The Foreign Service Journal, February 2004

sary of the coup in August 1954, I watched a massive military parade — Zahedi still in power and dedicating yet another monument to the shah — all again “under the watchful eye of bayonet-wielding troops still in goodly numbers at most street inter- sections ... the crowds watching it all rather dumbly, never cheering, and clapping only in an organized fashion led by troops on the streets.” They did not, I observed, reflect any enthusiasm for the government. I reported to my family on one occasion that “while open popular dissent might have been natural, this government is so firmly in control of the army and exercises its control so effectively that the communists and extreme nationalists have no luck in starting trouble.” But I found myself expressing a judgment that this was “probably a good thing, since even though this government is not the last word in democracy by any means, it is at least strong and is able to give Iran a period of internal peace, which it can well use.” A year after my arrival in Tehran, as I was preparing for a five-month assignment as principal officer in Meshed, my view had not changed. I wrote, “It is no wonder that there is corruption and graft in this country, from the top to the bottom. There is so much to be done here ... almost hopeless for anyone who really tries.” And a year later, my pessimism was as strong as ever: “I keep looking about me for signs of improvement in the two years that I have been here, and I find it most difficult. ... It is discouraging at times simply to observe the process that this country is going through. And if I am dis- couraged, you can imagine how dis- couraged well-meaning people of this country themselves are. Let’s hope that another year will see Iran well on the road to a sound economy, which its natural resources should easily support, and the beginnings of F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 4 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 65 korman communities arlington CORPORATE SUITES arlington, va 880 north pollard street 866.korman.4 : kormancommunities.com live better. brand new luxury high rise : fully appointed one, one bed- room dens and two bedroom corporate suites : state of the art fitness and business centers : heated outdoor lap pool : custom made mahogany furniture : fully equipped kitchens : luxury towels and linens : soft, firm or hypoallergenic pil- low selection : weekday club breakfast serving Starbucks ® Coffee : afternoon Tazo ® Tea : digital premium cable and high speed internet : 27” and 20” sony wega tv and dvd : sony cd stereo : free local phone : on-site management, maintenance, housekeeping : concierge services : walking distance to ballston common mall, ballston and virginia square metro stops