As everyone knows, during the last 24 years the Islamic Government of Iran has been the world’s most active terrorist government, supporting terrorism both within Iran and internationally. The Hizbollah ("Party of Allah") is the brainchild of Ali Akbar Mohtashemi, the IRI’s former Ambassador to Syria (1982–1983). Since 1983, the IRI has been supporting this terrorist organization with more than 2000 IRI revolutionary guards, the needed weaponry, and an unlimited budget. But the Hizbollah is not the only terrorist organization that receives IRI support. Add to the list the Islamic Jihad, the Islamic Amal, etc. All are being supported and promoted by the Islamic Government of Iran.

Why is it that Charlie Rose never challenges any of the IRI representatives that he interviews?

Almost a year and half ago (Nov. 9, 2001) Charlie Rose interviewed IRI President Mohammed Khatami. During the hour interview, Rose treated Khatami as if the IRI is actually one of the leading promoters of humanity and one of the major protectors of human rights worldwide. Rose strangely and disappointingly decided to forget about the IRI’s role in worldwide terrorism, not to mention the IRI’s daily terror against millions of innocent Iranians.

Rose never asked any questions regarding IRI-supported terrorist organizations such as the Hizbollah, the Islamic Jihad, the Islamic Amal, etc. Rose never asked any questions regarding daily human rights violations in Iran, the condition of Iranian women, the condition of the IRI’s political prisoners, public execution by stoning, public execution by hanging, public flogging, Iranian POWs still held by Iraq, and many other important issues that show the true face of the oppressive IRI government to the world. Why?

Last night (3/31/03), I was watching Javad Zarif, the Iranian Ambassador to the UN, on the Charlie Rose show on PBS (KQED).

Zarif (it means "elegant" in Persian) very "elegantly" with the help of Rose (holding the microphone) suggested, "The regime in Iraq should be chosen by the people of Iraq, not one that is hand-picked by the US government." What a great idea!

Just like the Mullahs (Islamic clergymen), Zarif is very good at preaching the whole notion of government of the people by the people for the people. And like the Mullahs he doesn’t believe in his own words and his own preaching! Of course the distinguished journalist Mr. Rose (too busy holding the microphone for his holy guest) did NOT even bother to ask the IRI Ambassador this simple question: "Why don’t you practice what you are preaching in your own country? Why doesn’t the Islamic government allow the Iranian people to freely choose their own system of government?"

Disappointed by the lack of sincere, objective, hard-hitting journalism, I turned off the TV and opened the window to get rid of this Rose’s stinky smell . . .

Farhad Mafie

P.S. "Truth is the most valuable thing we have. Let us economize it." --Mark Twain.