7 Comments

It’s doubtful that health care can get much more “efficient” than at Evin Prison, or from the ropes dangling off building cranes in Tehran, so congratulations to the theofascist government of Iran for their award, and for being a “model” in efficient health care.

OK, this last commentary really got to me! For the record, I find Iranian regime a dictatorship with no respect for human rights and all the things so many of us know have said for so many years. I think no one disagree in this regard.

What makes me tired of left and right politicians and thinkers is that their inability or maybe their refusal to look at gray color among the many colors in Iran. Instead of viewing Islamic Republic work is ALL good or its ALL bad, we truly lose our edge and ability to make Iran free.

In other word, we are unable to see a dictatorship and oppressive regime like Iran is able to offer a better health coverage for its oppressed people. And yes, there are many medical students out of work, yet we might wonder maybe that’s because Iran does not have an interest organization like American Medical Association (AMA) in the heart of the most capitalist systems in the world is allowed to regulates how many students are allowed to go to medical schools in the U.S., which affect portion of the supply side of medical cost. Yet, we know over 40 million Americans have no health coverage.

I have no choice but to agree that Iran’s health policies has shown to cover more people of Iran, as it concurrently torture its greatest and bravest people in Evin prison and discriminate against women, and so many other bad things this regime does. I think this inability to look at both sides of a regime or system has been a paralyzing factor to stand up to Iranian regime with innovative and creative ways to fight them. I think the same poor policy and analysis took place in Iraq and we see lack of true objective approach has made U.S. in this shocking and desperate situation, REGARDLESS of how many bombs Iran ships to Iraq via automated conveyor belts.

And at the same time Iran has a mentally sick (and I’m not trying to be funny here) president that keeps countdown to Israel destruction, yet his closest friend and advisor invites Israelis tourists to visit Iran in a German gathering! Analyze this!

So the challenge is not making the entire problem so simplified, as Mr. Ledeen says it in this article. The art and challenge is analyzing complex picture of Iran and then more challenging is to convey those complex concepts to masses so they know what’s going on.

It is this complex picture of Iran that have allowed the mullahs rule Iran, where they allowed trans-gender sex operation to take place and people are legally allowed to do so, and one of the mullahs even marry one of the men turned women, but yet it keeps oppressing majority of its people in seeking true freedom of choice. Think tanks: analyze this!

It is a fact that Iran has been much more aggressive in slowing spread of HIV infection by needle exchange programs and other things that some of the most progressive countries have not shown much success. Yet it is another fact that Evin prison and Karaj prison is over populated with freedom-loving people of Iran.

So the easy way for any analyst is to “spin” whatever news comes out of Iran and make it worthless. And we see what has happened after 30 years: NOTHING! The mullahs are laughing hard and they have shown how smart they are in making the worse situation into their great opportunity, like in Iraq. Analyze this!

Let’s have roundtables on this topic alone than making fun of their earned respect in health care.

Maybe it is time for all the smart analysts and thinkers, political parties and opposition figures to go back to their drawing boards and start over. What I know is they are winning and all smart people against them with all dollars poured into these foundations and so many PhDs and fellowships could not make the mullah to let Iranian people be free.

ML:

It’s perverse to apply moral equivalency to medical care in Iran and the United States. There is an influx of doctors to the United States and a brain drain of doctors from Iran. Whatever the problems with American medical care, anyone–including illegal immigrants–who shows up in an emergency room in this country gets treated, and well treated for the most part.

The degree of corruption in Iran is so enormous that any comparison is preposterous. Eighty percent of all jobs in Iran come from the government and state owned enterprises, which makes the famously corrupt mullahs directly responsible for systemic failures, and we know how rarely corruption is punished in Iran. As you rightly say, punishment is directed primarily against those who seek freedom.

For the U.N. to praise such a system is yet another symptom of its own enormous rottenness. Indeed, the U.N. is best described as the world’s largest criminal organization.

May be Hitlery Clinton wants to copy the Iranian regime model here in the States!?

Ah, I forgot to add this

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/025430.htm

According to the above persian language link, 95000 Iranian physicians are UNEMPLOYED inside the country!

Go figure…

In a twisted way of faith, Daniel Ortega who owes his second coming to the establishment of democracy by Regan using Khomeinists money (Remember Iran-Contra) is visiting Iran. Khomeinists are showering these low level losers (Castro, Ortega,…) with the money which is actually stolen from the people of Iran. The very same people who while their health minister receives a prize from UN, when they need a surgery they must supply most of the items needed for the procedure (from needle to serum). Way to go UN. It shows how inform UN junkies are.

In the meanwhile and more importantly the Khomeinists are busy arresting Iranian-Americans who visit Iran while US and State Department are issuing HotAir communicates only. Khomeinists are telling Iranian outside Iran, if you are for example a political science professor, you can’t and shouldn’t talk about democracy in your class rooms and in the conferences. Otherwise, when you visit your aunt in Iran and while eating “Chelo-Kabab” you can be arrested. US in the other hand, keep issuing toothless warnings which in a way actually is helping Khomeinists propaganda against free people by highlighting the issue in their media.

Iranians realize that if US really wanted to do something about this issue, Sate Department would issue a simple warning to Iranians visiting Iran and letting know US can’t do anything for them if arrested.

ML:

State Dept DID issue such a warning, but only after the hostages were taken.

Mr. Ledeen, even though I disagree with this statement you said: “Whatever the problems with American medical care, anyone–including illegal immigrants–who shows up in an emergency room in this country gets treated, and well treated for the most part.”, I still think you have gotten a good sense of Iranian politics, and have been saying lots of good things about freedom in Iran, less on your position on MEK.

You questioned me that it’s unfair to compare U.S. medical system to Iran, which I did. Now I look forward to read your review of Sicko by Michael Moore, when he compares U.S. to some other Western countries.

In any case, I just finished watching the not-released film of Sicko by Michael Moore, which makes the opposite case what you said above is not true.

It is an earth-moving film that indeed will make waves for ALL politicians, including Clinton.

Mr. Ledeen, it has couple of interesting points in the film that you will find them interesting, such as: The most basic element of democracy is to take care of people in the country. While I have some questions about it, I think hearing that from someone in UK parliament indeed makes it worth knowing.

ML:

I have removed links to the film and detailed accounts of what’s in it, because it is copyrighted.

Since you seem to know everything, please do tell what my position on MEK is. I don’t think that’s come up here, has it?

For the record: I DO NOT know everything.

In regard to MEK, I sense there is hidden or a wacky idea in U.S. administration that people think that MEK is on one hand a terrorist group, yet on the other hand they are kept and taken care of in Iraq for a possible use against Iran. And wackier of such thinking is believing that MEK is indeed an “alternative” to current regime in Iran and it has popular base among Iranians!

As an Iranian, one way I measure the DEPTH, SCOPE and KNOWLEDGE of U.S. politicians and thinkers is their view and understanding of MEK. If I sense they show obvious support for them and look at them as an “alternative” in future of Iran, then I know how damaged their thinking is about Iran and Iranians and MEK.

I personally find Islamic Rep. as a regime that is corrupt, torture its people, prevents its people freedom of choice in seeking political freedom and other bad things that we all know. I find Islamic Rep. as a regime that cannot continue in power, given its flawed view and being a religious political system. I also find a religious system can not and unable to provide democracy to its people no matter what it is called.

Now having said all that, if God forbid, I’m given a choice between Islamic Rep. and a future system in Iran that MEK has power in that system, then I prefer Islamic Rep. of Iran to be in place and I find the current system 1000% better than MEK and its associates.

I vividly remember those days in Tehran and those demonstrations created by MEK and then daily assassinations in Iran and so much death they have caused. I also find any individual that takes arms against its own country under any slogan is a traitor. MEK, besides being a cult, it is a cult that helped Saddam in its war with Iran. The same cult leader “ORDERED” one of its associates—Mr. Abreesham-chee– to DIVORCE his wife (Mrs. Maryam Q.) , so Mr. Massoud Rajavi marries her!!! And then they published a total BS booklet for its cult member why this has to happen!! Then, the sad thing is only Mullahs are criticized that they only think about their lower part of the body!! LOL ..Here comes Rajavi and President Maryam Rajavi!!!!

Now, in your case, frankly, I was fine until while back I read some article (don’t have its details right now) that somehow you don’t mind MEK role or using them against Iran. Frankly after that time I was totally turned off by you or possibly others as well. I hope for the record once and for all you let everyone knows your views in regard to MEK in clear statement.

Having said all these, in no way I support their forced return to Iran to the oppressive mullahs. Yet, I think U.S. has done very poorly in handling this cult and it has damaged and scared many Iranians when they find any hints or molecule of support for MEK by U.S. On the other hand, the only educated and SMART thing State Dept. has done so far is to classify MEK as a terrorist group. But I think that’s not the view at DoD.

ML:

It might be a good idea to get some facts before you trust your “sensing” talents.

This administration has not supported MEK, in fact it has kept it on the terrorist list. Some members of Congress have been tricked into thinking either that MEK is somehow a force for freedom in Iran, or that they really aren’t what they seem to be: a cult of personality that served Saddam.

I don’t know what you read about me, but I have no love for MEK, and have always said that it was both wrong and pointless to support them. Wrong because they seem to me to be an antidemocratic organization, and pointless because they have virtually no popular support inside Iran.

I must say I find it absurd to even imagine a choice between IRI and MEK. There is no such choice.