[lbo-talk] Hamid Dabashi on Iran

[Bryan Atinsky]

ravi wrote:
> On Jun 22, 2009, at 11:16 AM, Doug Henwood wrote:
>> On Jun 22, 2009, at 10:50 AM, ravi wrote:
>>
>> Holocaust denial is a particular kind of lunacy - it's a way of 
>> embracing an outlandish fiction that identifies you with the most 
>> disreputable anti-Semites around. It's not like just reading your 
>> horoscope or knocking on wood. It's a malignant position-taking.
>>
>
> Let us give you all that. But remember that its Ahmadinejad who takes 
> this position, not the Iranian people. Should the [educated] Iranian 
> people be embarrassed by his taking this position? Sure, perhaps in a 
> cocktail party or some such. But in more serious terms, how does it 
> make a material difference?
>

This kind of line makes it seem that Ahmadinejad opinion is equal to 
that of any general private Iranian citizen.  Also to the fact that it 
is irrelevant. If it was such an irrelevant, minuscule part of his 
policy platform, why does he seem to bring it up on every occasion 
possible and lest you forget, have an international conference of 
Holocaust questioning/denial?

How does it matter materially to the average Iranian citizen? (and 
Palestinian?)... Well, it is just about the best fodder possible for the 
Israeli hasbara machine, plays into Israel's argument that Iran (and 
their tools in Palestine and Lebanon) is out to finish the job the Nazis 
started, ups the ante and adds fuel to the war of words between Israel 
and Iran, increasing the likelihood of tacit western backing for an 
Israeli attack on Iran, and all the shit that would come in its wake.

Maybe those aren't overriding factors, but materially irrelevant? I am 
not sure.

Bryan