- 1 September 2010
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- 7 Comments
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US Navy Sets an Example
1 September 2010 Posted By Setareh Tabatabaie
With some in Congress openly advocating for the punishment of innocent Iranians and the drumbeat of war growing louder, it was especially refreshing to see the American sense of humanity still alive in a recent rescue operation by the US Navy.
On August 20, the US Navy rescued eight Iranian fishermen from a burning boat in the Arabian Sea. The Iranians, who had abandoned their boat and were floating on a life raft in the middle of the sea, were picked up by two SH-60 helicopters from the Antisubmarine Squadron of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group. They were then attended to by doctors and given food, water, fresh clothing, and temporary sleeping quarters until the Iranian authorities picked them up.
The New York Times article which reported on the US Navy rescue didn’t fail to note that “The United States and Iran have not had formal diplomatic relations since 1980.” As if diplomatic relations mattered to the fishermen who were floating on a life raft in the middle of the sea.
Fortunately our lack of diplomatic relations with Iran did not prevent the Navy from rescuing the stranded fishermen. But for one reason or another, many Americans often do forget about the Iranian people or associate them with a government they do not have control over.
This can be seen almost everywhere. In response to news of the Iranian Kish Airliner air crash in the UAE in February 2004, MSNBC Don Imus remarked, “When I hear stories like that, I think who cares.” In November 2009, Fox sportscasters made racially discriminatory remarks against Iranian NBA player Hamed Haddadi. Reuel Marc Gerecht, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, claimed that Iranians “have terrorism in their DNA.” Even YouTube, usually a nonpolitical world community, got involved in politics and excluded Iranians from its recent experimental documentary Life in a Day.
This attitude is extremely disconcerting. Just as I would not want to be judged by US foreign policy, such as our handling of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, neither should Americans, and in particular policymakers, be so quick to associate the Iranian people with their government’s foreign policies. It is as if the 2009 post-election protests and crackdown, and the continuing government repression in Iran have already been forgotten.
As Sandy Tolan wrote, “If national interest comes before our common humanity, then there is no hope for redemption, there is no hope for healing, there is no hope for transformation, there is no hope for anything.” I hope Americans who have forgotten about this common humanity take cue from the US Navy rescue, and keep Tolan’s words in mind.
7 Responses to “US Navy Sets an Example”
This isn’t the first time the USN has acted in such a manner, this year. And it hasn’t been lost on the Iranian military side, either.
BTW Setarah, 85% of us voted in the 2009 Iranian election, so- yes- we feel we have a sense of control over our government. (Compare that to 61% in the 2008 US election.) Did you vote in the Iranian election?
I did indeed, but as I’m sure you know, I do not believe my vote was counted. The results were announced a mere hour after I voted here in the US.
Pirouz,
You have asked the same question multiple times to Setareh and multiple times she has given you the same answer. I wonder why you continue to ask the very same question. No offense, but are you dense? Did you really not know her answer?
See http://niacinsight.com/2010/05/26/the-bastions-of-the-paramilitary/#comments
These comments in particular were in response to a post which you addressed to her. Here is the bulk of her response:
“As to the 2009 presidential elections, NIAC’s official position is that the elections were very controversial, as you said. My personal view is that they were fraudulent, and I do not believe my vote was counted, as I heard the results a mere hour after I cast my vote. And while I appreciate the links you have suggested I read, I maintain my position. I am sure you have read the many more articles documenting the great irregularities in the election.
Finally, I do not believe that a poll is a reliable method of understanding the Iranian public opinion, especially one in regards to politics, when people fear of repercussions from the government. Phones and internet are both monitored by the Iranian government, making polls in the country quite unreliable.”
How can she be more clear?
I-A, Setarah, I apologize, I must have missed Setarah’s previous explanation on voting.
I’ve one more thing to say about the election. Here in the US, we generally get only two presidential candidates, in Iran four. And in Iran, there is a real difference between candidates such as Khatami and Ahmadinejad. Here in the US, we get candidates like Bush and Bush-lite (Obama).
Finally, for those still contending fraud over the 2009 Iran election, please read this piece which critically examines the multiple complaints made to this effect.
Pirouz,
Again, you should really examine the things you “miss”. I think you will find an interesting pattern.
Pirouz,
… except here in the US the elections are not fraudulent. That is, by far, the major difference.