Head over to Global Voices and check out my Skype chat with Iranian blogger "Mr. Behi". Due to his dialup connection we weren't able to do a voice conversation for very long, but had a long text chat on Skype. We talked about why he blogs, what young Iranians like him think about tomorrow's Presidential election, and his views of the U.S. He is pro-reform but is skeptical that a new reformist leader in Iran would have the power to stand up to the conservative mullahs, given that the current President, Khatami, has failed to live up to young people's hopes. He also thinks that U.S. interference would be counterproductive, and that Iranians will need to find their own way, despite their frustrations with the conservative leadership. Read the whole thing, but here's a small excerpt of the Skype text chat:
Rebecca MacKinnon says: ...so if the next administration (whoever it is) ends up failing to reform much, like this one, will the frustration of iran’s young people boil over into the streets at some point? will people totally lose patience?
Mr.Behi Himself says: they may
you can not say yes or no
one year before 1978, no one would say a revolution may comeRebecca MacKinnon says: is there anything people outside iran can do to help you guys … assuming you don’t want “regime change” assistance from certain countries?
;)
Mr.Behi Himself says: US should try not to help the oppositions in Iran for GOD sakeRebecca MacKinnon says: yes that would taint the opposition, wouldn’t it?
Mr.Behi Himself says: because here the first reason to go in jail is have US/CIA realationRebecca MacKinnon says: yep.
Mr.Behi Himself says: and this much pressure on Iranian government for this niclear issuesRebecca MacKinnon says: does the nuclear pressure make the hard-liners stronger?
Mr.Behi Himself says: that is it
they make this a fact for national pride
and convice people that west is our enemyRebecca MacKinnon says: sounds like a vicious cycle.
Mr.Behi Himself says: One reason I blog
is to tell peole hey, we do not think as our goverment does
and this is not done in my word
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