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Amanda Roraback's World in a Nutshell |
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Articles Can the West destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities?
Sanctions Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) (new 03/27/07)
Notes from Iran Is the US planning to go to war with Iran? ISOG (Iran Syria Operations Group) Iran's Military Op-Ed Iran better served by peace in Iraq Documents |
AHMADINEJAD CRITICIZED BY ECONOMISTS |
Iran in a Nutshell |
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1) HED (Headline) a. Paper: Economists in Iran criticize Ahmadinejad b. Web: Iran economists denounce Ahmadinejad’s policies c. Own Words: Ahmadinejad is criticized by economists d. Questions: Who/what is Ahmadinejad? Why are economists criticizing him/it? 2) DEK (Subheading) a. Paper: In an open letter, 60 of them say his policies have contributed to high inflation, stunted growth and job losses. b. Web: In an open letter they say Iran faces deep economic problems, including stunted growth, double-digit inflation and widespread unemployment, contradicting recent statements by officials. c. Own words: In a letter, 60 economists say HIS policies made 1) high inflation, 2) “stunted” [inferior in size] growth, 3) loss of jobs. Iran has bad economic problems including inflation and unemployment. 3) WRITER a. Who filed the story? Borzou Daragahi, A Times staff writer, daragahi@latimes.com b. From where? Beirut, Lebanon
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ii. (the information was available online) 4) QUESTIONS: a. Who was the letter sent to? b. Why is there inflation and job loss? c. What is “stunted growth”? d. Who is Ahmadinejad? e. Why is Ahmadinejad responsible? 5) WHO’S WHO? a. Iranian economists b. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad i. Ahmadinejad’s clique c. Tehran officials d. Religious leaders
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a. Iran b. Tehran 7) MISCELLANEOUS ORGANIZATIONS, NAMES ETC. a. Islamic Republic b. Iranian Labor News Agency c. Islamic Republic News Agency 8) VOCABULARY a. Stunted growth b. Boasts c. Contradicted d. Meager e. Weathering f. Dire g. Inflicted h. Chronic i. Incurred j. Enrichment k. Uranium ore l. Clique m. Assessment n. Expenditures o. Populist (economic policies) p. Curry favor q. Conservative r. Budget s. “Extremist idealis
9) WHAT HAPPENED a. A group of 60 Iranian economists condemned the economic policies of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad i. When? Sunday (November 9, 2008) b. And contradicted recent boasts by Tehran officials who said the Islamic Republic has been successfully weathering the global financial crisis. c. OWN WORDS: i. 60 Iranian economists condemned Iran’s president. ii. Tehran officials had said Islamic Republic (Iran) not suffering from global financial crisis. 10) DETAILS a. LETTER i. 30-page letter published on website of independent Iranian Labor News Agency. b. CONTENT i. Economists say 1. Iran in dire economic straits and must drastically change course. ii. Said Ahmadinejad’s “tension-creating” foreign policy “scared off foreign investment and inflicted heavy damage” on economy. iii. Caused 1. Meager economic growth (“stunted growth”) 2. Widespread jobless rate 3. Chronic and double-digit inflation 4. Crisis in capital markets 5. Government’s expansionary budget 6. Disturbed interaction with the world 7. Inequity and poverty 8. combined with the global economic downturn 9. to leave undeniably big impacts on exports and imports. c. Ahmadinejad’s response i. Said at seminar on economic development ii. That Iran has been “least affected by the international financial crisis” iii. Urged economists to design 1. an independent economic system and model 2. based on justice” 11) BACKGROUND a. Nuclear Weapons i. Iran locked in dispute with West ii. Over its drive toward mastering sensitive nuclear technology 1. that it says it needs for energy production 2. but which can also be used to manufacture weapons. b. Sanctions i. Tehran has incurred three rounds of international economic sanctions for refusing to halt the enrichment of uranium ore. ii. Iranian conservatives have dismissed the restrictions on trade as ineffective. iii. But the economist’s letter says sanctions have cost Iran billions of dollars 1. by forcing it to turn to middlemen for imports and exports. c. Iranian government expenditures i. Have ballooned since Ahmadinejad took office in 2005 ii. And launched a series of populist economic policies 1. meant to curry favor with conservative voters. 12) FUTURE a. The letter and its publication suggest that Ahmadinbejad and his clique i. Face growing discontent among Tehran’s elite political circles b. Ahead of the presidential election in June 2009 c. The negative assessment flies in face of recent bragging i. About Iran’s economy ii. By religious leaders 1. some of whom have described the West’s economic downturn as God’s revenge. d. Oil i. The letter said Iran’s oil-revenue-dependent economy was also hurting ii. and would be further damaged if the price of oil continued to fall. 1. Oil prices have collapsed from a high of $147 a barrel in July 2. to around $60 on worries about declining future demand. iii. Oil prices in free fall 1. question is to know how the government will finance its traditionally oil-dependent budget. e. Criticism of government i. Instead of looking rationally at Iran’s economic problems ii. The government has based its view of domestic and international affairs on “extremist idealism” 1. that has put the country on a dangerous path. f. Financial turmoil sweeping the world i. Would not spare any country ii. And our statesmen should acknowledge this factual reality. iii. The Islamic republic should also make a contribution to resolving the world crisis. g. FUTURE SYNOPSIS i. Ahmadinejad and supporters face growing discontent among elite. ii. Presidential elections in June 2009 iii. Iran’s oil-revenue-dependent economy would be damaged if price of oil continued to fall. iv. Government on dangerous path 1. Seeing domestic and international affairs from point-of-view of “extremist idealism” v. Crisis facing world 1. will hit Iran. h. WHAT TO LOOK FOR i. Elections in June next year ii. Price of oil 13) WHY IS IT NEWS a. CHANGE: Change in view of Iran’s government from within government b. TIMING: Presidential elections in June c. CAUSE AND EFFECT: Worldwide financial crisis and drop in oil prices. 14) WHY IT MATTERS a. Iran’s economic structure could collapse b. WHY IT MATTERS TO YOU i. Cause and effect: 1. Iran’s economy is dependent on price of oil 2. Drop in oil prices affects Iran’s economy A. International financial crisis will also affect Iran’s economy 3. State of Iran’s economy will affect outcome of elections in June 4. Outcome of elections in June will affect relations with the U.S. A. Nuclear weapons B. Terrorism C. Iraq war
California Standards:
8.12 Identify the impact of Populism [in America]. 10.9.1 Development of nuclear weapons after World War II. 10.11 Students analyze the integration of countries into the world economy.
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