Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Regarding David Ignatius's Sept. 15 column, "Bush's Message to Iran":

Mr. Ignatius reported that President Bush told him he wants the Iranian people to know that we respect their history, their culture, their sovereignty and their interest in having civilian nuclear power. Mr. Ignatius also reported that the president said that while "we have no desire for conflict," there is concern that some in Iran's government would use knowledge gained from nuclear power to develop a weapon that would threaten Israel and the United States.

The president has not previously been so directly and positively on the record regarding Iran. This could suggest a major step forward. After 27 years of no dialogue whatsoever between the United States and this "proud nation," as the president called Iran, it is high time that both sides consider steps to permit dialogue on the issues that regrettably divide us.

BRUCE LAINGEN

Bethesda

The writer was charge d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran when 53 Americans were taken hostage in 1979.

David Ignatius guesses that the average age of the people he saw shouting "death to America" during his visit to Iran was well over 40 ["An Era of Anger and Jihad," op-ed, Sept. 13]. There may be demographic as well as social and political factors contributing to the graying of Iranian anger, and it bodes well for the country's future.

Thanks to the desires of young married couples to have small families and government support for family planning, birthrates have declined dramatically. Iranian women give birth to just two children on average, the lowest fertility rate in southwestern Asia. The number of people under age 15 is now significantly lower than the number who are 15 to 29.

That older group consequently benefits from proportionally greater government attention and spending. Despite continuing joblessness, these young people appear to be less frustrated and angry about their circumstances than are their counterparts in the rapidly growing populations of Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan.

Given Iran's favorable age structure, the country will be able to invest progressively more of its resources in its young people as they enter their working years. These young people are thus likely to be more productive and satisfied with their lives. We all could reap the benefits of a less embittered Iran.

ROBERT ENGELMAN

Vice President for Research

Population Action International

Washington

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Regarding "An Era of Anger and Jihad":

The motive that young Saudis have for joining al-Qaeda is that there is nothing they can do about the government of their country as long as America supports that government. There is no free speech in Saudi Arabia.

The reason that it's the older Iranians who hate America -- and not so much the younger ones -- is that the United States supported the 26-year dictatorial rule of the shah, which ended 27 years ago.

The motives are not that hard to understand if you look into the matter.

BENGT LARSSON

Lund, Sweden