Letter of protests over Google’s Use of Divisive Terms for the Persian Gulf
Writing by persiancowboy on Tuesday, 12 of February , 2008 at 1:49 am
The following is a great letter by NIAC’s Trita Parsi about Google’s use of “Arabian Gulf” in Google Earth.
Dr. Eric E. Schmidt February 1, 2008
Chief Executive Officer
Google Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, California 94043
Dear Dr. Schmidt:
It has come to our attention that Google Earth recently included the term “Arabian Gulf”
on maps where the body of water, historically and contemporarily known as the Persian Gulf, is
located. The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) stands unequivically opposed to any
misuse of accepted and accurate references to the aforementioned body of water, a practice
which has proven throughout history to have been a tool for spreading dissention and
encouraging instability in the region and beyond.
It should be noted that the term “Arabian Gulf” was once used as reference to what is
known as the Red Sea, a description of a completely different body of water, rendering as
grossly misleading its reintroduction as a variant of the Persian Gulf. Historically, the accuracy
of the term Persian Gulf is undisputed. Several legal documents from the United Nations as
well as the United States Board of Geographic Names confirm the legitimacy of the term, as do
centuries of classical history, including a reference to the body of water by Greek geographer
and astronomer Ptolemy as the Aquarius Persico. The Persian Gulf has been known and
recognized as such for more than 2,500 years. Agreement on this matter has been solidified by
the signatures of all six bordering Arab countries on United Nations directives declaring this
body of water to be the Persian Gulf.
In the fall of 2004, the National Geographic Society (NGS) made the same error. NIAC
successfully demanded revisions to the on-line version as well as the 9th edition of the Atlas.
Though we found the intentions of the NGS to be benign, NIAC felt compelled to act in
defense of historical accuracy as well as to diffuse what is a highly politically charged issue.
The application of false and divisive references made to the Persian Gulf were first observed approximately
50 years ago, and formed part of a pan-Arab strategy aimed at diminishing the status of
non-Arab influences in the Middle East. Iran and Israel, being non-Arab states, were the obvious target
of this practice within the movement, initially attributed to and adopted by former Egyptian President
and strongman Gamal Abdel Nasser, later promulgated and employed (violently, as evidenced by the
Iraqi invasion of Iran in September 1980) by the deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Today, it is
frequently used as a tool of destabilization by unsavory radicals and militants.
NIAC does not presume that by alluding to the Persian Gulf with a secondary reference, your
intentions mirror those of the aforementioned parties. We remain concerned, however, that your action
will be misinterpreted by your audience as political in nature since no legal or geographically technical
grounds exist for the inclusion of such terminology. NIAC understands that Google Earth is designed as
a learning tool; therefore, accuracy is of the utmost importance. We reiterate and reaffirm our position
that the term “Arabian Gulf” is not only incorrect due to its past usage as a synonym for the Red Sea,
but that its use will be perceived as reflective of your alignment with revisionist elements intent upon
using the renaming of the Persian Gulf as a divisive political tool.
It is for these reasons that we ask you to avoid making such a political statement - even if
inadvertently - and insist that you remain true to serving as a reliable educational resource. We stand
ready to assist you with any additional information that you might request.
Sincerely,
Trita Parsi, PhD
President
Category: Politics, History, Iranian Americans
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