Dreaming for Iran

ARTICLE: US ships cigarettes, bras, more to Iran, By SHARON THEIMER, Associated Press, Jul 8, 2008

Tells us three things: 1) anything can and is smuggled into Iran; 2) Iranians prefer American stuff (a passive protest is to be unduly attracted to stuff and sources that authorities decry); and 3) there is huge unmet middle class consumer demand in Iran.

As always, one of our dreams in rebuilding Iraq should be to increase this flow immeasurably, meaning Iraq is a key conduit for the soft kill.

(Thanks: greg)

Comments

[Galrahn]

A good thing. The Levi Strauss approach to soft power has a better track record than the UN.

[Louis Heberlein]

Read the August 2008 National Geographic for insight on how the modern consumer oriented Iranians view the nasty Arabs that invaded them 14 centuries ago and overcame their superior culture. Iraq is no longer considered an Arab Sunni state by outsiders, but it will be suspected to be an agent for them within Iran for some time. And the memories of Saddam era reinforce that thinking. That may be a stronger reason for Iran meddling in Iraq than Shiite solidarity.

So, India might be a better conduit for outreach toward Iran. Although they had border conflicts, there is apparently no cultural memory of Persians or Indians subjugating the other. Contact with outsiders by water routes may also seem calmer than land routes.

Iran could then be a conduit to help Afghanistan and Pakistan overcome the tribal conflict mindset that led to both Taliban and al Quaida extremists. Note the harsh reactions when India tried to send representatives to help calm tribal conflicts in Pakistan.

I remember that an Afghan tribal leader that tried to get Iran's support was one of the first targets for the Taliban, but I think Iran would be smart enough to get tacit support from Pakistan and Central Asian border states before getting involved today. They will soon have a mutual motivation of an oil pipeline's security.