LS Faye Turney and her Letter

I normally avoid writing in my blog about Iran related matters which have had due coverage on the mainstream media in the West. Instead, I try to concentrate on matters that have not been highlighted but are noteworthy in my view, in order to grab some attention.

For the reasons above, I wouldn't have written anything about the capture of the British sailors. I am not in a position to know where these sailors were when they were captured, nor where they are held now.

Leading Seaman Faye Turney's letter, in which she apologises for having entered Iranian waters, does prompt me to raise a point however. Ever since the 1979 Islamic takeover of Iran, we have become accustomed to Iranian dissidents and opposition or those who have fallen out of favour with the establishment, to appear on state TV and recant the crimes they have been accused of. So much so, that these state TV appearances have very little credibility with Iranians.

I remember the first post-revolution Prime Minister, in the provisional government, Mehdi Bazargan, pre-empted himself in the parliament, after his sell by date as a pawn of the mullahs had passed, by starting his speech in the parliament saying "If tomorrow they bring me on TV and make me say things, let it be known that what I am about to say now is what I really want to say not what I may have to say on TV tomorrow".

Thats why I have as much faith in Leading Seaman Turney's letter being voluntarily written as her Islamic headscarf being of her own choice.

Just before Ahmadi-Nejad became the president, a friend of mine had rang me and advised me to vote for Ahmadi-Nejad. Bemused and laughing at the same time, I asked him why?
"So the world finds out what the Islamic Republic is really like, instead of this false shop window dressing that is presented to the outside world by the likes of Khatami."

These forced confessions on state TV went on throughout Khatami's 8 years as president, but not much was said about it in the West. Perhaps my friend was right. We needed someone like Ahmadi-Nejad to wake up the gullible people in the West.