Censorship of Iranian manuscripts interferes with scholarship, science
By: Melissa Smith
Issue date: 3/17/04 Section: News
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"Publishing a work is not the same as buying oil, computers, microchips or bad tennis shoes," Baden said.
Baden was concerned about the arbitrariness of the possible restrictions, since the letters concerned only Iran and not other countries with trade embargoes, such as Cuba, Libya and North Korea.
Entessar sees the restrictions as another step in the attempts of the United States to destabilize Middle Eastern regimes.
"The United States government is trying very hard to change the 'unfriendly' governments in the Middle East," she said. "Iran, which has already been put in the category of the Axis of Evil, is now the target for this change. The stated goal of the Bush Administration's policy in the Middle East is to bring 'democracy' to the region in an effort to safeguard the U.S. interest there."
While the restrictions would limit the exchange of ideas between the United States and Iran, Baden believes that the United States should be working to open up the lines of communications with countries like Iran.
"When we find ourselves in situations where we disagree with a nation, my bias would be toward more exchange of ideas, not less," he said.
Baden was concerned about the arbitrariness of the possible restrictions, since the letters concerned only Iran and not other countries with trade embargoes, such as Cuba, Libya and North Korea.
Entessar sees the restrictions as another step in the attempts of the United States to destabilize Middle Eastern regimes.
"The United States government is trying very hard to change the 'unfriendly' governments in the Middle East," she said. "Iran, which has already been put in the category of the Axis of Evil, is now the target for this change. The stated goal of the Bush Administration's policy in the Middle East is to bring 'democracy' to the region in an effort to safeguard the U.S. interest there."
While the restrictions would limit the exchange of ideas between the United States and Iran, Baden believes that the United States should be working to open up the lines of communications with countries like Iran.
"When we find ourselves in situations where we disagree with a nation, my bias would be toward more exchange of ideas, not less," he said.
