Hope … or Nope?
May 26th, 2011 by pedestrian
For a while last week, Iranian Blogistan, facebook, etc was set ablaze with this particular video of a former madam now upgraded to some pretty fancy shmancy position inside foreign policy circles:
Iranian students in the US will finally have multiple entry visas, like the rest of humanity!
Halleluja! The Iranians shouted out with glee. And for all the right reasons. Iranian students, being the kick a** terrorists that we are, are only eligible for single entry visas to the US. If they ever decide to exit the country to visit their homeland (or anywhere else for that matter), they will have to reapply for a student visa. While some take that chance, the majority, knowing that the state of visas for Iranians is highly dependent on a bunch of seven-year-old stormtroopers on steroids, choose not to take that risk.
While not understanding why they even choose the United States in the first place, I have watched my friends’ anguish, sadness and longing as they are virtually trapped away from home. So this piece of news is astounding, and long overdue.
HIP, HIP HORAAAAAAAAAAAAY!
…………………. Before you start the celebrations however, listen to the madam again.
This new law only applies to those in the “nontehnical, nonsensitive” fields.
Say what?
I think I read somewhere that over 70% of Iranian students in the US are in engineering and related fields.
Is that “tehnical” or non? “Sensitive” or none? An “electrical engineer” can be doing “sensitive” research, no? Who is going to determine that?
If you have more information on this, please let me know. But thus far, this seems like the typical Obama approach: pretend or talk about “yes we can”, talk about doing something significant … while not really doing anything significant at all. I could pull out the stats, most Iranian students in the US are in fields that can be considered “technical or sensitive”. Surely the bogus president (or his even more bogus advisers) know the stats better than you or I?
What we’ve been able to understand with my friends, is that first of all, those with a visa in the US already, need to leave the country to reapply. Then, the “sensitivity” or “tehnicality” of their field is left to the mercy of another moron (aka immigration officer). So unless you are going to the US to study mural painting or culinary arts, you’re still up in the air [hint: you could always look north or west on the map!] .
Then again, what if you want to use your cooking skills to feed a bunch of terrorists? Will that be considered “sensitive”? Or paint the harrowing death chambers of an ugly terrorist with a mile long beard?
But hey, as you’re painting his malodorous, repugnant cave that smells of sweat and rose water, sing out “yes we can” … you might actually convince yourself to believe it.
Dear Pedestrian,
You have absolutely got it right, in a nutshell. I think you’ve noticed that everything is fake now, and that the madam, perhaps, has sold her soul to be a part of the great hope and change. But it’s not over yet, I have to believe that, and I hope you can too. Thanks.
hope and change redux
Again, dear Pedestrian,
A perfect nonsequitur — I think I’ll opt for ‘real’ instead of redux. Remember when stuff used to be real?
Sometimes now it seems like the entire world has adopted Ahmadinejad’s standards: ‘We don’t have any political prisoners in Iran’ or his wise advice to Arab Spring country leaders: ‘Listen to your people; stop the violence.’ Arrggghh. And, in response to atrocities anywhere, with one voice world leaders pontificate, ‘It’s unacceptable,’ which goes a long way toward protecting the victims, of course.
This scenario can’t last much longer, can it?
I don’t see why not, but I like your optimism!
Considering the fact that the United States and Iran are each other’s adversaries, even enemies, isn’t it understandable that the US would treat Iranians with suspicion? There are plenty of countries that don’t allow people from enemy countries (or who even just visited in an enemy country) entry at all.
I think the whole visa system based on one’s citizenship is bullshit, it’s so 19th century and with today’s technology it can easily be dealt away with. (the sad fact is, it’s not getting any better – see for instance how Europe is slowly returning to old habits: http://rational-idealist.blogspot.com/2011/05/borders-en.html.)
I also don’t like the Americans’ security paranoia post-9/11.
But leaving these things aside, I have some understanding for the US position. Iran clearly has a regime that the US sees as hostile; and perhaps a good part of the population is not particularly US friendly (admittedly for valid reasons, this is another discussion) – there are not a whole lot of countries where singing “death to America” and burning its flag is a feature of some public events.
You should know that there are countries like mine that are allied with the US and where the population at large is very favorable to the US and all things American, but we still need a visa to travel there.
So, I fully sympathize with the personal drama of students who are not able to visit families – I studied abroad myself much closer to home and in much less tense places and due to visa issues (at that time) I still had problems at times going home and coming back. But I think you may be excessively blaming the wrong people. This administration I think is making an effort to maintain people to people relations notwithstanding the hostile official relations with Tehran. It could do more, it could do better – yes! But considering the atmosphere and constraints they are operating under (see the over-reactions to Obama’s mention of 1967 borders in Palestine), I would cut them some slack.
Emmanuel, it’s not about being “understandable” or not. The world is ruled by crazy, lunatic men and sure this insanity is “understandable”. In the post-9/11 world, security at airports for those of us with brown hair and weird sounding names has become hell. Does that make life better or safer for Western citizens? I beg to differ. I think it was designed to give us hell, and that’s its primary function. But do I “understand” why it’s the way it is? Of course I do.
RI, my problem with this is that it smells of the typical Obama approach, and it’s not his first time, the man has made a legacy of this: talk nice, but don’t really do anything. If I’m right and this new policy shift only does apply to arts students, it really is not anything at all. It just sounds that way. This is so quintessentially Obama.
Okay, for all the people that responded just to antagonize someone who didn’t know specifically what “technical sensitive” meant–shame on you for not seeking knowlede to a question and just trying to egg on an upset person. FYI: the only field of study multiple entry doesn’t apply to is nuclear physicist. —that’s it— all the others are fine and acceptable.
If you want more clarity go to educationusairan.org
Pari, thanks for the link! We’ve poured over that site with my friends (specifically the “visa” section), but we did not find the clarity you mention. Could you send the link of the page you are referring to? Thanks a billion
dear pedestrian,
Obambi & Hillary seem to be trying to respond to the needs and complaints of Iranian students in the US …a good move.
Given that Defence Secretary Gates estimates that 1/4th of US casualties in Iraq come courtesy of the IRI, US/IRI relations remain murderous. I’m sure that the majority of Iranian visitors are just lovely folks, but the nature of the IRI gives Uncle Sam reason to be suspicious of all Iranians.
As to the mystery of “why (Iranian students) even choose the United States in the first place” :::Iranians may be curious to see the George W.Bush Presidential Library, and experience the Great Satan in person.
BTL, you’re doing what all great Bushians (and Ahmadians) do: mixing things. This visa was policy has been long in existence, way before the invasion of Iraq. And may I remind you that it remains so to the rest of the world: an “invasion”, right outside Iran’s borders. While I have no sympathy for the Iranian government, as I hope you know, that does not justify thousands of US troops all across our borders, killing, maiming and going about their muderating fucked ways as always. And yes, the relationship is quite murderous, especially when the US has a history of shooting down our passenger planes and selling chemical weapons to our enemies who use it on a whim on their own population and ours.
But on the last point I have to admit defeat: I don’t think we should have anything to do with a government that imprisons our students, a prison is a prison, no matter where it is … but it seems most of my countrymen disagree with me.
hi!! Not sure how long I was absent and not able to read your posts, hmmm, anyhow, I just read this one and I think, first Obama is doing just an excellent job in many fronts (you forgot Bush?) and second I think this relaxing visa thing is an excellent gesture. Again, just think for a second, all these visas and permits are usually handled in a mutual way between countries (if a country raise the visa fee for a nation, usually the other country does the same, etc etc), now what services does iran provide to american citizens (except randomly arrest them?). Each time I entered the US with the iraninan passports (many times) I made myself ready for the worst, but the worst was to go through the secondary inspection, I got much more respects there than in iran airport entering tehran…whenever I felt frustrated, i said, fuck iran, not the US, because that is the country which made me (and its citizens) miserable not the US.
If you go to the website educationusairan.org you can email the advisor–she’s a friend of mine. She’s the one who told me that info.
roozbeh, salaam! Hope you’ve been well!
I guess we’ve had different experiences, I’ve never been harassed in Iran. Never in the US either, but at the inspection jad o abadam ro dar ovordan, and always very rudely. I have a huge problem with the way visas are granted and inspected in general. I don’t think it’s an Iranian problem or an American problem or [insert any nationality] problem specifically but the US led “war on terror” has made life difficult for a lot of us brown folks out there. (to me) this isn’t about liking the Iranian government, it’s about having to deal with the perfidy of two.
Thanks Pari! I’ll wait and see how it goes for my friends!
Hopefully well.
i don’t consider myself brown, rather beige!
I’ve been to Iranian events at the local university where this was the biggest complaint. I’m so ashamed at this silly policy, but this is the first admin to actually tackle it, against the forces of lobbyists, special interests and (likely bigoted, or just ignorant) conservative (or AIPAC backed) legislators. Like many things we’ve seen here the past few years, it isn’t perfect, doesn’t go far enough, but it’s progress. If what Pari says isn’t true, I hope it can be improved in the future. I’ll do what little I can to write and sign petitions for it to be pushed further should that be the case. I do; however, whatever one feels about the nuclear debate, see how that would be a sensitive nonstarter. You may not know why they come to America, but I love having Iranians here, and hope that they go home (as much as I love those who stay!), to improve their homeland as best they can. I hope for the day when Iranian students and American students can be friends in more than just on campus, but as nations.
re: bushtheliberator
“Bush Presidential Library” … that still makes me giggle. Thanks for that.
Pari, whoever gave you information, gave you the wrong kind. My friends in Tehran just received their visas in the past week and they’re all single entry (a civil engineer, mechnical and two electrical). I was right, your at the mercy of a the immigration officer now.