Iran and Maslov (no, Ms. Palin, he's not one of Putin's men)

[moriah]

One thing that I thought was distinctly absent from the Presidential Debate regarding Iran was discussion of Iran's "on the table" reason for wanting nuclear centrifuges and nuclear plants.

I am known for my odd TV-viewing habits. One of them is to watch Mosaic: News From the Middle East, a compendium of the "top stories" segments from both private and government-sponsored news channels in Middle Eastern countries. I always found the Iranian segment interesting. A woman speaking very British English, in full cover, who never mentioned the nuclear issue except in these terms -- "our peaceful nuclear programme" (you could hear the spelling from her crisp accent). Of course, it was obvious that this was a state-sponsored newscast. But that is how they are selling their nuclear plan to the people.

Our nominee, as well as the Republican nominee, failed to mention Iran's severe power shortages. Here are a few articles for your perusal:

2004 -- Iran short 1,700 megawatts, will face blackouts

2005 -- 20,000 megawatt shortage, Government to take "Necessary Measures"

2007 -- Gasoline rationing causing riots in the streets, history of US-Iranian nuclear talks

2008 -- Electricity being rationed, scheduled blackouts of up to 4 hours a day

2008 -- Tehran losing power for 2 hours every day, impact

There are many other articles I can cite, but think about what this means to the average Iranian. If your refrigerator loses power for two hours in a day, your food might spoil. Your home no longer provides adequate shelter from the elements. Industry stops. Civilization stops.

Then you hear on the news that night that the government's solution, their "peaceful nuclear programme", is being blocked by the US.

Who are you going to hate?

Maslov's Hierarchy of Needs states that people who are lacking the physiological needs and safety needs -- food, clothing, shelter, work, protection from riots -- cannot move on to attempting to find love, idealistic values such as democracy, etc. Some disagree with Maslov, but it makes perfect sense. If you are too busy trying to make sure your family is fed and safe, how can you have time to "think deep thoughts"?

Iran has not served its people well, they continually export power they need to other countries. By doing so, they earn the goodwill of their neighbors, and that is worth it to the people in government offices who likely do not lose power for 2-4 hours a day. But to the average Iranian, who only hears through state-run newscasts about how awful the US is, they don't see their government as part of the problem. They are more likely to listen to the radicals, who tell them that they are not powerless, that they can fight back against Godless America ... with terrorism.

I personally think there are better solutions to Iran's power shortage issues than nuclear power. Even Pakistan, which is a nuclear power, cannot adequately generate enough power for their people. But deserts have a plethora of other resources -- namely solar, but also wind.

When Barack Obama is president and sits across the table from Iranian leaders, he will be able to show them we do want to help -- by exporting technology much safer and cleaner than nuclear power. Solar power. Wind power. (Hydroelectric is kind of out in the desert). If we are seen to be helping the common Iranian keep himself fed and clothed and sheltered, that will go a long way to dispelling the myths promulgated by the radicals.