to assume that the Iranians responsi-
ble for this terrorism are aware that
they have violated international law.
It is also safe to assume that they
don’t much care. International law is
dependent upon voluntary cooperar
tion; it does not provide any rigid
framework for defining and punishing
violators,

The columnist then concludes that
“when diplomatic efforts fail,..the
United States government should not
hesitate to take whatever action is
necessary to ensure the safety oi
United states citizens." Unfortunately,
he has also concluded that diplomacy
has already failed, and that the only
avenue remaining is armed interven-
tion. This is not to say “war," of
course, but a mere police action. Just
a few marines, that's all. Korea,
anyone? If these are the same Iran-
ians who so ilippantly deiy interna-
tional law, I tail to see how they‘re gee
ing to deal in a civil manner with the
United States Marinesr The use of
armed iorces would almost certainly
lead to death for the sixty-some
hostages and many others. Sure, sure.
the Israelis and West Germans do
itAI‘m afraid that Molho has seen a
few too many made-ior-Tv movies.

On the domestic front, Molho’s
observations on various straw polls
and their treatment by the press are,
at best, irrelevant, His assertion that
the sensationalistic abuse of these
polls by the press is “the most
ridiculous thing that (he has) ever
heard," must certainly be false, in
View of his position with regard to
Iran,

Molho then goes on to lament the
passing oi “the days of party bosses,"
and subsequent reduction of our
presidential election to “a freerfor-
all." This patently un-democratic sens

, timent is contemptible. Frankly, I'd
prefer to endure a couple more mon-
ths of a campaign which is actually a
campaign. rather than allow a few
select hacks to select a few hacks.

While I'm inclined to agree with Mr.
Molho's contention that the year-long
electoral process “is absurd," I fall to
see how either lengthening or shorten-
ing it would make it any less so. In-
cidentally, I feel the same way about
his column

Unfortunately, there is more to that

column; in his “final note” (and I
hope he's sincere about that ), Molho,
ever the humanitarian conscience of
this nation, devotes an entire
paragraph oi his precious space to the
pathetic state of affairs in Cambodia
and calls upon the world for its
alleviation. This apparent
breakthrough is confusing: The Cam-
bodian regime has repeatedly, roi-
whatever reason, resisted all efforts
by outSlders to aid its starving and dy-
ing citizens. For any nation to ignore
the wishes of that government would
be an unquestionable Violation of its
sovereignty, and thus, a violation oi
international law. In this case.
however, the “law” should clearly be
“broken," Understand how it works,

To the editor: I was amazed to read
David Molho's editorial about the cur-
rent Situation in Teheran For a few
moments I thought I was reading
some vintage yellow press jingoism
until I recognized the type said Iran
and not Spain. Nevertheless, I
recovered and saw the article for what
it was: a narrow-minded, reactionary
analysis of a complex situation.

For openers, the Iranian student in»
vasion was not motivated simply
because the shah is in New York; if
that was the case, they would have in-
vaded Mexico's embassy a long time
ago. The Iranian people are angry at
the U.S. for what they perceive to be a
past and present threat that we pose .
to their lives and culture

To the Iranians, we've come to
represent repression and cultural imr
perialism. Repression because our
friend the shah murdered and tortured
a poor lot of Iranians with weapons
that read “Made in USA," and
cultural imperialism because of our
past support ior the Shah’s social
reforms which attempted to implant
Western ideals into a culture that was
neither ready for nor wanted such
change.

Also, the monolithic nature of our
materialist culture poses a continual
threat to Iranian society as they know
and want it,

What's the difference between the
terrorism of the Iranian students, and
our “relationship” with the shah when
we supplied. him with his SAVAK

Dave? Ijust hope that the
”flyspecked” Cambodians won t get-1
too upset.

Finally, the column endsiboth merr
cifully and mercilessly. Molho's ques- ‘
tion, which I hope is simply rhetorica - '
“Isn't Communism wonderful?” has 7'
to be the most outrageous abuse oi the .
term “Communism" that I have yet -
heard on this campus. Can this be the ' ‘
same David Molho who rendered such ~
a brilliantly scathing attack on the ‘
American journalistic community? I
recommend that he take an introdu
tory course in political science, I fur-
ther recommend that he take it at
another college. Or maybe we should , _
Just nuke him, Isn’t fascism wonder-‘ '
in]? Chris Rasmussen

cronies, with weapons and ,m.

plemenits of torture to kill Iranians I ' '
guess its that we re “legal" in the in .
ternatlonal lawbooks that condemn t ’
students and Khomeini. It's too bad ' ' f
there aren't less laws and more ac

in accordance with moral reponsib
among nations. .

I hope it doesn‘t seem like I'm coir . ,
doning the action oi the lranian
students, for their, and Khomeni's
behavior is both deplorable and max 1'
cusable, Yet, before we condemn
them, I think a little introspection is in: .
order.

Just because we perpetrate our
violence under the guise of friendshipi
treaties and military aid, instead or
breaking international treaties, that
doesn t give us the right to act as selfr ,
righteous and pompous as Mr. Molho , ,
suggests we do.

Sending' in Marines as Molho sug- .
gesLs would just be another expression -
oi that grand old American axiom: ;
“Might makes right,” And even if we . .
did send in an airborne force to rescue I
all the hostages, it would probably be.‘ .
shot down by all those wonderful. 20
million F Ids which we sold to the
shah anyway

The Iranians have got us by the pro-
verbial balls, and there IS almost no . .
action we can take. We’ll just have to ,
wait it out, and remember not to sup .
port anymore tworhit dictators from- - .
“fly-specked little countries." Philip
Guarco

 

Mr. Molho replies; The issue here is
not the ideological differences between
the U.S. and Iran, or the historical
problems that Iran has faced. The
issue here is 60 American lives. I have
learned that an integral part of a
Marine or Ranger rescue operation is
the element of surprise. The logistics
of this particular Situation are such
that this element is lost, and with it
any such plan, it the lives oi the
American hostages are to be saved.

At this point, all diplomatic avenues
have been locked by the Ayatollah,

November )6, 19 79

whose irrationality increases daily. If
this impasse continues, a rorcerul
means may be necessary to free the
hostages, Might may not make right,
but, in this instance, the United States
should use all of its might to assure
the safety of its citizens.

No nation should ever have another
nation “by the proverbial balls.” My
reliance upon international law is not
irrelevant The sovereignty oi em-
bassies is so sacred that even the most
antagonistic governments respect the
sovereignty oi their adversaries' em-

bassies. EmbaSLieS and their staffs .
are not bargaining chips. The United
States should respond to any act oi
terrorism in any way necessary to
assure the safety of American lives,
even if it mean using force :is a last
resort.

Once the United States Capitulates
to the demands of the Iranian terr
rorists, no U.s. embassy in the world
will be safe from a similar invasion.
This is a position in which the United
States cannot afford to find itself.

 

