The Iranians are left with no choice this week but to believe that the United States has a pro-Arab agenda. In light of President Obama’s series of reverential visits and meetings with leaders in the Arab Muslim world and following a lost chance at supporting the Iranian people in a momentous, bloody, civil uprising, the latest directive by the administration, demanding that the name ‘Arabian Gulf’ replace the millennia-old designation of “Persian Gulf” was the last straw.
Last week, attention was called to the United States Navy’s statement instructing writers and editors to use ‘Arabian Gulf,’ angering Iranians in Iran and abroad, including many Iranian Americans. Thousands of messages, some polite and others more incendiary, on the Navy’s official website and Facebook page gave the administration a strong taste of how far the Iranian people are willing to go to defend their nationalistic pride.
Historically and geographically, the Iranians have considered themselves the oldest and most central inhabitants of the region for several millennia. The term Persian, dating back to the Persian Empire, carries considerable patriotic and historical significance for the Iranian people.
The Facebook Navy site administrator responded to the barrage of complaints, particularly as many Iranians expressed even more frustration when they realized their comments were being erased and even blocked from the site. The Navy responded that the site was suddenly bombarded with an overwhelming influx of comments.
The main explanation given for the directive was:
The use of the term “Arabian Gulf” vice Persian Gulf is used by naval forces including our regional partners there for years. We use this term in press releases, news stories, and photos coming from the Navy in the region. The often cited Navy Style Guide that says to use the term “Arabian Gulf” vice Persian Gulf is really only applicable to them since commands in their area would be the only naval forces publishing stories in the region.
Weak words for such a bold move to recreate history. At least, that’s how the Iranians see it.
Based on the response, it seems as though the administration is enforcing a policy of appeasement. The track record on appeasement, though, looks rather scattered when you consider a president who speaks out against Israeli settlements, yet not against suicide bombers. President Obama calls it diplomacy when he prostrates himself before leaders in Indonesia, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. But what about the people of Iran? Why didn’t President Obama appease one of our most overlooked allies in the Middle East—the 70 million people living in Iran—in their hour of need?
Not putting full support behind the people of Iran may have been one of the biggest and most irreversible diplomatic errors of our time. What’s worse, is that if giving the Iranians the cold shoulder last year did not create an irreparable rift between us and the people, then this latest move to belittle their cultural pride in favor of the sheikhdoms that surround them, will make it clear. Consider that bridge burned.
Particularly considering the timing, coinciding with the 5+1 summit with Iran which began last Monday in Geneva and a further round of talks to continue at the end of January in Turkey, Iranians are even more baffled as to why the United States would now try to find favor with the Arabs at the expense of deteriorating an already weak relationship with the Iranian people. Instead, the Obama administration seems more interested in cultivating a dangerously strained and precarious relationship with the Iranian theocracy.
Historical claims aside, the United States and the Pentagon have always used the term “Persian’ Gulf,” and the war in Iraq in 1990-91 has been called the “Persian Gulf War” or the “Gulf War.” The United Nations has had to intervene on a few occasions in 1994, 1999, and most recently, in the 23rd session in spring of 2006, arguing that only “Persian Gulf” be used as the official geographic name. Since traditionally, “Arabian Gulf” was used to refer to the Red Sea, it would make sense that the designation would not be repeated for the Gulf.
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Google maps and Mapquest have ommited the label entirely though the Gulf of Aden is still labeled. Google maps labels the Gulf of Oman but not the larger Persian Gulf.
Great piece,
you can check our Statement regarding the U.S Navy directives regarding the Persian gulf :
http://marzeporgohar.org/en/content/statement-reg…
and also my podcast in persian:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzVanACuqQA
Down with Islamic republic
Long Live Iran
Roozbeh Farahanipour http://www.facebook.com/farahanipour
Obama and Iran:
As thousands of Iranian demonstrators chanted in Tehran streets last year: "Obama! Obama! Yaa Baa Oonaa… Yaa Baaa Maa" , Obama ! Either With Them (the regime) or With Us (the people).
I just don’t understand why they are denying world history!? This unjust act should not only upset Persian people, but also everyone who believes in preserving historical symbols, names, and trademarks!
Wikileaks: Obama’s War On America, Target Hillary Clinton
On the day of the biggest breach of national security in American history, when war, in effect, was declared on the United States, the President of the United States held a press conference to announce a pay freeze on federal employees, and took no follow-up questions.
http://biggovernment.com/pgeller/2010/12/03/wikil…
BIGGEST CONSERVATIVE STAND-OUTS OF 2010 http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niqrrmev4mA&fe…
dont call my name Alejandro
To: White House, Secretary of State, US Dept. of Defense & US Navy
درود بیکران خدمت هموطنان گرامی. از آنجا که میبایست از هویت ایران و ایرانی دفاع کرد و زحمات ایرانیانی را که تا به امروز برای ایران زندگی کردند ایران را ساختند و برای ایران جان دادند، وظیفه امروز ماست که از آن آب و خاک پر گوهر دفاع کنیم. لطفا این پتیشن را خوانده و بعد امضا کنید. همچنین در وب سایت ما قرار گرفته است. یک ایران سپاس
http://www.petitiononline.com/upopgulf/petition.h…
To: White House, Secretary of State, US Dept. of Defense & US Navy
November 29, 2010
The White House
U.S. Secretary of State
U.S. Department of Defense
U.S. Navy
Re: The “Persian Gulf”
Mr. President, Honorable Secretary of State, and Chief of Naval Operations,
We are writing to express our deep concern regarding the recent news that the U.S. Navy has revised its Style Guide in connection with a body of water located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula known historically and internationally as the “Persian Gulf.” Specifically, the U.S. Navy has revised its guidelines in adding the following notation:
Arabian Gulf – use instead of Persian Gulf;
while revising the following entry:
Persian Gulf – use Arabian Gulf. "Gulf" is acceptable in second reference. Note: The Arabian Sea is its own body of water and should not be confused with references to the Arabian Gulf. (http://www.navy.mil/submit/view_styleguide.asp)
The U.S. government is in possession of a plethora of evidence with respect to the history of the “Persian Gulf” as well as the earliest world maps correctly noting the name of this body of water. The U.S. government is also well aware of the 2006 United Nations’ confirmation of the name “Persian Gulf,” and its statement that “any change, destruction, or alteration of the names registered in historical deeds and maps is like the destruction of ancient works and is considered as an improper action” (Twenty-third Session, Vienna, 28 March – 4 April, 2006). Further, the June 1, 2009 Captioning Style Guide published by the U.S. Dept. of Defense defines “Persian Gulf” as:
Persian Gulf. Do not use “Arabian Gulf.” Note that the Arabian Sea is its own body of water and should not be confused with references to the Arabian (Persian) Gulf.
It is erroneous to assume this illegal geographic name change will bring harm to the despotic regime in Tehran – a regime that does not care about Iranian culture and heritage let alone identity. To the contrary, it is a psychological warfare against the Iranian people, and counterproductive to their endeavor to fight Islamist terrorists in taking back their country.
The U.S. Army Center of Military History which at least twice makes reference to the “Persian Gulf” in its Style manual quotes the Father of this great nation George Washington as stating: “I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.”
We respectfully request that the U.S. Navy revert back this recent gross oversight that may result in unimaginable and irreversible consequences in fostering good relations with the people of Iran at a critical time in history. The U.S. foreign policy should support secular, freedom loving forces to gain long-term benefits.
Respectfully submitted,
Iranians advocating Freedom, Democracy, Secularism & Human Rights in Iran
By
Active,Human Rights
http://www.facebook.com/cyrus.perski
Cyrus Kheiri
It's sad that the author had to make so many subjective statements regarding the government in Iran and it's origins. It takes away from her main argument and makes her look like your typical Iranian-American who has not lived in Iran in many years and is mostly informed via her parents or the diaspora. It's a shame because I would have posted this article for friends to read, but the intermittent drivel is a real turn-off. I wish Iranians on all sides could be more professional.
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