Alliance For democracy In Iran

Please have a look at my other weblog, Iran Democracy - http://irandemocray.blogspot.com/

IMPERIAL EMBLEM

IMPERIAL EMBLEM
PERSIA

Shahanshah Aryameher

S U N OF P E R S I A

Iranian Freedom Fighters UNITE

Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts

Friday, July 18, 2008

The Latest Article about Prince Reza Pahlavi's Talk in Toranto, Canada


« کارولين آلفانسو » ترجمه ای از مقاله خانم
مورخ 12 جولای، 2008 « گلوب و ميل » که در روزنامه
در کانادا انتشار يافته است
تاکيد فرزند شاه فقيد ايران:
"به ملت ايران کمک کنيد تا رژيم را تغيير دھند"
تورنتو – فرزند پادشاه فقيد ايران به غرب ھشدار داد که ديپلماسی و يا حملۀ نظامی، تخفيف دھندۀ تشنج ھا در ايران
نخواھد بود و افزود که فقط فاصلة زمانی کوتاھی برای تجھيز و پشتيبانی از خيزش ملی برعليه رژيم باقی مانده
است.آمده بود، « آيندۀ ايران » رضا پھلوی که ديروز به تورنتو برای سخنرانی در کنفرانسی بميزبانی انجمن غيرانتفاعی « گروگان » گفت: "لازم است غرب، ملت ايران را که به تعريف او « گلوب و ميل » طی مصاحبه ايی با روزنامه رژيم ھستند، با پشتيبانی معنوی و کمک ھای لازم در زمينة ارتباطات و ھمچنين قدری کمک ھای مالی حمايت و تجھيز نمايد".او گفت: "غرب بايد دريابد که گفتگو دربارة حقوق بشر، آزادی، حقوق زنان، با اين رژيم بمانند تجويز سيانور است. بنظر من، تنھا چيزی که رژيم را مجبور به تغيير روش خواھد نمود، ھويجی نيست که شما از بيرون برای آنان تکان می دھيد يا تھديد به حمله برای خنثی کردن امکانات نظامی اشان. بلکه بزرگترين وحشتی که خواب را از چشم سردمداران رژيم می ربايد، فقط وحشت از آن است که يک روز مردم در خيابان ھا برعليه آنان بپاخيزند". آقای پھلوی از زمانی که پدرايشان، محمد رضا شاه پھلوی که توسط آمريکا پشتيبانی می شد در انقلاب 1979 برکنارشد، به کشورش بازنگشته است و اکنون در مريلند زندگی می کند.ايشان که در بعضی از اوقات با عنوان شاھزادۀ سابق قلمداد می شوند، از موقعيت ممتاز خود در خارج از ايرانبرای فعاليت در زمينۀ حقوق بشر و آزادی در ايران استفاده کرده است. او شب گذشته در يک کنفرانس آخرھفته کهايرانيان فرھيخته برای تحليل پيرامون پيدا کردن راه حل ھايی در زمينه ھائی از قبيل بھداشت و صنعت نفت و غيره برای آيندۀ کشور گرد ھم آمده بودند، سخنرانی نمود.اظھار نظرھای آقای پھلوی در زمانی صورت گرفت که سپاه پاسداران، در ھفته گذشته، دست به آزمايش موشکھايی زده بود که يک نوع از آنھا، به گفتة آنان توانائی دسترسی به اسرائيل را دارا می باشد. اين آزمايشات، با عث ايجاد و افزايش اعتراضات بين المللی شده است. مقامات دولت بوش می گويند که اگر ديپلماسی نتواند در حل بحران کنونی کاربردی داشته باشد، گزينۀ نظامی را کنار نگذارده اند و در اين راستا، اسراييل سوگند خورده است که مانع تبديل ايران به يک قدرت اتمی گردد.آقای پھلوی گفت که ھدف رژيم و دولت احمدی نژاد يک بازی وقت کشی می باشد و بس. تا بتوانند با استفاده از زمان بيشتر به بمب اتمی دست يابند. او گفت دنيای خارج بايد از اين فرصت موجود برای تجھيز مردم ايران و فعال ساختن آنان استفاده کند. ھمچنين در ادامه اين مصاحبه که در محل ھتل اقامتشان در تورنتو صورت گرفت گفتند: "فقط زمان کوتاھی باقی مانده است تا اينکه کارھا به ابعاد زشت و ناجوری تبديل نشوند و اين يک جنايت عظيم تاريخی برای بشريت و کره زمين خواھد بود، اگر جامعۀ جھانی به اين گزينه مردمی در ايران شانس لازم را ندھد. زيرا بعدا بسيار ديرخواھد بود در جھان « تروريسم و متجاوز » ايشان در ادامه گفتارشان گفتند که به خاطر عملکرد نظام فعلی، نام ايران ھمرديف شناخته شده است. او که مشوق روش ھای بدور از خشونت از قبيل نافرمانی مدنی است، سياستمداران را به منظور ياری رساندن به حرکتی که منتج به تغييرات اساسی در ايران گردد، تشويق نموده و می نمايد. پاشنۀ آشيل اين رژيم مطمئنا بدست گرفتن اسلحه، درگيری و جنگ ھای چندين ساله نمی باشد. بلکه بايد شرايطی را » به وجود آورد تا با پشتيبانی شما ملت ايران آزادی خود را بازيابد. شما آنجا برای ديکته کردن راه حل و يا ديکته «. کردن يک سرانجام نھائی به ملت ايران نيستيد. بلکه بايد بگذاريد ملت ايران تصميم خودشان را بگيرند


Help Iranian People Change Government, Shah's Son Urges
Globe & Mail - Caroline Alphonse - Saturday, July 12th, 2008

TORONTO -- The son of the deposed Shah of Iran warned that Western diplomacy or military intervention will not ease the tensions in Iran, and said there is a small window of time to empower the country's citizens to rise up against the government.In Toronto yesterday to speak at a conference sponsored by the non-profit Iran Future Association, Reza Pahlavi said in an interview with The Globe and Mail the West needs to provide the Iranian people, whom he describes as "hostages" under the current regime, with moral support, communications assistance and a bit of financial help."You have to understand that with this regime, when they hear about human rights, when they hear about democracy, when they hear about women's rights, everything like that to them is like cyanide," he said."In my opinion, the only thing that will force the regime to change its behaviour is not any carrot you're dangling from the outside or any threat to strike them with weapons to neutralize their military capabilities. The biggest fear over which [the leaders] lose sleep overnight is the fear that one day the people on the street will rise against them."Mr. Pahlavi has not returned to Iran since his father, the U.S.-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was toppled in the 1979 Iranian revolution. The son currently lives in Maryland.Sometimes referred to as the former Prince, Mr. Pahlavi has used his high-profile status abroad to campaign for human rights and democracy in Iran. He spoke last night at a weekend conference that has brought together Iranian scholars to analyze solutions for the country's future, whether in health care or in the oil industry.Mr. Pahlavi's comments came as Iran's Revolutionary Guards this week test-fired missiles, including one that it says could reach Israel. The tests have raised fears and provoked international condemnation. Bush administration officials say they have not ruled out military options if diplomacy fails, and Israel has sworn to prevent Iran from emerging as a nuclear-armed power.Mr. Pahlavi said the regime of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is playing a delay game, using the time to develop bombs. He said the outside world should use this period to support the Iranian people in becoming proactive."There's a short window of time before it really gets ugly," he said in the interview at a Toronto hotel. "It would be historically criminal, criminal for the future of our planet if the world community doesn't give this process a chance, because by then it would too late." In recent years, he said, Iran has become synonymous with "terrorism" and "aggression" because of the current regime. He is an advocate of non-violent civil disobedience and has lobbied politicians to help lead a movement for change."The Achilles heel of this regime is certainly not by taking up arms and fighting them in decades-long wars and conflicts. Let [the Iranian people] gain back their freedom with your support. You're not there to dictate to them a solution. You're not there to dictate to them an outcome. Let them make their own decision

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Latest News from a hell hole called the FASCIST ISLAMIC BLOODY REPUBLIC OF DEATH AND DISTRUCTION - THE IRI -


Hezbollah instructors trained Shiite militiamen at remote camps in southern Iraq until three months ago when they slipped across the border to Iran — presumably to continue instruction on Iranian soil, according to two Shiite lawmakers and a top army officer. The three Iraqis claim the Lebanese Shiites were also involved in planning some of the most brazen attacks against U.S.-led forces, including the January 2007 raid on a provincial government compound in Karbala in which five Americans died.
By FrontPage;com
>Read the Article


Posted 2/7/2008 @ 9:5:56 GMT
Stopping Iran
Twenty-seven years ago this month, the Israeli Air Force launched a surprise attack on Iraq's Osirak reactor. The mission was complex. Israel had to fly over hostile territory, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, undetected in order to reach the Iraqi reactor. Once there, they had to destroy Osirak and get out. There was good reason to believe that not all of the pilots that left Israel that day would return home. more


Posted 2/7/2008 @ 9:0:51 GMT
Iranian Leaders Offer Nuclear Hope
The beating of the war drums over Iran may get most of the attention, but there are growing signs, also, of progress towards a possible diplomatic solution to the nuclear standoff. This week, the top foreign policy adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared that Iran could respond favorably to the latest deal offered by Western negotiators, which he described as acceptable "in principle." more



Posted 2/7/2008 @ 8:56:6 GMT
Iran Says Offer is Acceptable 'In Principle'
A senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader indicated on Tuesday that Tehran could look favourably on the recent international offer put to it, describing the proposal as acceptable “in principle”. Ali-Akbar Velayati, a former foreign minister who advises Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s top leader, on international issues, said it was “expedient” for Iran to resume nuclear negotiations on the offer made by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany. more


Posted 2/7/2008 @ 8:45:56 GMT
Iran Appears to Warm to Diplomacy
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Tuesday that prospects for a military attack by either the United States or Israel on the Islamic republic before the end of the Bush administration are "almost nil," and he dismissed a recent Israeli military exercise and warnings from Washington as "psychological warfare." more


Posted 1/7/2008 @ 16:23:28 GMT
The Last Resort: Consequences of Preventive Military Action Against Iran
Accepted wisdom suggests that preventive military action against Iran's nuclear program would entail significant risks and uncertain prospects of success. Much of the public debate surrounding these risks and uncertainties has focused on strictly military-technical considerations. Although important, these issues do not address the key political and contextual questions underlying any discussion of prevention and deterrence. For example, how would Iran -- and the international community -- respond to military strikes? Would such action convince the regime to permanently abandon its nuclear activities, or would Tehran simply rebuild? And what effect would such action have on subsequent diplomatic or military efforts? more

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Breaking: Iran to Suspend Uranium Enrichment for Six Weeks , Farsi Site Says

A Farsi-reading academic writes to a Gulf oriented list that it appears that Iran has decided to suspend uranium enrichment, as a goodwill gesture, for a period of six weeks. "This action will be taken in return for no further sanctions, and resumption of negotiations with the 5+1 group during this period based on the latest proposed package."
"Suspension for suspension" as former US Iran envoy Nick Burns called it.
I am trying to confirm. The academic adds that, "Dr. Ali Akbar Velayati, former FM and advisor to the Iranian leadership on international affairs, has made comments along this linetoo."
Perhaps the massive "they're gonna bomb" campaign (see our "Iran Panic" forum) served its purpose?

Kuwait plans for Iranian oil blockade FT.com -

Contractors in Iraq lose immunity CNN 19:12

Israel's Olmert Warns of Military Response to Gaza Attacks Voice of America News - Politics 19:11

Behind the scenes soldier takes on top Canadian job 14 minutes ago canada.com - Vancouver Sun 19:08

Oil Jumps on Fears Iran Could Be Attacked TheStreet.com 19:08 Qatar cabinet names woman, adds environment ministry FT.com -

Will the U.S. open an office in Iran? Christian Science Monitor - USA 19:24

'Weak' Iran ripe to be attacked Asia Times Online - Middle East News 11:34

Denying Hersh’s report, US envoy refers to PJAK as terrorist Today's Zaman - News 00:03

Iranian blockade 'an act of war' Gulf Daily News 23:02 30-Jun-08

White House mum on alleged coverts ops in Iran AFP - Stories 22:36 30-Jun-08

California to Legalize Weed for Everyonelaist.com — With enough signatures, Californians could be voting to legalize marijuana in the upcoming Novembe

California to Legalize Weed for Everyone

California to Legalize Weed for Everyone - www.laist.com — With enough signatures, Californians could be voting to legalize marijuana in the upcoming November election. They need 694,354 signatures by September, 5, 2008. It's totally do-able. Its been over a decade since Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, was passed with over 5 million votes in favor.

Thursday, May 08, 2008

IRANICA - In Montreal, Canada - An Interview with Mr. M. Fazel

My Land My Iran. My one and only true love my country, vatanam IRANAM!- From: sogoli1718



«ایرانیکا» در مونترال
گفتگو با آقای محمد فاضل درباره فعالیتهای مربوط به دانشنامه ایرانیکا در مونترال

نشاط تهرانی

ضمن تشکر از این که وقت خود را در اختیار ما گذاشتید از شما خواهش میکنم کمی درباره دانشنامه ایرانیکا و آغاز فعالیت آن توضیح دهید.
میتوان گفت دانشنامه ایرانیکا شناسنامه و برگه هویت ایرانیان و سایر فارسیزبانان است که چند صد استاد ایرانشناس در حال کار روی آن هستند. دانشنامه ایران یا ایرانیکا فعالیت خود را از سالهای اولیه دهه 70 آغاز کرد. در آن زمان این دانشنامه از حمایت مالی حکومت وقت برخوردار بود اما این حمایت از اواخر دهه 70 متوقف شد چون دولت ایران نظر مساعدی نسبت به دانشنامه ایرانیکا نداشت به همین دلیل فعالیتهای دانشنامه هم موقتا متوقف شد. از سال 1978 با همت دکتر احسان یارشاطر از اساتید دانشگاه کلمبیا و با همیاری بخشهایی از سازمان ملل و نیز دانشگاه کلمبیا فعالیت دانشنامه ایرانیکا دوباره آغاز شد که تا به امروز سی سال است که ادامه دارد. دانشگاه کلمبیا دفتری را در اختیار بنیاد ایرانیکا قرارداده و هزینههای جاری این دفتر را بر عهده گرفتهاست و در حال حاضر تعدادی از اساتید ایرانی در این دفتر به عنوان ویراستار و انتخاب کننده مقالات ایرانیکا مشغول فعالیت هستند. رئیس این گروه ویراستاری دکتر احمد اشرف هستند ایرانیان سراسر دنیا از فعالیت ایرانیکا به شکلهای مختلف حمایت میکنند.
همکاری شما با ایرانیکا از کجا شروع شد؟
در سال 1994 بود که من با فعالیتهای ایرانیکا آشنا شدم و اولین ضیافت خیریه به نفع ایرانیکا را در همین سال در مونترال برگزار کردم. خوب البته میزان کمکهای مالی جمعآوری شده کمتر از حد انتظار من بود ولی معرفی دانشنامه ایرانیکا به ایرانیان مقیم مونترال و بعد ایرانیان کانادا با موفقیت انجام شد و خود آغاز راهی بود که به جمعآوری کمکهای مالی سالیانه به نفع ایرانیکا ختم شد. به طوری که سه سال پیش یکی از بزرگترین ضیافتهای خیریه به نفع ایرانیکا در تورنتو برگزار شد و مبلغ بسیار قابل توجهی یعنی یک میلیون و ششصد هزار دلار از طرف ایرانیان مقیم تورنتو به ایرانیکا اهدا شد.
این کمکها چگونه استفاده میشود؟
دانشنامه ایرانیکا برای این که بتواند فعالیتهای خود را ادامه دهد و پا برجا بماند از هشت سال پیش اقدام به ایجاد یک بنیاد غیرانتفاعی کرد و کمکهای مالی که جمعآوری میشود در اختیار این بنیاد قرار میگیرد و بعد از تکمیل دانشنامه صرف به روز کردن آن خواهد شد. آن طور که برآورد شدهاست این بنیاد برای ادامه فعالیتهای خود به طور مداوم بودجهای معادل پانزده میلیون دلار نیاز دارد که تا به حال حدود ده میلیون آن جمعآوری شدهاست. خیلی از ایرانیان خارج از کشور میراث یا ثروت خود را وقف این بنیاد کردهاند. خود استاد یارشاطر و همسرش نیز تمام ثروت خود را وقف ایرانیکا کردهاند. همچنین دکتر یارشاطر دو سال پیش در شهر لندن کتابهای خطی و آثار نقاشی خود را به حراج گذاشت و نزدیک به یک میلیون دلار به بنیاد کمک کرد.
شما به یک ضیافت خیریه در سال 94 اشاره کردید. در مونترال دیگر چه فعالیتهایی به نفع دانشنامه ایرانیکا انجام شدهاست؟
من در سال 95 از استاد یارشاطر دعوت کردم تا در برنامهای که برای معرفی دانشنامه ترتیب دادهبودیم شرکت کند. اما ترتیب دادن این برنامه به صورت سالیانه برای من به تنهایی مقدور نبود به همین دلیل تصمیم گرفتم گروهی به نام دوستداران ایرانیکا را به دور هم جمع کنم و جمعیتی را تحت این عنوان تشکیل دادم. پیشبینی من این بود که دست کم بتوانم صد نفر از ایرانیان علاقمند را در گروه گردهم آورم و فکر میکردم اگر هریک از این افراد تنها ماهی ده دلار به دانشنامه کمک کنند میتوان هرسال مبلغ نسبتا قابل توجهی را برای کمک به ایرانیکا تهیه کرد. برای این منظور یک حساب بانکی نیز گشایش یافت که به نام دکتر یارشاطر و منشی دفتر ایشان است و کمکهایی که در طول سال جمعآوری میشود به این حساب واریز میکنم و کپی رسیدی که دفتر بنیاد ایرانیکا برایم میفرستد را برای تمام کسانی که کمک کردهاند میفرستم.
برای گسترش این کمکها چه اقداماتی انجام دادهاید یا قصد دارید که انجام دهید؟
من خیلی علاقه دارم که همین فعالیتهایی که در مونترال انجام میشود بتوانم در تورنتو و ونکوور هم دنبال کنم. چون جمعیت ایرانیان در این دو شهر بزرگ کانادا خیلی بیشتر است و امیدوارم که بتوان فعالیت موثری برای ایرانیکا انجام داد که مستمر باشد و ادامه پیدا کند.
انجمن ادبی که در مونترال فعال است ارتباط خاصی با ایرانیکا دارد یا خیر؟
در واقع شروع فعالیت برای ایرانیکا با کمک انجمن ادبی صورت گرفت و اولین جلسه معرفی دانشنامه ایرانیکا توسط انجمن ادبی برگزار شد و در ماه می سال 94 از خانم دکتر حورا یاوری دعوت شد تا به مونترال بیایند و ایرانیکا را به ایرانیان مقیم مونترال معرفی کنند. سال بعد هم جلسهای برای سخنرانی دکتر یارشاطر در دانشگاه مکگیل ترتیب داده شد ولی بعد از آن همانطور که گفتم با همفکری و همیاری گروهی از دوستان جمعیت دوستداران ایرانیکا را تشکیل دادیم و فعالیت برای ایرانیکا مستقل از انجمن ادبی انجام شد.
آیا فکر میکنید از ظرفیتهای موجود برای کمک به ایرانیکا چه در مونترال و چه در قسمتهای دیگر دنیا استفاده کامل شدهاست؟ تا جایی که من میدانم خیلی از ایرانیان هستند که از وجود این دانشنامه خبر ندارند یا از نحوه فعالیت آن بیاطلاعاند. در مونترال چه کاری برای آشنایی بیشتر ایرانیها و جذب کمکهای آنها صورت گرفتهاست؟
ما سعی کردهایم به طور مرتب مقالههایی را در نشریات مونترال به چاپ برسانیم و در آنها ایرانیکا و فعالیتهای آن را به ایرانیها معرفی کنیم اما مطمئنا کارهایی که شده کافی نبوده و ظرفیت بیشتری برای جذب کمکهای مردم وجود دارد. هر سال در کشورهای مختلف و شهرهای مهم دنیا مثل لندن، لسآنجلس، سانفراسیسکو، پاریس، ژنو و حتی دبی ضیافتهای خیریه مفصلی برای کمک به ایرانیکا ترتیب داده میشود. در ماه می امسال هم قرار است به مناسبت سیامین سال فعالیت دانشنامه ایرانیکا در سرتاسر دنیا برنامههایی برگزار شود و ایرانیکا به جامعه ایرانی خارج از کشور بیش از پیش شناسانده شود. در مونترال هم قرار است روز یکشنبه چهارم می برنامهای خواهیم داشت و امیدوارم این برنامه کمک کند تا کسانی که تا به حال با ایرانیکا آشنایی نداشتهاند به جمع علاقمندان و یاریکنندگان آن بپیوندند.
آیا خبرنامه یا نشریهای در رابطه با ایرانیکا منتشر میشود که در آن اطلاعاتی راجع به آخرین فعالیتهای انجام شده به مردم بدهد؟
در سالهای گذشته خبرنامهای منتشر میشد که آخرین تغییرات انجام شده و همینطور برنامههای مربوط به دانشنامه ایرانیکا در آن منعکس میشد. این خبرنامه در حال حاضر دیگر منتشر نمیشود اما خبرهای مربوط به ایرانیکا در تارنمای ایرنیکا تحت عنوان www.iranica.com منتشر میشود که سایت رسمی دانشنامه به شمار میرود و اطلاعات مهم و باارزشی در آن آمدهاست.
اگر نکتهای باقیمانده خواهش میکنم بفرمایید.
کارهایی که تا به حال در رابطه با ایرانیکا انجام شده بیشتر با تکیه بر روابط شخصی و خصوصی خود من بوده و با توجه به گسستگی جامعه ایرانی هنوز میسر نبودهاست که فعالیتها را عمومیتر کنیم. به همین دلیل نتیجه این فعالیتها هم محدود بودهاست. انتظار دارم و امیدوارم که در آینده همکاری دوستان و هموطنان ایرانی برای پیشبرد دانشنامه ایرانیکا بیشتر شود و با همکاری علاقمندان و دوستداران فرهنگ ایران زمین بتوانیم گامهای موثرتری برداریم. هموطنان ما باید بدانند که کمکهایشان هرچقدر کوچک هم که باشد تاثیر زیادی دارد. اگر هر ایرانی تنها ماهی ده دلار به این حرکت فرهنگی با ارزش اختصاص دهد رقم بزرگی به دست میآید که میتوان با کمک آن دانشنامه ایرانیکا را با سرعت خیلی بیشتری تکمیل کرده و به انجام رساند.
از شما متشکرم که در این مصاحبه شرکت کردید.
من هم از شما تشکر میکنم و امیدوارم که طرح این پرونده در نشریه اعتبار کمکی برای شناساندن هر چه بهتر این اثر عظیم به جامعه ایرانی و جلب حمایت از آن باشد.


My Land My Iran. My one and only true love my country, vatanam IRANAM!- From: sogoli1718

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

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Friday, January 04, 2008

9/11 commission leaders blast CIA on interrogation tapes

WASHINGTON (AFP) -Thursday, January 3
The leaders of a US commission that examined the September 11, 2001 terror attacks accused the CIA Wednesday of having obstructed their investigation by withholding information about videotaped interrogations of terror suspects.The goal of the blue ribbon 9/11 Commission, wrote chairman Thomas Kean and vice-chairman Lee Hamilton in The New York Times, was "to provide the American people with the fullest possible account" of what led to Al-Qaeda's attacks more than six years ago on the Pentagon and World Trade Center. But Kean and Hamilton wrote that although US President George W. Bush had ordered all executive branch agencies to cooperate with the probe, "recent revelations that the CIA destroyed videotaped interrogations of Qaeda operatives leads us to conclude that the agency failed to respond to our lawful requests for information about the 9/11 plot." "Those who knew about those videotapes -- and did not tell us about them -- obstructed our investigation."They continued: "There could have been absolutely no doubt in the mind of anyone at the CIA or the White House -the commission's interest in any and all information related to Qaeda detainees involved in the 9/11 plot."Yet no one in the administration ever told the commission of the existence of videotapes of detainee interrogations," Kean and Hamilton wrote.They said the panel made repeated, detailed requests to the spy agency in 2003 and 2004 for information about the interrogation of members of the Islamic extremist network but were never notified about the existence of the tapes.The CIA revealed last month that in 2005 it destroyed videotapes that showed harsh interrogations of two Al-Qaeda members.

9/11 Commission: CIA withheld interrogation videotapes December 22, 2007
Federal judge weighs inquiry into CIA destruction of interrogation videos December 21, 2007
House panel subpoenas ex-CIA official who ordered destruction of interrogation videos December 21, 2007
CIA to give House panel info on destruction of interrogation videos December 20, 2007
White House lawyers took part in debate on destroying CIA interrogation videos: NYT December 19, 2007
click for more...

THE LATEST NEWS






The Duel in Islam, Turkey's New Model VS. Iran's : January 04, 2008
New York Post : Amir Taheri

For centuries, Iran and the Ottoman Empire, of which modern Turkey and Egypt were parts, fought for influence in the Muslim world. That changed when Turkish westernizers under Kemal Ataturk and their Iranian counterparts under Reza Shah Pahlavi decided that religion was the cause of their nations' decline. Ataturk adopted the legend that the Turks descended from the Celts while Reza Shah promoted the idea of Iran as an "Aryan nation." For a while, Egypt (thanks to its Al Azhar theological center) remained influential. But that, too, changed in 1952 when the so-called Free Officers staged a coup under Col. Gamal Abdul-Nasser and declared that socialism, not Islam, was the future. With the three nations that had shaped Muslim opinion for centuries thus knocked out of the picture, attention focused on new centers of Islamic inspiration in the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent. But these versions of Islam weren't developed enough to fill the gap left by the withdrawal of Turkey, Iran and Egypt to the sidelines of the Muslim world. Arabia and India offered militant energy but little philosophical and theological guidance, let alone a political model. The picture may be changing: Turkey and Iran have reverted to their traditional roles by offering rival models of political Islam. (Egypt is still out under what is left of the Nasserist regime.) The Iranian model began to emerge after the mullahs seized power in 1979 and proceeded to invent a narrative influenced by European ideologies such as fascism and communism. The Turkish model grabbed the limelight when the Justice and Development Party (AKP) won a landslide election victory almost five years ago. Represented by the AKP, the Turkish model is inspired by European right-of-center political parties with an added liberal varnish.
At least four fundamental differences distinguish the two models:
Provenance: The Iranian model was shaped in Shiite theological schools of Qom and Najaf (in Iraq) by mullahs mainly of peasant backgrounds with little or no experience of the modern world. The Turkish model was the handiwork of engineers, medical doctors, businessmen and economists with urban, middle-class backgrounds. The Iranian Islamist movement entered into a strategic alliance with Marxist-Leninist and Maoist elements as early as the '60s and was heavily influenced by their worldview, culture and methods. The Turkish model shunned the left from the start and even joined the army against the leftists from the '50s onward.
Method of gaining power: The Iranian model won power through insurrections, assassinations, guerrilla attacks, strikes and massacres (such as the burning of the Rex Cinema in Abadan in 1978) - not in free and fair elections. The Turkish model, by contrast, won power via free and fair elections conducted by its ideological rivals. It never had recourse to violence, never murdered opponents, never robbed banks to finance itself and never burned hundreds of people alive to terrorize public opinion.
Record in power: The Iranian model forced almost 4 million Iranians into exile, caused the deaths of a million more in civil and foreign wars and mass executions, filled the prisons with dissidents, disbanded the national army and cancelled a constitution for which generations of Iranians had fought and, at times, died. The Turkish model forced no one into exile, didn't fill the prisons with opponents, provoked no wars and did not tear up the constitution. Nor did it destroy the Turkish state's institutions, notably the armed forces.
Road map for the future: The Iranian model claims to be seeking to revive the rule of Ali Ibn Abi-Talib, the fourth Caliph of Islam and the first Imam of Shiism, whose rule ended with civil war and his own assassination. (No one quite knows what that rule looked and felt like, for there are no reliable historical records.) The Iranian model could be summed up in the concept of the walayt faqih, or the guardianship of the theologian. This means that a single theocrat has the power to decide what is and isn't Islam. The Iranian model rejects modernity as a creature of the western "Infidel" powers. It sees globalization as a cover for American hegemony and dreams of uniting under its leadership all anti-western elements. The Turkish model has no such hang-ups. It has embraced globalization, wants to lead Turkey into the European Union as fast as the EU allows and maintains privileged relations with the United States.

Under the Iranian model, the average Iranian is at least 40 percent poorer than in 1977. The Turkish model has presided over the fastest economic growth rates the nation has known in modern times. By World Bank estimates, Turkish gross domestic product has risen by almost 50 percent under the AKP. Turkey no longer exports masses of hungry hands seeking low-paid jobs in the west. Iran, meanwhile, loses hundreds of educated people each day. In Turkey, political parties operate freely; in Iran only parties loyal to walayt faqih are allowed. The Iranian model is represented in 17 Muslim countries through branches of the Hezbollah (Party of God), founded by the mullahs in Tehran in 1975. The movement, controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, acts as a mini-version of the old Soviet Comintern. The Turkish model is only now finding imitators in other Muslim countries such as Indonesia, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Algeria and Morocco. In some cases, such as Jordan and Morocco, these parties use the very name of their Turkish model. In others, the names that echo that of the AKP.

Last month, the AKP also found an Iranian imitator - the newly formed Justice and Development Party of Iran (Etedal va To'seeh), which unites elements disillusioned with Khomeinism. The new party has yet to make its position clear on the key issue of walayat faqih, but the outline of its program for next March's general election is an almost verbatim translation of the election manifesto of Turkey's AKP.

Recently, the new party received a wink and a nod from Hashemi Rafsanjani, the businessman-cum-mullah who's emerging as a challenger to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's radical faction. ( TO FOOL THE IRANIAN ELECTORATE TO ONCE AGAIN GO TO THE POOLS AND TAKE A RABBIT OUT OF A HAT PROVIDED BY THE SYSTEM )This has led some commentators to assert that the mullahs are trying to set up their version of the AKP to prevent a genuine one from emerging.

Whether or not that is the case, what matters is that no one in Turkey is trying to imitate the Iranian model.

Jan 04 SD# 1800 - Al-Sharq Al-Awsat Columnist: Al-Qaeda Online Media Initiative "Open Meeting with Al-Zawahiri" Is Nothing but "A Recruiting Campaign For Al-Qaeda"
Jan 04 SD# 1799 - Lebanese Druze Leader Walid Jumblatt Slams Syria, Iran, Hizbullah in Iran TV Interview
Jan 03 SD# 1798 - The 'Science' Behind Healing with Koranic Holy Water: A Dubai TV Special
Jan 03 SD# 1797 - Speech by Syrian Vice-President Al-Shar' Evokes Angry Responses in Saudi Arabia Editor of Saudi Daily: 'Saudi Arabia May Take Steps to Change the Course of Syria's Future'
Dec 30 SD# 1796 - Senior Leader of Muslim Brotherhood in Syria on Assad's Regime and Syria-Iran Relations
Dec 28 IA# 413 - Arming, Military Training, and the Weapons Trade in Lebanon
Dec 28 SD# 1795 - Iraqi MP Iyad Jamal Al-Din on Al-Arabiya TV Criticizes Concept of Islamic State, Says Iraqis Should Be Grateful to U.S. for Liberating Iraq

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Iran is continuing to supply weapons and personnel to train insurgents in Iraq.

In December, the Pentagon issued a report to Congress titled "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq" stating that Iran is continuing to supply weapons and personnel to train insurgents in Iraq. But now a top U.S. commander in Iraq told The Washington Times that "Iran no longer aids Iraq militants". What is going on? What has changed?
January 3, 2008 : By
Sara A. Carter reports that " Iran's leaders are no longer supplying weapons or training to Islamic militants in Iraq ", according to the spokesman for the top U.S. commander in Iraq who told The Washington Times. that Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, sees Iran as following through on assurances it made to Iraqi and U.S. officials last fall not to assist extremists in Iraq, spokesman Col. Steven Boylan said, adding that other U.S. officials have noted declines in Iranian weapons and funds to Iraqi insurgents. "We are ready to confirm the excellence of the senior Iranian leadership in their pledge to stop the funding, training, equipment and resourcing of the militia special groups," Col. Boylan said. "We have seen a downward trend in the signature-type attacks using weapons provided by Iran."
In October, U.S. military officials began noticing a decrease in the supply of Iranian weapons and assistance, Col. Boylan added. The disclosure comes just weeks after a National Intelligence Estimate pruned back its assessment of Iran's nuclear program, saying "with high confidence" that the Islamic republic had halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 in the wake of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Tehran's aid for Islamic militias in Iraq and its nuclear program have resulted in calls from some in Washington for military action against Iran, and these two developments are likely to dampen such calls. Some outside analysts have argued, though, that Iran-based aid may be getting to Iraqi insurgents without the approval of the government in Tehran. But the colonel cautioned that while Iran's efforts are promising, U.S. military officials remain wary, partly over some contrary events on the ground in Iraq. For example, he disclosed that U.S. troops "recently captured individuals who have been in Iran, training, as short as 45-60 days ago." He did not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding the captured individuals or the possible investigation. "We are very much in the wait-and-see mode to see what happens," Col. Boylan said. In July, four terrorists linked to an Iranian smuggling operation — responsible for targeting coalition forces with powerful bombs — were captured in Iraq. The confirmation of Iran's cooperation also comes at a time when U.S. military officials have confirmed a 60 percent decrease in violence, including improvised explosive device attacks and civilian deaths in Iraq. Last year, U.S. military officials publicly released evidence of links between Iran and insurgents, including weapons, such as improvised explosive devices and mortars, that bore the markings of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. The smuggling of deadly explosively formed projectiles (EFPs) — warhead-style weapons that can pierce armor and that have caused the most casualties and damage to U.S. forces — also was traced back to Iran. In December, the Pentagon issued a report to Congress titled "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq" stating that Iran is continuing to supply weapons and personnel to train insurgents in Iraq. It suggested that the recent declines in violence aren't the result of Iran's claims that it has squelched involvement in Iraq but to other factors, such as the troop surge. "There has been no identified decrease in Iranian training and funding of illegal Shi'a militias in Iraq," the report stated. "Tehran's support for Shi'a militant groups who attack Coalition and Iraq forces remains a significant impediment to progress toward stabilization." Army Lt. Col. Mark Ballesteros, a Pentagon spokesman, said the words from Gen. Petraeus' office on Iran's cutting aid don't contradict the Department of Defense Iraq report, because it was based on information obtained prior to the end of the November deadline. "The report we issued to Congress is meant to be retrospective in nature," Col. Ballesteros said. "It is meant to cover the last 90 days of data and provides a snapshot of that period on the ground." Col. Boylan stated that despite Iran's current cooperation, Islamic radicals and terrorist groups still pose a serious danger to stability in the region.

Rice and Gates Divided over Iran's Role in Iraq : Analysis by Gareth Porter*
WASHINGTON, Jan 2 (IPS) - A State Department official's assertion in late December that Iran had exerted a restraining influence on Iraqi Shiite militia violence signaled a major divergence of views between Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defence Robert Gates over how to portray Iran's role in Iraq.In an interview with the Washington Post published Dec. 23, David Satterfield, a senior advisor to Rice and coordinator for Iraq, attributed to Iran a deliberate decision to help calm the situation in Iraq rather than to inflame it. Satterfield told the Washington Post that the decline in the number of attacks by Mahdi Army militiamen since August "has to be attributed to an Iranian policy decision" and suggested that the policy decision had been made "at the most senior level". Satterfield did not say that the new Iranian policy line was permanent, but he insisted that there had been such a "consistent and sustained diminution in certain kinds of violence by certain kinds of folks" that it could not be explained solely on the basis of internal factors in Iraq. U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker also told the Post that "the freeze on JAM [the Iraqi acronym for the Mahdi Army] operations that began four months ago would not exist without Iranian approval". Those positive descriptions of the recent Iranian role in Iraq came just after Defence Secretary Gates had refused to endorse such an assessment. At a press conference on Dec. 21, Gates was asked whether he had "seen any additional or more current information to suggest maybe Iran is playing a more constructive role in trying to seal its border from arms shipments and so on?" He replied, "No, not yet." Significantly, however, Gates also passed up the opportunity to say that Iran was playing a "destabilising role" in Iraq. Instead he said simply that the "jury is out" on the issue. Gates mentioned the success of military operations against the Mahdi Army as well as the "ceasefire that has been put in place" as factors in the decline in attacks and said, "[W]e don't have a good feeling...or any confidence in terms of how to weigh these different things." These differing views on whether Iran has been playing a positive role in Iraq are the first clear evidence of a split between Gates and Rice over how to deal with Iran. Rice's State Department is now leaning toward treating Iran as something other than an outright enemy in regard to Iraq, whereas Gates is not ready to soften the administration's position of casting suspicion on Iranian intentions. Gates was the last administration official to denounce Iran in harsh terms over Iraq, declaring in a speech at a Persian Gulf security conference in Bahrain Dec. 8, "Everywhere you turn, it is the policy of Iran to foment instability and chaos, no matter the strategic value or cost in the blood of innocents." That rhetoric was almost certainly aimed, however, at avoiding a stampede away from the administration's efforts to pressure Iran on its uranium enrichment programme in the wake of the stunning publication of the national intelligence estimate's conclusion that Iran had abandoned covert nuclear weapons work in 2003.
Gates hinted in comments to reporters when he arrived in Bahrain that he was much less certain of the Iranian intention than his rhetoric at the conference would have suggested. He mentioned the call by Shiite Mahdi Army leader Muqtada al-Sadr for a ceasefire as a key factor in the improved security in the Baghdad area, along with the reduction in attacks by armour-piercing rounds which had long been blamed on Iran. Gates appeared to suggest that he did not rule out an Iranian contribution to the improvement, saying it was "too early to tell" whether the reduction in militia attacks since August was due to successful military efforts to disrupt Mahdi Army networks or "what the Iranians may or may not be doing". The State Department's decision to acknowledge that Iran has contributed to the reduction in violence in Iraq has no doubt been influenced by Iranian political figures and officials who work closely with the U.S. Embassy to oppose the Mahdi Army and who have been insisting for months that Iran was helping to restrain Sadr. Iraqi Islamic Council Chairman Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, whose party is the key Shiite political ally in the U.S. effort to weaken the Madhi Army, met with Rice Nov. 30 and told her that Iran plays a positive role in establishing security in Iraq, according to the Tehran Times. Al-Hakim was quoted as saying, "There are documents proving that Iran has supported Iraq." Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, who had argued both publicly and privately last fall that Iran was behind Sadr's Aug. 29 ceasefire, met with Rice two days before the Satterfield and Crocker interviews. The implication of the advice of the anti-Sadr, pro-Iranian Iraqis is that the United States can use Iran to further weaken Sadr and the Madhi Army. The State Department strategy recognises that the Madhi Army, which poses the main threat to the George W. Bush administration's plan to maintain an indefinite U.S. military presence in the country, is too strong to be suppressed by U.S. or Iraqi military forces. And it would seek an end to the accusations against Iran regarding Iraqi Shiite militias that have been issued regularly by U.S. civilian and military officials throughout 2007. Crocker told the Post he was prepared to make the inference of a helpful Iranian role in the reduction of operations by the Shiite militias when he meets with Iran in the next round of talks. The Defence Department's view of Iranian policy is influenced primarily by the perspective of the U.S. military command in Baghdad. Gen. David Petraeus also recognises that there must be a political strategy to weaken Sadr's forces. However, he and his staff have been focusing more on the fact that the Madhi Army is continuing to attack U.S. and Iraqi security forces in the Shiite provinces of Qadisiyah, Babil and Dhi Qar, as stated in the latest Pentagon report. The military command continues to insists that the "Shi'a extremists and rogue elements" of the Mahdi Army are "Iranian-backed". That analysis clearly implies that the United States should not back away from the accusations of Iranian export of weapons to and manipulation of Shiite militias that the U.S. command has been making for nearly a year. Given President Bush's penchant for letting agencies with conflicting policies work things out themselves rather than impose a policy decision, the State and Defence Departments may continue to carry out their own policy lines on the subject of Iran's role in Iraq until a new development resolves the differences. That will introduce another layer of contradictions into an extraordinarily murky policy toward the Iran-Iraq complex of issues. *Gareth Porter is an investigative historian and journalist specialising in U.S. national security policy. His latest book, "Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam", was published in June 2005.

AND HERE COMES THE DENIAL ....

Petraeus Aide Denies Report That Iran Is Not Aiding Iraq Militants
January 03, 2008 Fox News foxnews.com
A spokesman for Gen. David Petraeus, commander of the Multi-National Force in Iraq, denied a story published Thursday in the Washington Times that said Petraeus believed Iran no longer was training or supplying weapons to Islamic militants in Iraq. Col. Steven Boylan told FOX News that the article, purported to include quotes from Petraeus and Boylan, "is inaccurate." "We do not know if there has been a decrease in the supply of Iranian weapons," Boylan wrote to news outlets that picked up the Washington Times story. "It is not clear if Iran's leaders stopped supplying weapons or training to extremist elements in Iraq. We hope that they have, but until we can confirm it, we are in the wait and see mode. "We have seen a decrease in the attacks using four specific types of Iranian weapons. However, this should not be misunderstood as anything other than lowered levels of attacks using these specific weapons," he wrote. The Times story included what it said was a quote from Boylan, saying, "We are ready to confirm the excellence of the senior Iranian leadership in their pledge to stop the funding, training, equipment and resourcing of the militia special groups. "We have seen a downward trend in the signature-type attacks using weapons provided by Iran." Click here to view the full report in The Washington Times. Several weeks ago the National Intelligence Estimate said that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

The Latest News


"Kayhan": Iran's Reformists Are Collaborating With U.S. Today's editorial in the Iranian daily Kayhan, which is affiliated with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warned that reformists in Iran are collaborating with the Americans to topple Iran's current Islamic regime in the upcoming March '08 parliamentary (Majlis) elections. The editorial based its position on the U.S.'s NIE report, which it said stated that the U.S. preferred a toppling of the Iranian regime via activity by internal forces. In contrast, today's editorial in the Iranian reformist daily Aftab-e Yazd stated that the attempt by the government of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to present itself as friendly and rational in the international arena was endangering Iran, because "this policy of finding favor" presents concessions to the lusts of countries such as India, Russia, China, Bahrain, and Indonesia, which sometimes take anti-Iran stands. Sources: Kayhan, Aftab-e Yazd, Iran, January 1, 2008-Read full entry
Human Rights Group: Iranian Government Intensifying Repression, Killing In Province
Following the December 31 arrest of 150 residents of Ahwaz province in southern Iran, the Central Authority for Human Rights in the province announced that the Iranian authorities had stepped up repression and killing in Ahwaz. The group reported that five residents were executed, the bodies of three long-term prisoners were discovered, and two prisoners' bodies were handed over to their families last week. Other families in the province claimed that family members had been executed by the authorities and that their bodies had been hidden. The human rights group has asked Arab and international organizations to step in to prevent the continuing massacre of residents and to stop the arrests. Source: Al-Siyassa, Kuwait, January 2, 2008 - Read full entry
"Sobh-e Sadeq": U.S. Agreeing To Negotiate With Iran Without Preconditions Due To Defeats
An article in the Iranian weekly Sobh-e Sadeq, the mouthpiece of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei circulated among Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, stated that the defeat of the U.S. in Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Iraq versus the impetus of Iran's relations with the Arab countries – manifested by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's participation in the GCC conference in Doha and by Ali Larijani's visit to Cairo – had forced the U.S. State Department to announce recently that the U.S. was agreeing to negotiations with Iran without preconditions. Source: Sobh-e Sadeq, Iran, December 31, 2007 - Read full entry
Iranian Report: Most Important Outcome Of 9/11 – Rise In Central Asia's Status In U.S. Foreign Policy
A report by Iran's Majlis (Parliamentary) Strategic Research Center stated that the most important outcome of 9/11 has been the rise in Central Asia's geopolitical status in U.S. foreign policy. It also stated that the U.S. is aspiring to prevent the rise of an again-powerful Russia as well as Iranian and Chinese influence in the region. The report concludes that the first item on the U.S. agenda is obtaining the energy resources of the Caspian Sea, and recommends that Iran resist any foreign presence in the region by drawing closer to China and Russia by using the Shanghai alliance. Source: Aftab-e Yazd, Iran, January 1, 2008Read full entry
"Sobh-e Sadeq": Bhutto Assassination Brings Opportunity – For U.S. In Pakistan, For Iran In Afghanistan
The Iranian weekly Sobh-e Sadeq, the mouthpiece of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei circulated among Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, wrote that the assassination of former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto "is likely to serve the U.S. as a pretext for direct military intervention" because of the fear that Pakistan's nuclear bomb would fall into the hands of extremist Islamists.An article on the Iranian website Alef, which is affiliated with conservative MP Ahmad Tavakkoli, director of the Majlis Strategic Research Center, stated that Bhutto's assassination had shifted the U.S.'s focus to Pakistan from Iran. It also noted that the assassination would bring about a drop in the power of the Sunnis in the Islamic world, and would give Iran an opportunity to strengthen its position in Afghanistan following a weakening of Pakistan there. Sources: Sobh-e Sadeq, Iran, December 31, 2007; Alef, Iran, January 1, 2008Read full entry
Contest Between International Zionism, Offspring Of Khomeini Will Affect World's Future
At the weekly meeting of the conservative Iranian group Ansar Hizbullah, Mojtaba Rahmandoust, secretary-general of the Iran-based Society in Defense of the Palestinian Nation, stated, "The contest between international Zionism and the offspring of the Imam Khomeini will be the focus of the political processes that will affect the future of the world."
He said that the U.S., Europe, and Israel would step up their pressure as the armed struggle bore fruit, and that the current Israeli and U.S. pressure on Egypt was evidence of the success of the armed Palestinian struggle. He added that the Palestinians were now producing longer-range missiles than in the past. Source: ISNA, Iran, December 31, 2007Read full entry
On Ahmadinejad's Orders, Iran's Center For Intercultural Dialogue Disbands
Iran's Center for Intercultural Dialogue between Islam and Christianity has been disbanded, on orders of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In its stead, the National Center for Globalization Studies has been established, under Ahmadinejad's direct oversight.Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London; Aftab-e Yazd, Iran, December 31, 2007 Read full entry
What Did Ahmadinejad's 41 Trips To Neighboring Countries Accomplish?
An article on the Tabnak website, which is affiliated with Iranian Expediency Council secretary Mohsen Rezai, demanded that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad give details on the contribution to Iran of his 41 trips to neighboring countries. Hinting that Ahmadinejad's trips were pointless, the article stated, "The countries in the region are more impertinent towards Iran than in the past, and are taking anti-Iran stands." Source: Tabnak, Iran, December 27, 2007Read full entry
Larijani: Weakening Of U.S. Role In Region Encouraging Egypt-Iran Relations; Iran Will Help Egypt With Nuclear Technology
At a meeting with intellectuals and writers during his visit in Egypt, Ali Larijani, representative of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Iran's Supreme National council, stated that international circumstances and regional changes, including "the weakening of the exclusive role of America in the region," are encouraging Egypt and Iran to increase their mutual cooperation.
Larijani added that Iran is ready to help Egypt develop nuclear technology, in accordance with International Atomic Energy Agency regulations. Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, December 31, 2007Read full entry
Unrest At Universities Across Iran
The online Iranian reformist daily Rooz reports on unrest in universities across Iran because of increasing rumors that over 30 students, detained since early December, have been tortured in order to extract confessions, and because of the delay of the release on bail of the three students from Amir Kabir university even after their bond was posted. At Isfahan University, students who have barricaded themselves since December 24 are continuing with their hunger strike against the repression of the student movement and the restriction of freedom of expression.
The student movement issued a communiqué protesting against the arrest of over 100 students in the past nine months. Source: Rooz, Iran, December 30, 2007Read full entry
Iranian Prisoners' Rights Organization Chairman Back In Jail After Second Heart Attack
Iran's Prisoners' Rights Organization chairman Emad Baghi, who has been under arrest for 80 days, was returned to Evin prison after being rushed to the hospital following his second heart attack since Decemberf 26. Dissident journalist 'Issa Saharkhiz said sarcastically that this policy towards Baqi and others was Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s way of putting Shi'ite justice into action. Source: Rooz, Iran, December 30 and 31, 2007 Read full entry
Shirin Ebadi: "Kayhan" Newspaper Making Up Stories About Me
At a conference of reformist journalists, Iranian Nobel Prize laureate and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi referred to that claims by the Iranian daily Kayhan that she was acting to increase economic sanctions against Iran and that she had called the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) "terrorists."Ebadi said that the paper was making up stories, and that she had called for political sanctions against the Iranian government, not for economic sanctions that harmed the entire people. Source: Kayhan, December 23, 2007; Rooz, Iran, December 31, 2007Read full entry
Iranian Ayatollah Montazeri Urges Iranian Reformists To Act For Free Elections
In a meeting with reformist activists in Iran, Ayatollah Hossein 'Ali Montazeri, one of the senior Iranian clerics critical of the Iranian regime, said that the regime was acting illegally by approving candidates for the March 2008 Majlis (parliamentary) elections based on the candidates' political proximity to the regime. Montazeri encouraged activity to pressure the regime to hold free elections, and reiterated that the slogan of Iran's Islamic Revolution was "independence, freedom, and Islamic revolution." Source: Montazeri's blog, Iran, December 28, 2007 Read full entry
Iran Gets Second Russian Fuel Shipment
Russia has delivered a second consignment of nuclear fuel to Iran's Bushehr power plant, said Iranian Atomic Energy Organization deputy head today, December 28. He said that the delivery was the same amount as was supplied in the first consignment, which arrived December 17. Russia is to deliver a total of 82 tons of nuclear fuel to Iran, over two months and in eight separate consignments. Source: Fars, Iran, December 28, 2007Read full entry
Tehran Friday Sermon: Ayatollah Jannati Blasts U.S. For Lebanon Political Crisis, Says Christ Would Have Fought Oppression, Labels Israel "Cancerous Tumor" Planted By U.S.
In his sermon today, Tehran interim Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati congratulated all "real believers" in Christianity on the new year, and said that Jesus should be considered among the oppressed prophets "because certain individuals who allege to be an advocate of Christ, such as U.S. President George W. Bush, kill innocent people and trigger crisis among the world nations." He lambasted those who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ while committing murders in different parts of the world, and said that of the three options of silence, supporting the oppressors, and fighting with the oppressors, Jesus Christ would have certainly chosen the third if he was present among us. He went on to slam the U.S. administration for sowing discord in Lebanon, saying that the ongoing political crisis there had been created and exacerbated by Washington. He said, "America has planted the occupiers of Quds [Israel] as a cancerous tumor in the heart of the Arab countries in order to create crises in Palestine and Lebanon." He also said that Iran's upcoming March 2008 parliamentary elections would "show the world that religion and democracy are not incompatible." Source: IRNA, IRIBnews.ir, Fars, Iran, December 28, 2007Read full entry

Monday, December 31, 2007

End Game : The Full Lenght Film : 2 hr 19 min - Oct 26, 2007

For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.



James Arthur - Mushrooms and Mankind

James Arthur, one of the worlds leading experts in Ethnomycology, takes you on an exploration of symbolism from modern-day folk traditions to some of the most ancient religious writings known to mankind. The repression of human consciousness and sexuality does more harm to mankind than we could have possibly imagined. Why is it that these things are considered Taboo? The answers will amaze you!
















Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Stupid Intelligence on Iran

December 19, 2007 The Wall Street Journal James Schlesinger

The release earlier this month of "key judgments" from the National Intelligence Estimate -- including the bald assertion "that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program" -- has caused both astonishment here at home and consternation overseas, where it has resulted in confusion about America's policy goals and steadiness. Let us stipulate that the intelligence community has acquired evidence sufficiently persuasive to lead it to reverse its prior judgment that Iran was hard at work developing nuclear weapons. For that it has been praised, particularly in traditional intelligence quarters, for "speaking truth to power," and thereby dissipating some of the distrust generated by its faulty earlier judgments on Iraq.

The NIE's about-face on Iran's nuclear weapons program represents a reversion to an earlier style of intelligence analysis -- featuring a renewed determination not to get beyond the "hard evidence." But as we shall see, this has led to a decision not to consider several crucial elements that lay behind the presumed 2003 decision in Tehran. Clearly, the key judgments in the NIE were overstated. And that, in turn, may reflect the very late decision to declassify the key judgments, written in a kind of shorthand, and thus incautiously phrased. The crucial decision, hidden in a footnote, was to define the "nuclear weapons program" which had been halted to mean only "Iran's weapon design and weaponization work and covert . . . uranium enrichment-related work." Thus it excludes Iran's overt enrichment program monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency. We have long understood that the production of fissile material, whether overt or covert, remains "the long pole in the tent" in the development of a nuclear capability. Thus the NIE defines away what has been the main element stirring international alarm regarding Iran's nuclear activity. Yesterday Tehran announced its Bushehr nuclear power plant will be operating at full capacity by the end of next year. Yet even though Russia supplied the nuclear fuel for Bushehr, the Iranians insist on maintaining their "civilian" uranium-enrichment program. Weapon design and weaponization, at least for the simpler weapons, is a far less demanding and less time-consuming task than uranium enrichment. Let us examine what else has not been considered. The NIE asserts "that Iran halted the program in 2003 primarily in response to international pressure" and that "indicates that Tehran's decisions are guided by a cost-benefit approach." Now what might have constituted the principal elements in that "international pressure" to induce Tehran, at least temporarily, to halt its covert weaponization program? • The American invasion of Iraq, resulting in the seizure of Baghdad in 10 days time -- something that had widely been suggested could not be accomplished. • The earlier destruction of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, another display of American military prowess. • The decision of Col. Moammar Gadhafi to abandon his nuclear program and to renounce and make amends for terrorism. • The exposure and partial demolition of the A.Q. Khan nuclear technology network, Khan's confession and his confinement by the Pakistani government to his home. Does it not seem likely that Tehran took notice of these events, and may have been intimidated by them into more circumspect behavior? The NIE argues that "Tehran's decisions are guided by a cost-benefit approach." Given those successful American actions, those who guide decisions in Iran may well have decided that the potential costs of being caught with a clandestine program had risen sharply, and that the presumed benefits of early clandestine weaponization efforts could safely be deferred. In brief, since the "long pole in the tent" remains the production of fissile material, Iran likely decided that the prudent course of action was to pursue an open enrichment program ostensibly to produce fuel for nuclear reactors. It is a course that had been chartered by North Korea -- and arguably was legitimate under the Nonproliferation Treaty. This central path to obtaining fissile material -- the focus of international concern -- has been treated in the NIE as quite distinct from the "nuclear weapons program." Still, the achievements of American arms and American policy during that period were undoubtedly noted in Tehran. Why not mention them in the NIE as possibly influencing Tehran's decision in 2003? The answer, in brief, is that it would have been speculative and in violation of the renewed commitment of the intelligence community to stick to the "hard evidence." There was no intercept; there was no agent's report that such calculations were, indeed, the source of Iran's switch. So in order to avoid the kind of speculation that had gotten the intelligence community into trouble in its judgments regarding Iraq, these realities were left up to the imagination of others and the intelligence community stuck to what it had evidence for. What was obvious about events in and around 2003 should have been obvious at least to the American media. The media, Lord knows, have no inhibitions about engaging in speculation or urging us to "connect the dots," or feeling any obligation to limit themselves to hard evidence. The NIE almost begged for others to follow up on the nature of "international pressure" and the calculations behind Iran's "cost-benefit approach." But the American media today almost reflexively treat any development as a setback for the administration of George W. Bush. So, the media quite clearly ignored the obvious: that a surprising decision by Tehran in 2003 to halt the covert weaponization effort likely was a tribute to the successes of American policy and arms during that period. Thus, administration policies and actions that likely induced caution in Tehran could be characterized, ironically enough, as an administration defeat. Little more need be said about the process by which what might have been heralded as a victory was transformed into a defeat and echoed overseas. But a few words do need to be added about the intelligence community's decision to restrict its key judgments to "hard evidence." Many in the intelligence community embrace this as a return to virtue. Yet in itself it has severe drawbacks. As in this case, reading the key judgments may now require something akin to Cliffs Notes listing other relevant events and considerations that may be necessary in interpreting an Estimate limited to the hard evidence. Exclusive reliance on hard evidence not infrequently results in deliberately blinding oneself to the most obvious explanation of what has occurred. The classic example of this failing occurred during the Vietnam War, when intelligence analysts stubbornly refused to accept that enemy supplies were pouring through Sihanoukville ostensibly on the grounds that there was no hard evidence. (Actually, there was an agent's report that revealed the activity, but it was dismissed as insufficient.) Intelligence based on hard evidence requires supplementation by other forms of intelligence. "Failures of imagination," to which the 9-11 Commission referred, can come in a variety of modes. Mr. Schlesinger is a former secretary of defense, secretary of energy and director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

With Spies Like These...

The new National Intelligence Estimate on Iran appears to rely heavily on notes from a discussion between Iranian military officials involved in that country's nuclear weapons development program. What if, instead of such easily manipulated documentary evidence, the CIA's National Clandestine Service had been able to recruit a spy at the highest reaches of the Iranian government, someone who could just tell us what the country's nuclear capabilities and plans were? It wouldn't have made any difference

Iran Continues to Support Shiite Militias in Iraq, Pentagon Says

A new Pentagon report has concluded that Iran continues to provide money, training and weapons to Shiite militias in Iraq, although U.S. commanders previously stated that attacks using lethal bombs linked to Iran have fallen in recent months.

U.S. Releases Iranian Detained in Kurdish City in 2004

BAGHDAD -- The American military has released an Iranian detainee, officials from the U.S. and Iran said Wednesday, as the two countries prepared for a new round of talks on security in Iraq. The Iranian Embassy identified the man as Haydar Alawi, who was detained in the northern Kurdish city of Sulaymaniya in July 2004. The U.S. military gave a different version of the name, Sayed Hadir Alawi Mohammed, but provided no other information

Iranian Officials Attempt to Inject Anit-U.S. Politics into Annual Hajj Muslim Pilgrimage

MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia -- Millions of Muslims marked the zenith of the annual hajj, praying for God's forgiveness on a rocky desert hill here where in Muslim tradition Adam and Eve were reunited after leaving Eden

The Fallout for Bush on Iran

Former U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix assesses the latest U.S. intelligence and whether Bush could still launch a military strike

Regime-change Fears Drive Iran's Vice Crackdown

Tehran, Iran -- It is no secret in Iran: Authorities have gone out of their way to publicize a crackdown against thugs and smugglers that has also enveloped academics and women whose dress is deemed "un-Islamic."

The Only Iran War is Within Iran

UN concern over repression in Iran is a signal that the regime's worst enemy isn't the US but itself. The world put Iran's Islamic rulers on notice this week, and not for violating nuclear norms. The 192-member United Nations General Assembly voted its "deep concern" over escalating atrocities in Iran, such as stoning, repression of female dissidents, and persecution of human rights defenders.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Home is Where Someone is Waiting for You : By Reza Bayegan

Human rights reporting rightly concentrate on violations that take place within the country and bring to the public attention those abuses where the victim's physical safety has been imperilled or is in immediate danger. Nevertheless we should not forget that there is a form of violation that does not physically touch the victims. There are no gallows, no visible bruises on the body, no cells or torture chambers and no bloodstains on the floor of the interrogation rooms. There could be miles or even oceans between the victims and the abusers. The effects of these abuses are long term and measured in mental scars and deep emotional wounds. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights aims inter alia to provide a legal obligation on the part of states against this kind of violation. Article 13 of this document states that: 'Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.' The rights of thousands of Iranians are constantly violated because they are deprived of this basic right to return to their country without fear of persecution. Many Iranians living abroad, who for one reason or another have run afoul of the regime do not dare go back to pay a visit to their aging parents or relatives. They are denied a parting look and one last embrace with their dear ones. In a cruel tyranny such as the one ruling Iran, one cannot even count on peace beyond the grave. In many instances parents on their deathbed frightened for the safety of their exiled children extract a promise from them not to attempt to attend their funeral. Haleh Esfandiari was one of those Iranians who risked her life to visit her ailing 93-year-old mother. While on the way to the airport to leave the country after her visit in December 2006, Esfandiari was robbed of her passport at knifepoint by three men. On re-applying for travel documents, she was imprisoned by the regime, branded as an American spy and a harbinger of a velvet revolution designed to bring about regime change in Iran. After spending 110 days in solitary confinement and giving forced 'confessions' it was only thanks to international pressure that Haleh Esfandiari was eventually released and was allowed to leave the country in September 2007. Those who fear for their lives and safety on reaching the borders of Iran are not all scholars like Mrs Esfandiari working for American research institutes. They belong to all sorts of political backgrounds and walks of life. Some of them just a few years ago were part of the political establishment and have impressive revolutionary credentials. It is quite evident now that the circle of trusted allies is getting increasingly tighter in the top echelon of the Islamic Republic. The range of values purportedly defended by the ruling clique is becoming narrower and the number of those who are suspected of plotting for the downfall of the clerical regime indicates a tremendous increase. Iran has turned into a homeland where someone is waiting at the airport not with flowers, but with handcuffs for welcoming those who have dared challenging or questioning the legitimacy of the clerical dictatorship.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Latest News from a hell hole called 'Islamic Republic of Idiots' ( IRI )

Al Taqiyya: The Islamist Terrorist Weapon of Deception
Frank Salvato -- Western civilization’s delinquent knowledge of the Islamic faith leaves us naïve to many of its tenets. Many among us would be hard pressed to explain the differences between the Sunni and the Shi’ite, let alone the reasons why they have remained in conflict for almost the entire existence of the Islamic faith. This delinquency in understanding Islamic culture and doctrine makes those they consider non-believers – or kafirs – vulnerable both individually and collectively. This is especially true when we examine the Islamic concept of taqiyya.
Lebanon's Fateful Showdown
Within the next week or so, we'll know whether Iran (acting through proxies in Beirut) will trigger a new civil war in Lebanon. The issue is the choice of a replacement for President Emil Lahoud, imposed by Syria during its occupation of Lebanon. His term of office expires Nov. 23. By Amir Taheri
US CENTCOM Press Releases
SIX KILLED, 10 DETAINED AS COALITION FORCES TARGET AL-QAEDA LEADERSHIP, FOREIGN TERRORIST FACILITATORS
‘AWAKENING’ IN IRAQ SIGNALS CITIZENS’ RISE AGAINST AL-QEADA
MND-B TROOPS CAPTURE EXPLOSIVELY FORMED PENETRATORS, ROCKET CACHE
Aother Senior Iranian Nuclear Official Resigns
Tehran -- Another Iranian official related to nuclear issues has resigned, the Tehran press reported Tuesday. Abdol-Reza Rahman-Fazli, the first deputy of former chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and acting head of Iran's National Security Council, resigned on Sunday. By Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Israel Must Talk To Iran
A Persian proverb says: “A Wiseman knows that everything in this world has a limit, the Wiseman must discern the limits to obtain results, for he knows exacerbating and abusing the limits would lend him the reverse he is seeking”. By Iran Press Service
Venezuela, Iran United in Defiance of United States
TEHRAN, Iran -- Venezuela's outspoken president joined with Iran's leader Monday in boasting that they are "united like a single fist" in challenging American influence, saying the fall of the dollar is a sign that "the U.S. empire is coming down." By The Associated Press
Iran Says Agrees To New Talks With U.S. on Iraq
TEHRAN -- Iran's foreign minister said on Tuesday Tehran would agree to a U.S. request for a new round of talks on security in Iraq, Iranian news agencies reported. "These negotiations will be held in a near future," Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said according to the ISNA news agency. The official IRNA news agency carried a similar report. By Reuters
French Filmmaker on Trial in Iran
PARIS -- A French-Iranian filmmaker was questioned for several hours by Iranian judges in a closed-door trial prompted by her efforts to film a documentary relating to the Iraq-Iran war, a media watchdog said Monday. By The Associated Press
Saudi Columnists Call on Gulf States to Form Anti-Iran Front
Following recent threats against the Gulf countries by leading Iranian officials, several Saudi columnists have criticized the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries' passivity in the face of the danger posed by Iran. By The Middle East Media Research institute
Iran Nuclear Work 'Not Worth War'
Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi has called on Iran to suspend its controversial nuclear work to avert what she says is a mounting threat of war with the US. "Using nuclear energy is every nation's right, but we have obvious other rights including security, peace and welfare," she told a press conference. By BBC News
EU Foreign Ministers Weigh Push for New Sanctions Against Iran
The European Union's chief negotiator in the dispute over Iran's nuclear program will consult with the bloc's foreign ministers Monday about whether to push for new sanctions to try to force Tehran to stop By The Associated Press
Powell: Forces in Iran May Bring Positive Changes
KUWAIT -- Describing Iran as not an easy target, a former secretary of state ruled out the prospect of the United States going to war with the Islamic republic. By Arab Times
Iran's Leader Calls Dollar 'Worthless'
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday that OPEC's members have expressed interest in converting their cash reserves into a currency other than the depreciating U.S. dollar, which he called a "worthless piece of paper." By The Associated Press
Student Held in Iran Questioned in Closed Trial
A Montreal doctoral student who was arrested after travelling to Iran to make a documentary faced a closed trial Saturday on accusations of intending to commit propaganda, a group seeking her freedom said. Mehrnoushe Solouki, who has dual French and Iranian nationality and is a Canadian permanent resident, travelled to Iran in December, but is currently prohibited from leaving the country since her arrest in February.


Coalition, Iraqi Troops Have 'Momentum'
WASHINGTON - Terrorist-committed violence in Iraq has plummeted since the start of the surge of forces, a senior U.S. officer reported yesterday from Baghdad.Nov 19, 2007, 21:35 Forces Detain 27 Suspects While Targeting al Qaeda Networks in Iraq
WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 27 suspects yesterday during operations targeting al Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq.Nov 19, 2007,
Iraqi Forces, Local Citizens Help to Reduce Violence in Northern Iraq
WASHINGTON - A robust partnership between coalition troops and Iraqi security forces and support from the Iraqi people is showing success in bringing down violence in Iraq's Multinational Division North sector, the troop commander there said today.Nov 19, 2007, 21:30 American Life League releases video report on children's sex book
WASHINGTON, D.C. – "Parents need to know what Planned Parenthood has in store for their children and this report is an excellent starting point," said Jim Sedlak, vice president of American Life League. "The book 'It's Perfectly Normal' is obscene and offensive to Christians."Nov 19, 2007,
The first casualtyGuardian Unlimited 12:19 19-Nov-07
The falling U.S. dollar is a prelude to the...International Herald Tribune 18:39 19-Nov-07
Riyadh Fears an American Attack on Irantruthout 19:32 19-Nov-07
Chavez in Tehran: "Empire of dollar is crashing" (Reuters)Yahoo! US 14:47 19-Nov-07
Spring will be crucial on IranInternational Herald Tribune 14:17 19-Nov-07
Israel's Syrian Air Strike Was Aimed at IranAntiwar.com 06:20 20-Nov-07
Chavez says "empire of dollar is crashing"Reuters UK 14:00 19-Nov-07
IAEA report on Iran's nuclear program ''a slap on...Mathaba.Net 12:40 19-Nov-07
Chavez, Ahmadinejad Vow To Defeat US11Alive, Georgia 08:24 20-Nov-07


US CENTCOM Press Releases
COALITION FORCES FIND EXECUTION SITE, LARGE CACHE; EIGHT KILLED, 13 DETAINED Posted: 19 Nov 2007 12:09 PM CST
IRAQI FORCES, U.S. SPECIAL FORCES DETAIN TWO EXTREMISTS IN AS SA’DIYAH Posted: 19 Nov 2007 10:44 AM CST
ARMY ENGINEERS TURNS OVER AL-GARMA 132 KILOVOLT SUBSTATION TO IRAQI MINISTRY OF ELECTRICITY Posted: 19 Nov 2007 10:39 AM CST
COALITION FORCES KILL ONE TERRORIST, TARGET CRIMINAL ELEMENT NETWORKS Posted: 19 Nov 2007 10:35 AM CST
FORMER EXTREMIST LEADS JOINT FORCES TO HUGE WEAPONS CACHE

IRAQI SECURITY FORCES DETAIN 81 SUSPECTED EXTREMISTS, CONFISCATE WEAPONS CACHES Posted: 21 Nov 2007 10:52 AM CST