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The gold star for online friendliness among axis-of-evil nations goes to Iran, whose elected president, Mohammad Khatami, is famous for embracing the Internet. His site (www.president .ir) offers his e-mail address and a form that allows visitors to send him messages in Farsi. The form actually lets users replace Mr. Khatami's address and write to anyone in the world, provided it's in Farsi, though it is not clear whether this is a bug or an added feature.
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Of course, Mr. Khatami is also famous for the way his reform agenda has been undermined by the harder-line clerics who hold ultimate power — including the power to repress dissent — in Iran. Still, he soldiers on in the cause of openness, maintaining an English-language guest book, an apparently uncensored forum where visitors can leave their comments for all to read. The postings are full of pro- and anti-Iranian sentiment, much of it from Americans, and include several incoherent rants. Some excerpts:
This Web site is one of the most despicable pieces of Orwellianism I've ever seen! You say you hate terrorism — yet you are the biggest terrorist in the world. . . . LONG LIVE DEMOCRACY! FREE SPEECH! RELIGIOUS FREEDOM! GO TEXAS RANGERS BASEBALL!
— United States
Mr. President, allow me permission to travel from Spokane, Washington, to Tehran, Iran, to teach you how to get more imports/exports into your country. Your people need the food and clean water. I can show you how to do this and you will be the hero. Think about it. Thank you.
— United States
India stands shoulder to shoulder with Iran. I am very happy with the strategic relationship you have formed with the Russians. Russia, Iran and India are a deadly combination that can end the American hegemony in the world. . . . With some of their major companies collapsing like a pack of cards the American economy is all set for a thunderous fall.
— India
We should all be very afraid of the tension with the U.S. They have technology we can not even imagine. I know, I've seen it in Iraq. Please Mr. President, comply with their demands before they send us all to Allah.
— Iran
Dear Mr. Khatami, I love Iran, I love its culture, I love its people and so do most Americans but in order to receive the fruits of that love you must meet us halfway and at least put forth an effort to help rid the world of terrorism. Please help before your country, people and culture suffer the fate of all our enemies, complete destruction. And that would be most unfortunate. Thanks.
— United States
Mr. Khatami: You are a shame for Iranians. You are nothing but a coward, you have wasted the opportunity given by the people. . . . If you had a shred of dignity, you would have long resigned by now. . . . But you don't!
— Iran
To call Iran part of a make-believe evil axis is to not represent the true thoughts of Americans. We know most Iranian people are good, innocent, nonviolent people. We know you love as Americans do and that a family is a family no matter what continent we live on. . . . May Mr. Bush stop his words of hate and progress to words of encouragement toward the beautiful Iranian people.
— United States
Iran is so great!! The freedom to be a true Muslim is cool. The West is so so repressive and has caused all the world's problems. . . . I hope Allah will punish those evil Americans. Allah bless Iran.
— United States
Of course, Web niceties do little good unless the leaders actually read their mail. Questions about President Khatami's Internet habits, e-mailed to his address and that of his site staff, went unanswered last week. A Pennsylvania man was shocked a year ago when his e-mail message to Saddam Hussein about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks prompted a 10-page reply ostensibly from Mr. Hussein himself. Yet Mr. McWilliams said that when he looked into Mr. Hussein's e-mail account last month it was filled completely with unread messages. It seems the endless barrage of spam can wear down even the most hardened ruler.
