Soccer Dad

Apologist for the mullahs

Roger Cohen has made his distaste for Israel known time and again. But what country does he show understanding towards? Iran is one.

In The other Iran, Cohen engages in apologies for the current leadership of Iran. For example Cohen writes:

In this land of competing currents, the U.S. has focused on one: Iran as an expansionist, would-be nuclear power. Iran's political constellation includes those who have given past support to terrorist organizations. But axis-of-evil myopia has led U.S. policy makers to underestimate the social, psychological and political forces for pragmatism, compromise and stability. Iran has not waged a war of aggression for a very long time.

Khaled Meshaal would beg to differ.

Hamas leader Khaled Meshal thanked Iran on Monday for many kinds of assistance but omitted any mention of the military aid that Israel and the United States have accused Iran of providing the Islamist movement that controls the Gaza Strip.

Yes, I know that Hamas is just a proxy and Hamas isn't acknowledging Iranian military help. However Hamas's terror is aggression by other means. And the denial of the arms smuggling is simply not credible.

Cohen continues.

Tehran shares many American interests, including a democratic Iraq, because that will be a Shiite-governed Iraq, and a unified Iraq stable enough to ensure access to holy cities like Najaf.

A "democratic Iraq?" Please. Iran supported the insurgency and is looking to dominate Iraq, not have a democratic pro-American country next door.

Finally he engages in one of those bits of wishful thinking based on some "sophisticated" analysis.

It opposes Taliban redux in Afghanistan and Al Qaeda's Sunni fanaticism. Its democracy is flawed but by Middle East standards vibrant. Both words in its self-description -- Islamic Republic -- count.

Yes, by Middle Eastern standards - outside of Israel and currently Iraq - Iran's flawed democracy is "vibrant," but that's pretty faint praise. Also its support of Hamas and Al Qaeda shows that it puts strategic interests ahead of doctrinal interests.

Roger Cohen is someone who is obviously beyond shame. He is openly advocating for the tyrants of Iran.

Crossposted on Yourish.