MPG-Interview with Michael Ledeen

"...I felt that Khomeini's seizure of power was a catastrophe at the time,

and hoped it would be possible to change the Iranian regime in the mid-1980s..."

"...I hate tyrannies and like all Americans I immediately feel drawn to

brave people fighting for their freedom..."

For full text:

http://www.marzeporgohar.org/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?id=1029062149

============================================

MPG - Mr. Ledeen, your articles on Iran, have been the cause of much jubilation amongst Iranians.

Many Iranians when reading your articles comment, 'this is what we were waiting for'. What motivates you to write about Iran?

ML: If you read my earlier books, you will find that I was the co-author of a book ("Debacle; Carter and the Fall of the Shah") that dealt with the 1979 Revolution, and another ("Perilous Statecraft") that dealt with the Iran-Contra affair, in which I had a minor role. I felt that Khomeini's seizure of power was a catastrophe at the time, and hoped it would be possible to change the Iranian regime in the mid-1980s, when I worked in the Reagan Administration. So I have been following Iranian matters for a long time, I have many Iranian friends, and I was in a good position to follow the events of the past year or two.

Finally, I hate tyrannies and like all Americans I immediately feel drawn to brave people fighting for their freedom. So I thought it was important to follow this story.

MPG - Do you think that the Bush Administration's verbal support for the secular movement in Iran is sufficiently backed by action?

ML : President Bush has been very strong on this question, and I am sure that we will soon see more concrete forms of activity, such as increasing radio and television broadcasting to Iran.

MPG - How do you foresee the aftermath of a secular victory in Iran, within Iran itself and the region as a whole?

ML : I'm not smart enough to answer that question. I hope to see a freer Iran, that ends the long, ugly history of Iranian support for terrorist groups, that gives women greater freedom, that separates mosque and state, and that permits the talents of the Iranian people to express themselves. If that happens, it will strike a powerful blow at the crazy fundamentalists in neighboring countries like Iraq and Syria, and quite possibly fatally wound organizations like Hezbollah and al Qaida.

MPG - In your opinion, what should the Iranian opposition abroad do?

ML : I have always refused to get involved in "diaspora politics." But in general, Iranians with the means to do so should try to support the Iranian people who are fighting for their lives and for their freedom. There are radio and television stations that need help in the worst possible way, for example. And there is widespread starvation inside the country. Surely it should be possible to organize "care packages" with food and medicines!

MPG - Do you have a message for those who are fighting the religous dictatorship inside Iran?

ML : I think that President Bush spoke for all of us: the Iranian people should know that the American people fully support their legitimate demands for freedom, and we Americans will support them now, and do everything possible to help them as events unfold.

MPG: You can send us your comments on Michael Ledeen's replies for publication on MPG site to news@marzeporgohar.org by 15th August.