Iranian President Attacks Liberal Professors

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's hardline president, has issues a scathing attack on liberal and secular professors in the Iranian educational system. Ahmadinejad is trying to mobilize a small but fiercely conservative group of student activists. Although the speech has received a large amount of media coverage, it appears to be little more than a rhetorical flourish. If Ahmadinejad really wanted to target liberal educators, he could have done something more substantial.

Of course, Ahmadinejad's speech has generated the usual chorus of conservative voices calling for a more bellicose foreign policy towards Iran. Since Ahmadinejad's speech was mostly a reflection of internal Iranian politics, progressives shouldn't be particularly concerned about liberal educators in Iran. I suspect they will be fine. An Iranian blogger from Mideast Youth points out the obvious:

"I don'’t understand why the EU and America were stupid enough to threaten the regime with exactly what it wants: to be isolated and left alone. They should have threatened the regime with engagement. They should have threatened more embassy and consulate openings, increased tourism, Hollywood movies flooding into the country, and MacDonaldÂ’s. That would have scared the regime."

Conservatives are obsessed with the idea that military power can solve every foreign policy challenge. Iran has a huge population of young people who could be won over with ideas instead of bombs and bullets. Military action is likely to further radicalize the general population. In contrast, constructive engagement might help both sides avoid a clash of civilizations.