Iran's Situation from an American Scholar's View By: George Moore, Massachusetts, U.S.A. I have not  registered my opinion as yet in your poll about presidential elections in Iran. However I do know something about the current political situation in that country and my opinion is dictated by the news media which usually side with the "moderates." However, I am of the opinion that the present government will remain largely intact as people do not like radical changes in the political scene unless faced with an international or great national crisis. At this time, if I were to make a somewhat obscured opinion, then I believe that the biggest problem facing the next government may well be a burgeoning explosion of poverty and a too rapid growth in population brought about by reasons known to you. In a discussion with an Iranian friend I made a point that theocratic and democratic governments are not compatible as history shows and my opinion [again poorly gained] is that the situation in Iran is as much religious beliefs and fundamentalist zealots which are largely fueled by the peasant classes vs the more moderate Bazaari[did I spell that correctly?] and urban dwellers. We have a similar situation here in America and the differences are not dissimilar. I found it somewhat strange that our government supported the Mullahs in Iran as well as the Taliban in Afghanistan against a somewhat despotic but more enlightened communist government. The communists, like them or not, were trying to drag that unfortunate country into the 20th century and they failed. In Iran we supported a Shah who had lost the confidence of the masses but yet he too was trying to drag the nation into a 20th century western oriented culture and he did not because of his own ineptitude have the support of the Mullahs and the masses. In any case, both of our "adventures" into Midlle East politics were replete with ignorance and ended in disaster. Our leaders know little and have learned little about the Middle East. They classify everyone that lives there as an Arab. Of course, this is not true. I well remember an incident that happened at the UN but unfortunately not the date. As a Syrian or Iraqi delegate tried to address the assembly, he was interrupted by loud talking, boorish young American diplomats. He finally lost his temper and replied to this insult by stating,"We were an old nation before yours was born. We gave the world many great cultural achievements," and he named some. He finished by stating, "Those whom the Gods destroy, they first make mad." I am afraid that we have learned little in the last 35 years. Disraeli once said that "England had no permanent enemies or permanent firends; just permanent interests." I suggest it is time to make apologies, amends and give Iran back its moneys and recognize them as a  great and enduring nation and not let our foreign policy be colored by "chadors" or beards. We have both here and they are good citizens. Let me add that my expertise is not the Middle East--it is football. (End)