California.
Mehrdad Mashayekhi, Georgetown University, Dept. of Sociology.
Shouleh Vatanabadi, General Studies Program/Global Cultures, New York University.
Glenn E. Perry, Professor of Political Science, Indiana State University.
Hadi Jawad, Co-Founder Crawford Peace House.
Timothy May, Assistant Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian History Department of History, North Georgia College & State University.
Robert Crews, Assistant Professor, Department of History, Stanford University.
Todd Hasak-Lowy, Assistant Professor of Hebrew Language and Literature at the University of Florida.
Louise Halper, Professor of Law, Washington & Lee University School of Law Lexington, VA.
David Ede, Associate Professor of Comparative Religion (Islamic Studies), Western Michigan University.
Martin Love, Middle East Writer/Journalist, American Academy of Palestine Tubas, West Bank, Palestine.
Adam Sabra, Assistant Professor of History, Western Michigan University.
Ali M. Sadegh, Professor, City University of New York
Christopher Stone, Associate Professor of Arabic, Hunter College of the City University of New York.
Bahman Fozouni, Ph.D., Professor & Chair, Department of Government, Director, Iranian & Middle Easter Studies Center, California State University, Sacramento.
Nader Rastegar, Independent Researcher.
Mina Safizadeh, Adjunct Professor of Sociology, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
James A. Paul, Executive Director, Global Policy Forum, Ne York.
Masha Rahnama, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Economics, Economics and Geography Department, Texas Tech University.
F. Jamil Ragep, Professor of the History of Science, University of Oklahoma.
Wendy DeSouza, PhD candidate in Modern Middle East History, University of California, Los Angeles.
John F. Robertson, Professor of Middle Eastern History, Central Michigan University.
Bahar Fata, Ph.D. candidate, University of Southern California
Ulrike Siddiqi, President, Pan-Pacific and Southeast Asia Women's Association, Hawaii
Donald Alford Weadon, Jr., International Lawyer, Weadon & Associates, Washington DC.
Reza Ghorashi, Professor of Political Economy, Richard Stockton College, New Jersey.
K.V. Nagarajan, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario.
Edmund Burke, III, Director, Center for World History, University of California, Santa Cruz
Professor Juan E. Campo, Department of Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara.
A. Verdi Farmanfarmaian, Professor Emeritus, Former Chairman and Graduate Director, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ.
Gladys Frantz-Murphy, Professor of Middle East History, Regis University, Denver.
Marjorie Cohn, Professor of Law, Thomas Jefferson School of Law President-elect, National Lawyers Guild.
Arash Khazeni, Assistant Professor of History, Claremont McKenna College.
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Asef Bayat, Professor and Academic Director, International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World and Chair, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
Richard Tapper, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, University of London
Andrea Kavanaugh, Senior Research Scientist, Virginia Tech.
Monireh Mohammadi, Director, Richmond Hill Academy of Music & Arts.
Fatemeh Haghighatjoo, Visiting Scholar, Center for International Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Mark Rupert, Professor of Political Science, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
Betty Williams, Nobel Peace Laureate; President and Founder World Centers of Compassion for Children International
Haleh Afshar, OBE, Professor of Politics University of York
Turi Munthe, Fellow, Middle East Program, Royal United Services Institute, London.
Daniel Thomas, University of Pittsburgh, Russian and European Studies.
Ahmad Hadavi, Associate Director, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University.
Nader Haghighipour, University of Hawaii, Institute for Astronomy.
Maria Sabaye Moghaddam, Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto.
Diala Al Jabri, Media/Political and Socio-Economic Analyst, Higher Council for Science and Technology, Amman, Jordan.
Saideh Lotfian, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran
Taghi Azadarmaki, Professor in Sociology, Social Science Faculty, The University of Tehran; Visiting Professor at New York University.
Golbarg Bashi, Department of Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures, Columbia University.
Jahan Salehi, International Director, Agence Global.
Shahram Mostarshed, Member of the Board of Directors (US), Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran (CASMII).
Siamak Namazi, Managing Director, Atieh Bahar Consulting.
Ziba Mir-Hosseini, Research Associate, London Middle East Institute.
Fred A. Reed, Outremont, Québec Author: Persian Postcards; Anatolia Junction; Shattered Images.
Rami G. Khouri, Syndicated columnist, Beirut, Lebanon.
Bjørn Olav Utvik, Associate Professor, Director of Middle East Studies University of Oslo.
Dr. M. Parvizi Amineh, Senior Research Fellow, International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS), University of Leiden.
Siavash Abghari, Professor and Chairman Dept. of Business Administration.
Jahanshah Javid, Publisher, Iranian.com.
Amir Zanjanian, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey
Sherry Shokouhi, Psychotherapist, Queens Child Guidance Center.
Ghassem Ghassemi, Visiting Researcher, Max-Planck-Institut für ausländisches und internationales Strafrecht, Germany.
Carol Key, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Tarleton State Unviversity.
PhD Hossein Sheiban, Senior Lecturer, Department of History, Stockholm University.
Azadeh Kian-Thiébaut, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Paris.
Kenneth P. Goodrich, Ph. D., Retired Vice President of Academic Affairs Linfield College, McMinnville, Oregon.
Reza Fani Yazdi, California Department of Health Services.
Dr. David N. Rahni, Professor of Chemistry, Adj. Professor of Environmental Law, Pace University, New York; Adj. Professor of Dermatology, NY Medical College.
Mateo Farzaneh, Center for Middle East Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Thomas M. Ricks, Ph.D.
Tayebeh Rezaie, M.Sc., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Molecular Ophthalmic Genetics Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut Health Center.
Mohamad Navab, Professor of Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles.
Azam Niroomand-Rad, PhD, Professor; President, International Organization For Medical Physics,Department of Radiation Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center.
Thomas A. Green, Associate Director of Libraries & Head of Public Services L. A. Beeghly Library, Ohio Wesleyan University.
Marguerite G. Rosenthal, Ph.D., Professor & MSW Coordinator, School of Social Work, Salem State College.
Shirine Mafi, Associate Professor, Otterbein College.
Ida Mirzaie, Department of Economics and Finance, John Carroll University.
Lowell S. Gustafson, Director, Graduate Program in Liberal Studies Villanova University.
Aziz Karamlou, M.D, UCLA school of Medicine
Shahrzad Mojab, Professor and Director, Women and Gender Studies Institute, University of Toronto.
Katayoun Khosravani, MD, Preventive Medicine Physician, University of Maryland.
Ali Nayeri, Department of Physics, Harvard University.
Mahmood Shafizadeh, President Board of Education Orange Crescent School, Member Executive Committee Islamic Society of Orange County.
Mohammad Haji-Abdolhosseini, Applied Linguistics & Technology and Human Computer Interaction, Iowa State University.
Abbas Edalat, Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics Department of Computing, Imperial College, London.
Afsaneh Matin, DDS, Assistant Professor, University of Southern California.
J. R. Aman, Associate Professor of Computer Science, Saint Xavier University.
Bahar Bastani MD, Professor of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, Missouri.
Judith Caesar, Associate Professor of English, American University of Sharjah.
Kevin B. Anderson, Associate Professor of Political Science and Sociology Purdue University.
Giuseppe Palleschi, Head of the Department, Università di Roma Tor Vergata Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Roma.
Dr Stephanie Cronin, Research Fellow, University of Northampton
Soraya Nouri, MD, Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics at St. Louis University, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Washington University St. Louis.
Bahram (Bob) Farahmand, Ph.D., Boeing Technical Fellow, Fatigue & Fracture Mechanics (Analysis & Testing).
Saeed Honarmand, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, Ohio State University.
Jalil Roshandel, Department of Political Science, Duke University.
Richard Peterson, Department of Philosophy, Michigan State University.
Jaleh Taghavi Miller, President, Persian American Women's Network, San Francisco.
Louis Kriesberg, Maxwell Professor Emeritus of Social Conflict Studies, Syracuse University.
Dr. Susanna S. Bellocq, Professor, Ohio Wesleyan University
Benjamin Wolf, Cinematographer, New York City
Elham Semsar, Concordia University.
Ghassem Ghassemi, Visiting Researcher, Max-Planck-Institut für ausländisches und internationales Strafrecht, Germany.
Siavash Ansari, CPA, CMA.
Reza Saberi, Pharm. D., Ph.D, Science Writer.
Rusti Findley, Executive Assistant to Betty Williams, Nobel Peace Laureate President and Founder - World Centers of Compassion for Children International.
Ramezan Dowlati, PhD, Northern Virginia Community College.
Bahram Zahir Azami, Ph.D. CTO, Hivva Technologies.
Abdolreza Sadri, B.Sc. UMIST, M.Sc. Mel. Construction Management.
Rostam Pourzal, Journalist; Board of Directors, Iranian Cultural Association of Washington DC.
Mandana Kompani, PhD.
Amir Farrahi, Ph.D. Senior Staff Engineer, Sun Microsystems, Inc., Sunnyvale.
Mohammad H. Naraghi, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering Manhattan College, Riverdale, New York.
Saeed Manii, Senior Manager with the Telecommunication Industry.
Kaveh Tashakori, Architect, Bethesda, MD.
Alan Martin, College of Engineering, San Jose State University.
Mirjam Künkler, Ph.D. Candidate, Columbia University, Department of Political Science.
Nahid Saberi, Ph.D. candidate, McGill University.
Hamid Rezai, PhD Candidate, Columbia University.
Mujeeb R. Khan, Doctoral Student, Dept. of Political Science, The University of California-Berkeley
Lawrence Reza Ershaghi, Candidate for J.D. at Chicago-Kent School of Law Sadegh Farzaneh, PhD Candidate, Concordia University.
Trita Parsi, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University SAIS
Ahmad Jalili M.D., Ph.D., Division of Immunology, Allergy and Infectious Diseases (DIAID) Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna.
Miriam Jiménez Román, Queens College, City University of New York.
Hoss H. Ravandi, President. EzItSolutions
Robert G. Newby, Professor of Sociology, Central Michigan University.
Hoora Naeimi, M.A. Candidate in Economics, Concordia University.
Sami Zubaida, Emeritus Professor of Politics and Sociology, University of London.
Nemat Sarnevesht, Director, Web and Architecture, Openwave Systems.
Pardis Minuchehr, Ph.D., NELC Department, University of Pennsylvania.
Behdokht Neshat, Founder and CEO, Institute for Advancement of Democracy, New York
Sally M.Ameli, Accounting Clerk.
Ata Alijani M.D., Radiology Resident, SUNY Upstate Medical University.
Jalil Doostkhah, Ph.D., former Professor, University of Isfahan; Editor of Center for Iranian Studies, Australia.
Majid Mirmontahai, Middle East studies and Independent Journalist, Washington DC.
Khosrow Hassani, Ph.D. Candidate, McGill University, Canada.
Nader Sadeghi, MD, FRCSC, Associate Professor of Surgery; Director, Head and Neck Surgery George Washington University.
Iraj Ershaghi, Omar B. Milligan Professor and Director of the Petroleum Engineering Program, University of Southern California.
Amy Watts, Research Assistant, San Francisco.
Lily Yazdi
Ryan R. Farsai, Laguna Hills.
Dr. Niloofar Gheissari, Postdoc Researcher, National ICT Australia (NICTA), Canberra.
Roya Sedighian, IT Specialist, New York.
Abbas Semsar, Shiraz University, Iran.
Mehrdad Nourani, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas.
Helia Naeimi, Computer Science Graduate Student, California Institute of Technology.
Allahyar Kangarlu, Ph.D., Senior Physicist, Faculty of Clinical Neurosciences, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute.
Leyli Shayegan, Teachers College Press, Teachers College, Columbia University.
Shahab Alizadeh
Dr. Mohammad Amin
Mohammad H. Naraghi, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Manhattan College.
Reza Karimi, Artist and Art Conservator.
Benjamin Wolf, Cinematographer, New York City.
Armin Sorooshian, Graduate Student, Department of Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology.
Bijan Moshaver, Medical Scientist, VU University, The Netherlands
Ali Eghbal, MS EE
Kambiz Hassani, Civil Servant, New Zealand.
Saeed Ghanbari, Ph.D. Candidate, Centre for Atom Optics & Ultrafast Spectroscopy (CAOUS), Swinburne University of Technology, Australia.
Seyed Vahid Ghavam Shahidi, EE, Sydney.
Evan Siegel, Ph.D., New Jersey City University.
Maryam Nikizad, M.S of Electrical Engineering, USC.
Niloufar Afshar, SUNY New Paltz, New York.
Mohammad Ala, Ph.D., Professor of Management
Riaz Tejani, Ph.D. Candidate Princeton University, J.D. Candidate USC Law School
Behnam Kamali, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mercer University.
Maybritt Jill Alpes, Fondation nationale des sciences politiques, Paris.
Carol Key, Professor of Sociology, Tarleton State Universiy
Oranus Dabestani
Kaveh Karimi, M.S. Candidate in Nuclear Engineering ,Tehran Science and Research Azad University.
Kia Bazargan, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota.
M. Khatamee, M.D., FACOG, Professor, NYU School of Medicine, Executive Director, Fertility Research Foundation.
Hossein Partovi, California State University, Sacramento.
Fariba Adelkhah, CERI/Sciences-po, Paris.
Shaghayegh Azimi, MA Candidate MA student of Middle East Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies, Coordinating editor of the London Middle East Institute's magazine in London.
Jeffrey Montez de Oca, Doctoral Candidate, Department of Sociology, University of Southern California.
Reza Tayebnejad, Ph.D.
Ramon Blecua, Diplomat, Spain.
Tobias Etzold, Ph.D. candidate, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.
Soroosh Sorooshian, UCI Distinguished Professor, Deptartment of Civil Engineering, University of California, Irvine.
Hengameh Hanna Tadbiri. Registered Nurse.
Nastaran Moossavi, Visiting Professor of International Studies, Trinity College, Connecticut; Member, Iranian Writers Association.
Mina Shirvai, MA, Financial Planner
Saeed Sokhanvar, P.Eng., Ph.D. Candidate, Concordia University.
Masood Irani, P.E.
M. Reza Vaghefi, Professor, University of North Florida.
Dr Shuaib Manjra, Occupational and Environmental Health Physician, Cape Town.
Saeed Paivandi, Professor, Director Dept. of Education, University Paris VIII.
Roobik Gharabagi, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, Saint Louis University.
Loes Bijnen, Activist for Human Rights in Iran, The Netherlands.
Jim Kenney, Executive Director, Interreligious Engagement Project, Lake Forest, Illinois.
Darius Kadivar, Film Historian, Author and Journalist.
Curtis Bronson, Advisory IT Specialist.
Hossein Akhlaghpour, CEO, ObjectJ Inc.
Nanna Keeling
Bijan Pirzadeh, M.S. of Civil Engineering
Asal Pirzadeh, Doctoral Student
Eva Patricia Rakel, Lecturer, University of Amsterdam
Ulrik Svensson, Senior Software Consultant, Ford Motor Company.
Reza Goharzad, Journalist.
Maziar Moini, Real Estate Consultant.
Sina Amoushahi, M.S. of Mining Engineering, Research & Science Campus, Iran
Fereshteh Kianersi, Staff Strategic Alliances Manager, Synopsys.
Lynn N. Villagran, MSW, Social Worker, San Jose, California.
Lana Jennifer van Galen, LanavanAtelier, Barrabool, Victoria, Australia.
Nadia Sorkhabi, PhD, future Professor of Child and Family Studies, California State University, Los Angeles.
Manochehr Dorraj, Professor, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas.
Mohsen Shakerin, Project Management Consultant.
Hassan Soleimani, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Wales, UK
Soodabeh Shakerin, Vice President, Wells Fargo Bank.
Hani Salehi, MD, Harvard Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology
Elahe Mohtashemi, Real Estate Broker.
Manucher Mohtashemi, MD, FACS, Cardiac Surgeon (Ret.)
Iraj Imam, Ph.D., The Center for Applied Local Research, Richmond, CA.
Mahnaz Aria
Mazdak Vaezpour, University of California, Los Angeles.
Zohreh Keshavarz, Ph.D. Candidate, Australia.
Bahram Dahi, Ph.D. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Amir Abbassi, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT, Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling, Texas A& M University
Mahmood Karbasi, Software Professional, San Jose, CA.
Mahdokht Sanati
Amy J. Hopkins, Senior Help Desk Analyst.
Soheila Lighvani, Director, Design Engineering, Toshiba America Electronic Components, San Jose, CA.
Aidin Vahedi
Amir Moayedi, Medical School, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
Daryoush Mehrshahi, Geography Department, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.
Ophelia Parvizad, Marketing Manager, Pezhvak of Persia.
Nazanin Amani
Nina Zumpalova, MA Candidate, School of Oriental and African Studies, London.
Firouzeh Mohajer, Lecturer, Tehran University.
Ashk Dahlén, Ph.D., Uppsala University, Sweden.
Shouraei Samahat, Radio Ghasedak / An Iranian radio program, Zürich
Forough Nayeri Tamimi, Cultural Antropologist
Silke Riemann, M.A., PhD Candidate, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Politikwissenschaft I, Germany.
Steven Galovich, Professor of Mathematics, Lake Forest College.
Majid Movahed, Civil Engineer.
Ahmed Vawda, Deputy Director: Higher Education, South African Qualifications Authority.
Mozafar Banihasemi, University of New Mexico, Department of Sociology
Hossein Samakar, Author, California.
Behrad Majdabadi
Mirko Bastian, Consultant, Caritas, Germany.
Shirin Pakfar, United Nations
Kamran Arjomand Ph.D., Middle East Special Subject Collection, University and State Library of Saxony-Anhalt, Martin Luther University, Halle, Germany.
Arghavan Sadeghi, MFT, Marriage and Family Therapist.
Siavash Abghari, Chair, Dept. of Business Administration Morehouse College.
Fataneh Scampa.
Gibran Mir, Account Executive.
Pantea Javidan, Law Offices, Emeryville, CA.
Shervin Malekzadeh, Ph.D. candidate, Government, Comparative Politics Georgetown University.
Javad Mirsaidi, PE, CCM.
Naheed Kalhor, University of California San Francisco.
Ali Javadian.
Mohsen Nejad, Political Activist.
Rennie B. Schoepflin, Professor of History, California State University, Los Angeles.
Morteza Tajally, CEO, PMP, Inc., San Jose, CA.
Sara Hajiamiri, Assistant Policy Analyst & PhD fellow, RAND Graduate School.
Rikki Braas amd Abbas Shafii, Amsterdam.
Mona Ghassemi, high school student, Montreal.
Firooz Afiattalab.
Amir E. Piroozfar, Ph.D. candidate, School of Architecture, University of Sheffield, UK.
Hooman Heydarbeygi, PhD, Economist/Biometrician.
Ubaldo Cordova-Figueroa, California Institute of Technology.
Mokhtar Paki, Artist / College instructor, California College of the Arts.
Nader Entezam.
Seyf Ehdaie, Associate Professor of Environmental Science, University of Texas of the Permian Basin.
Reza Javidan, Teacher, San Francisco Unified School District.
Ali Karbassi, IT Consultant, London.
Alireza Daneshkhah, PhD, Research Associate, Department of Probability and Statistics, University of Sheffield.
Mohsen Aarabi, MB ChB, MPH, PhD Candidate, Academic Unit of Clinical Pharmacology Division of Clinical Sciences (South) University of Sheffield.
Mohammad Hassan Nasiri, Ph.D. candidate, University of Sheffield, UK.
Pegah Zhafereh, Iran CFC Accountant.
Ali Noorollahi.
Booker T. Gibson, New York public school teacher (ret.)
Firooz Behseresht, Chartered Surveyor, Scotland, UK.
Parviz Forghani
Michael Schaefer, former Adjunct Professor of History, Adult Services Provider, St. Louis Public Library, St. Louis, MO.
Parviz Boroumand, P.E. Civil Engineer.
Tineke Lintjens, Coördinator Stem in de Stad , the Netherlands.
Mehri Ansari, S.E
Mohammad Manzarpour, Journalist, Producer.
Manoo Missaghi, President & CEO WebViews Inc., Toronto, Canada.
Maziar Shirazi.
Cyrus Khalatbari, Toronto.
Hassan Zeheri, writer.
Fred Missaghi, Richmond Hill, Ontario.
Jay Sharifi, P. Eng., Brampton, Ontario.
Mohammad Govahi,
Ahmad Sakhavarz, Political Cartoonist.
Hossein Honarmand, School of Busuness Management, Ryerson University, Toronto.
Hormoz Vahid, Public Works Engineering.
Bahram S. Biria, MS CE, Canada.
Hossein Nikdel, IT & Engineering Diretor.
Nuchine Nobari, President, Library Technology Alliance, NY.
Amir Mazinani, Ph.D.
Nakisa Malakooti, Researcher, Melbourne, Australia.
Carole Srole, California State University at Los Angeles.
Brooke Glass-O'Shea, Law Student, Gould School of Law, USC.
Mir Fazeli, Political Science student, York University, Canada.
Jeff Akbarzadeh, A professional on camera technologies.
Alberta Rozsay, student, University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Zoya Zarafshani, studeM.Sc. Candidate, Polymer Engineering and Science, Technical University of Berlin, Germany.
Abdool Valodia, C E O, Superfoam C C, South Africa.
Majid Ahmadi, Professor, Director of Research Center for Integrated Microsystems Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Windsor, Ontario.
Tobias Keil, M.A. of Political Science and History, Author, Germany.
Esmail Hejazifar, Ph.D., Professor of Physics, Wilmington College.
Homa Assar, Scientist.
Monda Tajbakhsh.
Zeb Akbar. Working Together.
Esmaeel Naeemi, Ph.D., Faculty at Seattle Community College Seattle, Washington.
Niaz Salimi, President,The Muslim Canadian Congress.
Arif Maftuhin, The Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington.
Hoda Mirafzal, Undergraduate Chemical Engineering Student at Cooper Union, New York.
Omar Tawakol, Concerned Citizen.
Hoseyn Rahbar.
Jeffrey Bass, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Lake Forest College
Fariba Sahraei, Journalist.
Behrouz Vafa, Co-founder of Financial Sciences Corp, NJ.
Foruohar Aghili, UMA University asistant in Renewable Energy Dept.
Davoud Navaian B. Sc., Chemical Engineering, Teacher, Gothenburg; Sweden
Fatemeh Ebtehaj, Associate member, Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge.
Shahrzad Afshinpour, Electrical Engineer, Raleigh, NC.
Mary Shahrzad Ossati from England.
Amir Torkamani, USC Gould School of Law.
M. Hadi Hadizadeh, Visiting Research Professor, John E. Edwards Accelerator Laboratory, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Ohio University.
Sima Shakhsari, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Cultural and Social Anthropology Stanford University.
Amir Naghshineh-Pour, Aerospace Engineer, San Diego, CA.
Fanny V.Heymann, psychologist consultancy from The Netherlands.
Sina Emami, Aerospace Engineer, San Diego, California.
Rana Rabei, Neurobiology and Physiology undergraduate student at University of Maryland .
Ali Shokouhbakhsh, Economics Instructor, Bay Area Community Colleges California.
Masoud Rezvani.
Leela B.Ghaffari, Assistant Professor, New York University.
Fereshteh Kujoory.
Ali Torkamani, Ph.D. Candidate, Biomedical Sciences, University of California, San Diego.
Denis Salter, Professor, McGill University.
Amir Yavari, Application Support Specialist.
Betty Farrahi, Farsi teacher.
Shapour Neshatfar, Ph.D., Vice President, Goldman Sachs.
Fariborz Shokoofh, Vice President, ABB Schweiz AG.
Soody Neshatfar, Systems Engineer.
Babak Daraie, CTO, Walnut Creek, CA.
Mehri Farzaneh, Telecommunication Software Engineer Columbus, Ohio.
Musa Marashi.
Nadine Kollmeyer, Social Scientist, Germany.
Mohsen Kermanshahi, DDS.
Morteza Ghassemi, Ph.D., Research and Development in Telecommunication Industry.
Ronnie D. Lipschutz, Professor of Politics, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Walter Goldfrank, Depts. of Sociology and of Latin American & Latino Studies, Univ of California, Santa Cruz.
Ruby Rodriguez, Ph.D. candidate in anthropology, UC Santa Cruz.
Pilgrim J. Jackson, Postdoctoral researcher, University of California, Irvine.
Jennifer A. Gonzalez, Associate Professor, History of Art and Visual Culture University of California, Santa Cruz.
E.G. Crichton, Associate Professor of Art, UC Santa Cruz.
Massood Seyedin, Ph.D. Professor of Mathematics, El Camino College.
Fereshteh Khajehnouri.
Fariba Mirbaha, Ph.D. Candidate, University of North Texas.
Jennifer Yaghoubian, High School Teacher, Redlands, CA.
Ken Bonetti, MS Economics, Academic Advisor, Department of Economics University of Colorado.
Keith Lammers, Director, Library & Learning Resources Gerard Cottet Library Pennsylvania College of Optometry.
Matthew Alford
Paul V. Van Merode, Advisor, Brussels, Belgium.
Gary Goodpaster, Professor of Law Emeritus, UC Davis, School of Law.
Rev. Charles Cornell, Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer, Episcopal Diocese of Northern California.
Leonard Koscianski, Professor, Art Department, Anne Arundel Community College, Annapolis, Maryland.
Anne Gagnon, Former Professor at University of Quebec at Montreal.
Peter C. Haney, Ph.D., Lecturer in Mexican American Studies, University of Texas at Austin.
Charles Hoerr, Childcare Worker, SUNY New Paltz.
Benj Hellie, Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Toronto.
Tim C. Smith, Ph.D. Indianapolis, IN.
Dr. Thomas C. Hull, Associate Professor of Mathematics, Merrimack College North Andover, MA.
Tim C. Smith, Ph.D., Scientist.
William D. Fergus, Jr., Attorney at Law.
Dr Casem Majd, Vice President of a Telecommunications Company.
Alex Abramowicz, Los Angeles.
Luke Gelinas, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Toronto.
Joanna Picciotto, UC Berkeley, Department of English.
Stephen Roddy, Associate Professor of Modern & Classical Languages, University of San Francisco.
Kooshy Afshar, President, Printup Graphics.
Mori Dinauer, Political Science, Graduate Student, Portland State University.
Jennifer Jones, Ph.D., Highline Community College.
Martin van Bruinessen, Professor, International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World, and Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
Francis A. Mlynarczyk, Jr., Ph.D., New York.
Joel H. Shapiro, Department of Mathematics, Michigan State University.
Jia-Jia Zhu, Undergraduate at University of Albany.
Poulod Borojerdi, student.
Daniel J. Philbin, SMSgt USAF(Ret.)
Isis Stafford, politics student at the University of York.
Behrooz Sheyda, Literary Critic, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abbass Bozorg, Assistant Professor of Financial Economics, Boston University.
Paul Raymond Gunderman, Former Adjunct Assitant Professor, Business and Management, Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee Wisconsin.
Farshid Ketabchi, Irvine, California.
Marc Ferguson, Professor of History, American International College.
Reza Shirazi, TV producer
Ray Ormandy, Associate Professor (retired), Literature Dept., Seijo University, Tokyo.
Azita Mashayekkhi, MHS, Staff Industrial Hygienist, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Washington, DC.
Eugene Kelly, Professor, Roanoke College, Virginia.
Will Jennings, Lecturer, The University of Iowa.
Ali Faegh, Professor of Economics, Northwest College, Houston.
Joyce Neu, Executive Director, Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice, University of San Diego.
Majid Zamani, MPA Candidate in Public Administration, Columbia University.
Dr. Hugh McElwain, Professor of Religion, Dominican University, River Forest, IL.
karen Brand.
William Coleman, Film Production Manager.
Janet McCracken, Provost and Dean of the Faculty, Professor of Philosophy Lake Forest College.
Jawed Siddiqi , Professor of Software Engineering, Informatics Research Group Sheffield Hallam University.
Reza Sahandi, Bournemouth University, UK.
Ardeshir Anbarestani, Sweden.
Ana Echague, Researcher, FRIDE, Madrid.
Pooya Hashemi, Mechanical Engineer.
Janne Bjerre Christensen, Ph.D. candidate, Roskilde University, Denmark.
Forogh Hashabeiky, Ph.D., Iranian Languages, Researcher and lecturer at Uppsala University, Sweden.
Gary Yeritsian, Undergraduate Student, History, International Relations University of Southern California.
Ali R. Borojerdi, P.E., Needham, MA.
Denise Conner, Graduate student (Chemistry) at Pennsylvania State University.
Katie Moore, Graduate Student, Peace & Justice Studies, University of San Diego.
Danusia Garrison, MA candidate International Peace and Justice Studies, University of San Diego.
Mark Woods, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of San Diego.
Michael Chejlava, Chemist, Lafayette College.
James Gill, Commerce, CA.
Steve Snyder, Editor, Dallas, TX.
Edward Danforth, Returning Scholar, University of Chicago.
Amir Oskui, Student and Political commentator, Kuwait.
Alex Najafi, M.A., USF International Relations.
Khosrow Aryan, President, Pacific Realty & Mgmt. Chicago.
Ardeshir Anbarestani.
Maryam Molavi, Urban Planner/ Architect California.
Nooshin Vassei.
Zinda Mahmood Bajwa, Secretary Public Affairs, Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, USA.
Sassan Rahimzadeh, V.P. Rahimzadeh Investment Group, Inc.
Alex R. Zebarjadian, MS., Senior Industrial Hygienist, San Francisco, California.
Nasser Kanani, Professor of Materials Science, Berlin University of Technology (TUB) Berlin, Germany.
Hadi Moradi, Ph.D., Research Professor, Intelligent Systems Research Center, SKKU.
Mohammad Nariman, M.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California.
Jan Keulen, Journalist, Chairman Communication for Development Foundation, The Netherlands.
Michael A. O'Toole Jr., Professor Emeritus, Schoolcraft College.
Joshua Goldstein, Assistant Professor, History Department, USC.
Martin Stewart.
Jim Roberts, Ph.D., Retired.
Timothy Hammond-Williams, father of two, ordinary citizen, concerned American Oregon City, Oregon USA.
John Chandler, Winston-Salem, NC.
Reza Naghshineh-pour, Industrial Engineer, San Jose, CA.
Betty Molchany, J.D., Front Royal, VA.
Stephen Oren, Ph.D.
Molly Rad, MD
Roksana Bahramitash, Ph.D., Concordia Univeresity, Montreal.
Edmund Acton Schofield, Jr., Ph.D., Boylston, Massachusetts.
Laura Pollecutt, Ceasefire Campaign, South Africa.
Susan M. Waters
Dr. Nadia El-Sayed El-Shazly, Former Assistant Professor Dept of Political Science, American University in Cairo.
Mariam Gheshlaghi, student at Red Cross Nordic United World College.
Daniel Bonilla-Torres, Opera Singer and Actor.
Habeeb Al-Aidroos, Lakefield, Ontario
Jim Glasson
Tsewang Bhuti, student at Red Cross Nordic United World College, Norway.
Maricel D. Avena.
Ali Raiss-Tousi, Journalist in London, England.
Howard Winant, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Douglas Bennett, Chairperson for Citizens for Responsible Government, Redding, CA.
Dr Ross Wilcock, grandfather, Canada.
Inayat I. Lalani M.D. Delegate, 2004 Democratic National Convention.
Mariano Giampietri, Red Cross Nordic United World College.
Lawrence M. Firman
Gunvant Govindjee, Teacher of Human Rights, Red Cross Nordic University

Care to explain the provenance of this list? Since we can assume you didn't interview them, it is from where? Especially given the unwieldy size.

Not that I doubt these are all opposed to pressuring Iran with force threats. It's just not persuasive without more info. (I need no persuading--it's others that might.)

Others can click on the goddamn link provided.
Here it is again, just to make it clearer: AntiWarPetition.com

Funny, this guy who claims there are "no credible Iran experts" is himself hardly qualified to judge other people's credibility on the issue & has probably never set foot in Iran himself but he feels free to opine about Iran-this and Iran-that.

Where does TPM get these guys?

America has used satellite images and evidences obtained from torturing to justify a war against Iraq and it is proven all wrong and many people are dead, America has lost its credibility among the world community. It does not matter how many signatories that you have obtained, it is just not credible anymore. Your list is questionable and suspicious. America is no more the voices of the truth. Any moron can manufacture a list like yours, just like the list used against Saddam Hussein. The world does not trust the cowboy president, what makes you think the world can trust you or your list.

Ah hass, you fail to understand the unimpeachable logic of these things. Since the experts on your list are strongly opposing and warning against the military option in Iran, they are a fortiori "not credible". Only experts who refrain from warning politicians and the public about the dangers of attacking Iran qualify as credible.

Your failure to grasp this simple rule of US foreign policy management hereby qualifies you as a non-credible blog commentator.

Don't you know the consensus for keeping all the Iran options on the table is incredibly broad? It stretches all the way from one end of the Council on Foreign Relations to the other.

I find no link in the list post, but the one here explains fine. Thanks.

I’ve always tried to stay out of this debate in this venue, but this setting of this litmus test is not only dangerous – it’s dangerously misguided.

Well, you know Mr. Baer, I would like to be able to assure our esteemed candidates that I will not use a firm anti-war, pro-talks Iran position as a litmus test of their candidacy, but as a mere voter without a lot of leverage to bring to bear on moving candidates toward my prefered position, I feel it is important to keep all my options on the table.

I think you need to come to grips with the realities of democracy. It is not in the public interest if rascally politicians are convinced that they can proliferate noxious political gas on Iran, without facing the possibility of a firm electoral response. So I will refrain from taking the "no antiwar litmus test" pledge at this time. Consider my position one of "strategic ambiguity."

By the way, why have you "tried to stay out of this debate in this venue"? Some might think it's actually an important debate. Perhaps it is the terror felt by that "wide range of experts in Washington" of participating in debate on Iran outside of the constricted circle of approv