Iran_NP1 ,_, Jews_NN2 and_CC Pragmatism_NN1 The_AT Persian_JJ New_JJ Year_NNT1 ,_, or_CC Norouz_NP1 ,_, is_VBZ celebrated_VVN this_DD1 month_NNT1 ,_, often_RR with_IW great_JJ extravagance_NN1 ._. 
Among_II its_APPGE traditions_NN2 is_VBZ jumping_VVG over_RP a_AT1 bonfire_NN1 while_CS declaiming_VVG :_: "_" Take_VV0 away_RL my_APPGE yellow_JJ complexion_NN1 and_CC give_VV0 me_PPIO1 your_APPGE red_JJ glow_NN1 of_IO health_NN1 ._. "_" 
One_MC1 way_NN1 of_IO looking_VVG at_II Iran_NP1 's_GE particular_JJ calendar_NN1 ,_, its_APPGE language_NN1 and_CC Shiite_JJ branch_NN1 of_IO Islam_NN1 is_VBZ as_CSA forms_NN2 of_IO resistance_NN1 against_II the_AT Arab_NN1 and_CC Sunni_NN1 worlds_NN2 ._. 
Shiism_NN1 has_VHZ been_VBN a_AT1 means_NN to_II independence_NN1 ._. 
The_AT defense_NN1 of_IO Farsi_NN1 against_II Arabic_NN1 took_VVD the_AT form_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 medieval_JJ epic_NN1 ,_, "_" Shahnameh_NP1 ,_, "_" by_II the_AT poet_NN1 Ferdowsi_NN1 ._. 
I_PPIS1 have_VH0 ,_, in_II a_AT1 series_NN of_IO columns_NN2 ,_, and_CC as_II a_AT1 cautionary_JJ warning_NN1 against_II the_AT misguided_JJ view_NN1 of_IO Iran_NP1 as_CSA nothing_PN1 but_II a_AT1 society_NN1 of_IO mad_JJ mullah_NN1 terrorists_NN2 bent_VVN on_II nukes_NN2 ,_, been_VBN examining_VVG distinctive_JJ characteristics_NN2 of_IO Persian_JJ society_NN1 ._. 
Iran_NP1 --_NN1 as_CSA compared_VVN with_IW Arab_JJ countries_NN2 including_II Syria_NP1 ,_, Saudi_NP1 Arabia_NP1 and_CC Egypt_NP1 --_NN1 has_VHZ an_AT1 old_JJ itch_NN1 for_IF representative_JJ government_NN1 ,_, evident_JJ in_II the_AT 1906_MC Constitutional_JJ Revolution_NN1 ._. 
The_AT June_NP1 presidential_JJ vote_NN1 will_VM be_VBI a_AT1 genuine_JJ contest_NN1 by_II the_AT region_NN1 's_GE admittedly_RR low_JJ standards_NN2 ._. 
This_DD1 is_VBZ the_AT Middle_JJ East_ND1 's_GE least_RGT undemocratic_JJ state_NN1 outside_II Israel_NP1 ._. 
Another_DD1 Iranian_JJ exception_NN1 is_VBZ that_CST it_PPH1 had_VHD its_APPGE Islamic_JJ Revolution_NN1 three_MC decades_NNT2 ago_RA ._. 
Been_VBN there_RL ,_, done_VDN that_DD1 ._. 
So_RR its_APPGE lessons_NN2 are_VBR important_JJ ._. 
From_II Egypt_NP1 to_II Algeria_NP1 to_II Afghanistan_NP1 ,_, Islamist_JJ movements_NN2 are_VBR radicalized_VVN by_II dreams_NN2 of_IO everlasting_JJ dominion_NN1 ._. 
Democracy_NN1 is_VBZ feared_VVN because_CS it_PPH1 may_VM prove_VVI to_TO be_VBI their_APPGE means_NN to_II power_NN1 ._. 
In_II Iran_NP1 ,_, by_II contrast_NN1 ,_, life_NN1 is_VBZ a_AT1 daily_JJ exercise_NN1 in_II difficult_JJ compromises_NN2 that_CST temper_NN1 Islam_NN1 with_IW modern_JJ society_NN1 's_GE demands_NN2 ._. 
Iran_NP1 is_VBZ emerging_VVG from_II extremist_JJ fervor_NN1 as_CSA clerical_JJ absolutism_NN1 and_CC pluralism_NN1 spar_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 is_VBZ therefore_RR in_II America_NP1 's_GE strong_JJ interest_NN1 to_TO develop_VVI relations_NN2 with_IW the_AT most_RGT dynamic_JJ society_NN1 in_II the_AT region_NN1 ._. 
What_DDQ autocrats_NN2 from_II the_AT Gulf_NP1 to_II Cairo_NP1 fear_VV0 most_DAT is_VBZ an_AT1 Iranian-American_JJ breakthrough_NN1 ,_, precisely_RR because_CS it_PPH1 would_VM shake_VVI up_RP every_AT1 cozy_JJ ,_, static_JJ regional_JJ relationship_NN1 ,_, including_II Washington_NP1 's_GE with_IW Israel_NP1 ._. 
Another_DD1 distinctive_JJ characteristic_NN1 of_IO Iran_NP1 is_VBZ the_AT presence_NN1 of_IO the_AT largest_JJT Jewish_JJ community_NN1 in_II the_AT Muslim_JJ Middle_JJ East_ND1 in_II the_AT country_NN1 of_IO the_AT most_RGT vitriolic_JJ anti-Israel_JJ tirades_NN2 ._. 
My_APPGE evocation_NN1 of_IO this_DD1 25,000-strong_FO community_NN1 ,_, in_II the_AT taboo-ridden_JJ world_NN1 of_IO American_JJ Middle_JJ East_ND1 debate_NN1 ,_, has_VHZ prompted_VVN fury_NN1 ,_, nowhere_RL more_DAR so_RR than_CSN here_RL in_II Los_NP1 Angeles_NP1 ,_, where_CS many_DA2 of_IO Iran_NP1 's_GE Jewish_JJ exiles_NN2 live_VV0 ._. 
At_II the_AT invitation_NN1 of_IO Rabbi_NNB David_NP1 Wolpe_NP1 of_IO the_AT Sinai_NP1 Temple_NP1 ,_, I_PPIS1 came_VVD out_RP to_TO meet_VVI them_PPHO2 ._. 
The_AT evening_NNT1 was_VBDZ fiery_JJ with_IW scant_JJ meeting_NN1 of_IO minds_NN2 ._. 
Exile_VV0 ,_, expropriation_NN1 and_CC ,_, in_II some_DD cases_NN2 ,_, executions_NN2 have_VH0 left_VVN bitter_JJ feelings_NN2 among_II the_AT revolution_NN1 's_GE Jewish_JJ victims_NN2 ,_, as_CSA they_PPHS2 have_VH0 among_II the_AT more_DAR than_CSN two_MC million_NNO Muslims_NN2 who_PNQS have_VH0 fled_VVN Iran_NP1 since_II 1979_MC ._. 
Abraham_NP1 Berookhim_NP1 gave_VVD me_PPIO1 a_AT1 moving_JJ account_NN1 of_IO his_APPGE escape_NN1 and_CC his_APPGE Jewish_JJ uncle_NN1 's_GE unconscionable_JJ 1980_MC murder_NN1 by_II the_AT regime_NN1 ._. 
On_II at_RR21 least_RR22 this_DD1 last_MD point_NN1 I_PPIS1 agree_VV0 ._. 
Just_RR how_RGQ repressive_JJ life_NN1 is_VBZ for_IF Iran_NP1 's_GE Jews_NN2 is_VBZ impossible_JJ to_TO know_VVI ._. 
Iran_NP1 is_VBZ an_AT1 un-free_JJ society_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB this_DD1 much_DA1 is_VBZ clear_JJ :_: the_AT hawks_NN2 '_GE case_NN1 against_II Iran_NP1 depends_VVZ on_II a_AT1 vision_NN1 of_IO an_AT1 apocalyptic_JJ regime_NN1 --_NN1 with_IW no_AT sense_NN1 of_IO its_APPGE limitations_NN2 --_NN1 so_RG frenziedly_RR anti-Semitic_JJ that_CST it_PPH1 would_VM accept_VVI inevitable_JJ nuclear_JJ annihilation_NN1 if_CS it_PPH1 could_VM destroy_VVI Israel_NP1 first_MD ._. 
The_AT presence_NN1 of_IO these_DD2 Jews_NN2 undermines_VVZ that_DD1 vision_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 blunts_VVZ the_AT hawks_NN2 '_GE case_NN1 ;_; hence_RR the_AT rage_NN1 ._. 
I_PPIS1 think_VV0 pragmatism_NN1 lies_VVZ at_II the_AT core_NN1 of_IO the_AT revolution_NN1 's_GE survival_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 led_VVD to_II cooperation_NN1 with_IW Israel_NP1 in_II cold-war_JJ days_NNT2 ;_; it_PPH1 ended_VVD the_AT Iraq_NP1 war_NN1 ;_; it_PPH1 averted_VVD an_AT1 invasion_NN1 of_IO Afghanistan_NP1 in_II 1998_MC after_II Iranian_JJ diplomats_NN2 were_VBDR murdered_VVN ;_; it_PPH1 brought_VVD post-9/11_FU cooperation_NN1 with_IW America_NP1 on_II Afghanistan_NP1 ;_; it_PPH1 explains_VVZ the_AT ebb_NN1 and_CC flow_NN1 of_IO liberalization_NN1 since_II 1979_MC ;_; and_CC it_PPH1 makes_VVZ sense_NN1 of_IO the_AT Jewish_JJ presence_NN1 ._. 
Pragmatism_NN1 is_VBZ also_RR one_MC1 way_NN1 of_IO looking_VVG at_II Iran_NP1 's_GE nuclear_JJ program_NN1 ._. 
A_AT1 state_NN1 facing_VVG a_AT1 nuclear-armed_JJ Israel_NP1 and_CC Pakistan_NP1 ,_, American_JJ invasions_NN2 in_II neighboring_VVG Iraq_NP1 and_CC Afghanistan_NP1 ,_, and_CC noting_VVG North_NP1 Korea_NP1 's_GE immunity_NN1 from_II assault_NN1 ,_, might_VM reasonably_RR conclude_VVI that_CST preserving_VVG the_AT revolution_NN1 requires_VVZ nuclear_JJ resolve_NN1 ._. 
What_DDQ 's_VBZ required_VVN is_VBZ American_JJ pragmatism_NN1 in_II return_NN1 ,_, one_PN1 that_CST convinces_VVZ the_AT mullahs_NN2 that_CST their_APPGE survival_NN1 is_VBZ served_VVN by_II stopping_VVG short_JJ of_IO a_AT1 bomb_NN1 ._. 
That_DD1 ,_, in_II turn_NN1 ,_, will_VM require_VVI President_NNB Obama_NP1 to_TO jump_VVI over_RP his_APPGE own_DA bonfire_NN1 of_IO indignation_NN1 as_II the_AT Mideast_NP1 taboos_NN2 that_CST just_RR caused_VVD the_AT scandalous_JJ disqualification_NN1 of_IO Charles_NP1 Freeman_NN1 for_IF a_AT1 senior_JJ intelligence_NN1 post_NN1 are_VBR shed_VVN in_II the_AT name_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 new_JJ season_NNT1 of_IO engagement_NN1 and_CC reason_NN1 ._. 
