Reza Pahlavi, the former crown prince of Iran, has been on a Cheney-esque media blitz this week. At every stop, he's given a what seemed like a campaign speech, even referring to his "platform". Is Pahlavi the next Ahmed Chalabi?
This is just a quick diary to warn you about a concerted effort to sell the son of the Shah of Iran (Reza Pahlavi) as the legitimate head of Iran. First, he appeared last night at the National Press Club giving a quick campaign speech which he summarized as his "platform", then this morning he's on CNN calling for Obama to intervene forcefully in Iran. This makes perfect sense, because if anyone has moral authority in Iran, it's the son of a brutal dictator who people revolted against.....
http://amfix.blogs.cnn.com/...
It seems that the neo-cons have found their next Chalabi and are trying to sell him to the slack-jawed public. We should just invade Iran and install this guy as the monarch. I'm sure that people would greet us as liberators when they hear we're bringing back a brutal monarchy. We could give it a cool PR name, Operation Shah II: Revenge of the Awesome!
Pahlavi even has a sophisticated netroots following. The first few posts to the CNN comments section read like the expected astroturf spam:
Irani June 23rd, 2009 11:27 am ET
That is what they should encourage to be done by security forces. Since past days my friends and I were discussing this matter. People, Army, and security forces should united inorder to get rid of these blood thirsty regim....please support this idea. The regim does whatever it can to stay in power. The prince should be able to do somthing although some people say they don’t want monarchs in Iran. But I am sure he is the best now.
Mike Gendreau June 23rd, 2009 11:31 am ET
I did happen to hear Mr. Palhlavi’s address yesterday, and I was very impressed. I sympathize with the Iranians as their fight is just beginning. Mr. pahlavi made it very clear that it wasn’t about the election that brought about all this protest, it was about a people wanting to be free, longing for a democracy and a country that they be proud of. It helped me realize that they are ordinary folks much like ourselves looking for a better life.
Mr. Pahlavi was very sincere and very believable, answering all the tough questions that the media asked him. I would certainly like to see President Obama sit down with him and reassure him that we are on his side.
I was very much encouraged that perhaps someday soon we would see a ne Iran emerge that will contribute to the good of the Middleeast.
After that, people become more hostile:
Kamyar Varzi June 23rd, 2009 11:45 am ET
For God sake why are you giving this guy a platform? Iranians in Iran dont want him back. You are giving thr regime an excuse to kill more people by blaming him.
V Love Iran June 23rd, 2009 11:51 am ET
Oh, please give me a break, Reza Pahlavi’s father was the one who gave up the country to mullahs and he is the reason of all these troubles and problems of Iranian people in Iran right now. This family should never even think to go back to Iran in order to govern Iran again, most of Iranians hate them especially his father. Like son, like father. We Iranian people never go back and never eat what we throw up 30 years ago.
mike June 23rd, 2009 11:53 am ET
So a dictators son wants America to defend freedom in his homeland.
Why did CNN even interview this guy? Does anyone in Iran care what this guy thinks?
American Dreamer June 23rd, 2009 12:08 pm ET
I cannot believe that CNN is giving Reza Pahlavi the opportnity to speak.
His father, the former Shah, claimed to be descended from the original ruler of Iran but in reality the former Shah’s father was just an army general without any royal lineage who overthrew the Qajar dynasty that ruled Iran for hundreds of years. They have no royal lineage.
Worse still, the fomer Shah tortured and killed thousands of his enemies and was a brutal dictator. His memory deserves no honor.
Richard June 23rd, 2009 12:08 pm ET
I am a supporter of the protesters. However, we need to keep in mind of the potential lies from this "prince" Reza Pahlavi.
Remember Muhamad Chalabi and his cronies? They lied to us and to the Bush administration for their own gains.
This guy and his supporters may try to fool us "naive" Americans this time. We cannot and should not even give them a platform to spread lies and rumors that would benefit no one but them.
Regards,
Richard
Simply hosting Reza Pahlavi on our news programs sends the wrong signal to the Iranian people. His face is associated with tyranny and the wounds of our intervention there are only now healing. We need to stay vigilant and call out any newscast that elevates his opinions.