Shiveh,
Take some blood pressure medicine and relax! You are just one voice out of 72 million Iranians. They can decide for themselves and need no American style "Decider" like you.

This article was, and is, about the world and the environment, not about your views and opinions and not about Iranian politics or internal issues. I am sure a very large majority of Iranians really do not care about what you think. The same majority also would say (a) so what that the Internet is American? (b) What does American technology has any thing to do with the views of an immigrant in USA? and (c) sincce it is some 30 years that you are in America, why you are still separated from other Americans as a hyphenated American...Iranian-American!! and (d) Tell me, do they let you sit in front of the bus? or do you have to show your American passport and jump up and down first and throw it in their face?

And if you attack the writer instead of the article and its contents, then I can only believe that, by any standard and using your own words, you are in fact out of line. Civilised debate and discussion must be orderly. If we are talking about the environment and global warming, no one should jump in with their topic of choice, or their old axe to grind, and divert the discussion to another irrelevant topic--without proving themselves to be silly and, well....., out of line.

Persian Redneck

The technology you are using to contact me, the light bulb above your head and the medical advances that will keep you alive many years over your otherwise expected life, all came from this country that you reject so handily.

Some times it helps to look from outside, you see clearer. I have been in enough contact with Iran and Iranians of every belief to have a clear idea of what is going on in Iran. I’m also proud of what you have achieved despite of the system that is suffocating the country. About 5 million of the 72 million agree with your government. And those are the ones that in different ways are under the payroll of the government. Choosing a handful of candidates in advance and then leaving people with no other choice than voting for one among them brings no legitimacy to the system. How many of these 72 million will vote for the Islamic Republic if there is a true referendum with clear choices in Iran? How many of these 72 million still call themselves Moslem?

When I first replied to Dr. Ettefagh’s article I was too sarcastic and probably out of line considering his previous writings and the good he has already done for his country. But, I found the article one-sided and propaganda based, and I replied not by pointing out what I found unfair but by hinting on -clean your act first- rebuttal.

Tribal world mentality is most evident amongst undeveloped or developing countries. The West has accepted old foes like Japan, Russia, China and even Viet num as insiders. Countries of the former Eastern block, India, S. Korea, Turkey are dealing with the West on equal footings. Jordan and Egypt are being helped, Lybia encouraged. Do you really want me to go through point by point of why Iran is kept outside? Now, Isn’t the Islamic brotherhood where a true tribal mentality exists?

No one - no country - is perfect. But as our own proverb goes “ An unwritten dictation has no mistakes!”. The West is mostly responsible for the pollution that hunts us now. But the West is also responsible for most of the achievements that makes our lives easy and enjoyable. Also, it is the West that is working on the technologies to change our ways of using the energy we all need. If we are charging them with the cost of polluting the earth, shouldn’t we give them credit with all the niceties of life, all the gifts, that we have accepted and are using free of charge?

Every country looks after the well-being of it’s own people first. Self-serving and selfish people are every where. Not to be one requires an open-mindedness that is hard to come by these days. Don't be a redneck, you can do better.

Shiveh,
If you are 30 years away from Iran, then you have absolutely no clue about Iran. Zip. 72 million people are not going to change to adapt to wishes and whims of about 3 million Iranians abroad. Rule one of democracy is to follow the majority...or do you Yankees still think that you can implement American versions of "democracy" in Iran. Give it up and stop confronting people.
No good idea can come from a country that re-elected George Bush. None!

Ahmad- I have no vendetta against Dr. Ettefagh. I believe he has a sharp mind and his country can benefit from his abilities even more by what he is prescribing here for the world. “... challenges must first compel us into a paradigm shift and a modernization of principles ...” said beautifully. I can’t think of a better application for it than in Iran.

Dr. Ettefagh in this article is using a harsh confrontational tone that in my view is excessive. The countries (people) that are trying to do something about global warming are the ones who brought it into focus on the first place. The urgency of the matter requires immediate action. Ridiculing the Bali conference and asking the participants to solve all the “mind set” problems of the world before they get to this one does not cut it for me.

His other proposals sound good but when implemented would be too little too late or much of the same. Teaching environmental issues in schools require packaging them by the governments. Something that Dr. Ettefagh will probably call fabricated and self serving. We have a free flow of information with opposing views now that I prefer to any institutionalized teaching any time. Planting trees is a good thing, but it is not enough. And his last proposal - engaging people in the negotiating process. To implement it we need to either elect or appoint citizens to participate in negotiations. How different is it now? Dr. Ettefagh divides negotiators to politicians and regular people. But regular people go about their everyday business and we call the ones that get elected or appointed politicians anyway. Is their experience and knowledge a problem?

Persian Redneck- I’m partial to the truth of what I see more than to any person or any country. To stop you from guessing let me tell you that I was born and raised in Iran, a country that I love, and have been living in US for over 30 years now. There are a lot of things about these two countries that I like and a lot that I like changed. I have done what I could and still do what I can (and you have no idea about it so don’t nock it!)

Shiveh,

Who said that people MUST accept what is on the menu of 6 items? And Which other authors of PostGlobal have chosen one of the six?

To simplify the matter, urgently heed this advice:

1) If you are Iranian, and if you think you have bright ideas, please travel to Iran and do something about what you believe in. (and for clarity, I assume you are just belching hot air from outside Iran, cluelessly polluting the planet).

2) If you are not Iranian, mind your own business! You have no right to comment about Iran as a foreigner. If we want to know your opinion, we will ask you!

Using your logic, the USA (and Russia, China, France, UK, etc......) should stop spend billions on protecting its political interests abroad and instead spend that money to clean the air in Los Angeles, Beijing, polluted sites elsewhere. Moreover, why should Iran be different from others in pressing ahead with its political agenda and defend its interests? Especially as Ahmadinejad is more popular on Arab streets than Bush in his own home country?!

As the author has observed, the old UN structure of assumed "special rights" is old and rusty.

Clear enough?

Shiveh, your personal vendeta against this author is getting old. The idea that no Iranian should offer an opinion unless they risk their life for a cause you believe in is frankly not very convincing.

Shiveh, your personal vendeta against this author is getting old. The idea that no Iranian should offer an opinion unless they risk their life for a cause you believe in is frankly not very convincing.

Shiveh,

Many here have already answered the question put to them by WP by a resounding: "None of the above!... with explanations, Your Honor."

Mr. Ettefagh is no exception. It is simply that unfortunately, the man can "think out of the box", as some people's favourite expression goes. His answer is nonetheless as legitimate as anybody else's.

Whatever country Mr. Ettefagh be from remains quite irrelevant.

JRLR,

Dr. Ettefagh did not choose among the 6 proposals. He actually through out the whole process and proposed a new and in my view revolutionary set of fundamentals that goes beyond the subject matter. His rejection of what the rest of the world (ones who can make a difference) is trying to do while things have much room for improvement in his vicinity is bordering hypocritical. But, I could be wrong!!

Shiveh asks: "Am I wrong to ask him (Dr. Ettefagh) to direct his brighter mind inward and try to better life where he is first?"

With all due respect, Shiveh, yes, you are wrong.

As per the Editor's Note: "This piece was written in response to a question asking panelists to choose the best of six proposals on how to move forward on climate change."

Mr. Ettefagh graciously obliged, and I see no reason why he should not have. There is much to learn for everyone, I believe, in what he wrote above.

Persian Redneck

Dr. Ettefagh writes very eloquently. His articles are sound and they are satisfying both to the agreeable reader and his own sense of intellectuality. I’ve seen many intellectuals who were not ready to dirty their hands and act on their believes. I respect Dr. Ettefagh too much to want him to be another one of them. That is were my challenge comes from.

Couple of examples of why I think Dr. Ettefagh should look inward:

The air over Tehran is so polluted it is dangerous to breath. The billions given away to Hamas and Hezbullah could help buy better emission systems and solve the problem- It did in Los Angeles.

Dr. Ettefagh is asking for equal voice in world affairs for Iranians while his government does not let them choose their own clothing.

Am I wrong to ask him to direct his brighter mind inward and try to better life where he is first? Doesn’t real strength come from within? Why Educated Iranians flee the country instead of staying to bring Iran in par with veto holding UN powers? Do you think they’ll let go of their veto powers over you just by you telling them that they are wrong?

It is always easier to direct your anger and frustration toward others, but it is more constructive to live by what you preach.

I very much appreciated reading your "Enough of Our Tribal World View", Mr. Ettefagh.

In addition to your views on the universal need for new ways of seeing things, your efforts to sell democracy in action, i.e. democratic practises, to arrogant "democratic" nations such as ours make for refreshing reading indeed, all the more so as they are spelt out in the Washington Post.

Mr Author Ali Ettefagh

is there any phrase for cutting the head of a man in Persian idioms for MARRIAGE or for EDUCATION or for BEING CLERK in GOVERNMENT or for MASTERY in UNITY?

or do you know any phrase in Levant region for this headlessness?

when i see articles on Global Warming, i recollect the scene from the animation movie "ANT Z", where Ants travel within the Apple on a Worm, cheering up.

who knows the language knows what this scene is.

and we shall soon speak of Logo of Trademark of DVD and George, viewed from right to left, provided "V" is for "OR" in Maths.

Great ideas, but any listeners there.

Are posters of comments really THAT stupid that they mix the subject of worldwide climate change with uneducated meddling about Iran?

If nothing else, the comment above from SHIVEH proves the point of the writer.... that the old mentality is blocking the way forward in the modern world.

"More seriously, I think these challenges must first compel us into a paradigm shift and a modernization of principles--security, competition, fairness and development. Without rewired logic, none of the proposed methods will happen. All will heap on the last pile of broken promises."
Dear Mr. Ettefagh! your revolutionery idea's in this post sound solid and progressive. Would you please direct your principles inward! Try to bring the country you leave in to present first, then we'll all move to future together. Seriously!

there is breath on the names of people.

as "Ali Ittifak" is Holy Alliance, i shall put these two messages on the front page of Washington Post "Smoke on White House" to here under your article, Mr Author.

alkanlevent wrote:

to Mr George Faither Bush.

"Kurban" is "Relativity", "to be relative" and "in relation".

"to offer my father and mother to be relative to you" is not to sacrifice but is in order to establish a mutual relation with our addressee with His Grant.

if i had an instruction to cut the throat of my son and if an angel had brought a sheep to me, then the education of my son is complete. this is the language.

so may i ask White House and Israel to verbalize Kindness to elevate the course of sheep to the education of unity by Abrahamsons and relativity.

12/19/2007 10:59:43 AM

alkanlevent wrote:

as the Eisenhower was in agreement to disable Soviet-Communism and its entrance to Abrahamsons Levant region in any circumstance, this smoke in White House Eisenhower department is a word that verbalizes the review and reprocess of this Israel and Communism case.

this is a small step for Israel and USA Government but a big step for all of humanity and Us.

12/19/2007 11:04:13 AM

Interesting and true.
The environment is as important and literature and math. Thanks for your views.

Cheers! Dr. Ettefagh you are an intelligent and objective Earthman. Sure would be great if the world leaders would just start now to clean up the environment.