Few topics of interest that i'd like to bring to your attention:
-Mark Dankof's Open Letter to Reza Pahlavi: A Triune Strategy for Saving Iran (CLICK)
-Open letter by Dr Shojaedin Shafa: A Road to Death and a Road to Life (second post on the page)
-Iranian activists demand arrest of AhmadiNejad (Please join and distribute)
-Destruction of Historic Sites in Iran Taliban Style
-Photos from Akbar Mohammadi's Funeral
-Mullah "Fariba" Khatami's next stop on his tour: U.K.
-Proud to be Persian Myspace Page
END POST
Posts
9 comments:
I'd like to make some comments on the Dankof letter.
Dankof sites Ismail Hossein-Zadeh's article which relies on information from Seymour Hersch article. That's laughable. If you read the Asia Times article by Zadeh, you will think it's written by Khatami. Therefore, this Dankof is dangerous, because he doesn't understand the side that Zadeh is on. (or maybe he does.) I'm afaid Dankof, though he tries to portray himself as a republican, is no different from the democrats.
His father may have worked closely with the Shah, but he doesn't know what he's talking about if he believes Seymour Hersch and Zadeh.
Anyone who thinks that people like Ledeen, Michael Rubin, etc. at AEI are not sincere in wanting to help free the Iranian people and allow them the true democracy they deserve, is on the wrong side.
He sounds: anti-Bush, anti-war in Iraq, anti-Israel. And he also sounds anti-monarchy.
American Leftists Plan to Meet With Ahmadinejad in New York
This is disgusting but not surprising!
Not missing a beat, the American Leftist group, Council on Foreign Relations, plans on meeting with Iranian President Ahmadinejad when he is in New York this week!
One Jerusalem has this:
One Jerusalem has confirmed that the President of the Council on Foreign Relations, a Left-leaning establishment organization in New York, is inviting major civic, business, and political leaders to meet Iran's tyrannical President Ahmadinejad this week, when he is in New York.
Ahmadinejad will be coming to New York from Cuba where he continued his denunciation of the United States.
One Jerusalem offers some this advice:
So what can you do?
1) Let the Council know that you protest their actions. Email them now, fax their main office: +1-202-986.2984, or phone them: Tel. +1-202-518.3400.
2) Send around this post to family and friends. Don't be caught sitting on the sidelines. Stand up for the United States, Israel, and the oppressed people of Iran today.
3) Attend Wednesday's rally. See info here. (Listen to our interview with organizer Malcolm Hoenlein.)
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2006/09/american-leftists-plan-to-meet-with.html#comments
Dear Chester,
I don't see anything wrong in what Mr Dankof is suggesting in his letter.
I absolutely agree with you about this "Hosseinzadeh" characters article but there is also truth to it in that both the U.S. and Israel have been going over possible military scenarios involving an escalation with the Islamic Republic - the rest of his article has been modified to fit the regime's interests as you stated.
I've read several articles by Mr Dankof in the past and to the best of my knowledge he is a republican and an ardent supporter of the Iranian freedom movement and the Iranian Monarchy.
As for the AEI, I was very disheartened when Mr Leeden held a conference on Iran, wherein several seperatist groups where present and able to propagate their anti-Iranian platform.
Yes we should use and welcome anyone willing to assist us in this fight but ultimately we cannot rely on anybody but ourselves - the sooner we learn this the better. Just take for example how we thought the republicans would actually follow up on their strong words against the IRI and today we have Secretary Rice calling for further diplomacy with the IRI (10 years of diplomacy how many more years do they want!?) and President Bush recently saying he wants to learn more about the "Iranian leadership and how they work" (you really have to joking!)...it seems one day they are ardently against the IRI calling it the "axis of evil" and the next they want to hold discussions! the previous head of the state department last year went as far as to label the Islamic Republic a democracy!
Anyhow lets just have faith in each other to finish this regime off, and if along the way we see that others genuinely want to help then use them to contribute positively to the cause.
Oh and btw I fully agree with his comments regarding Shirin Neshat and that she can be of great assistance in the removal of this anti-Iranian Islamic regime. Her father was the General of the Imperial Guards and she must have a lot of contacts within the Armed Forces of Iran and elsewhere that can come handy!
I'm not familiar with Dankof, however, he heavily relied on that article by Zadeh. It wasn't mentioned in passing. That's a big red flag. And Zadeh relies on Seymour Hersh. I'm sorry, but there isn't a legitimate, self-respecting republican in this country who believes Seymour Hersh. Hersh's agenda is anti-American.
Also, anyone who thinks that Pahlavi and his democracy movement is in "mortal danger" from evil neo-cons and let's not leave out the evil Jews, who want to co-opt the movement for their own (evil) purposes, frankly is a nut.
His third point about RP forming a group, has already been done by Pahlavi.
If he is pro-monarchy, would you explain this: "I do not believe that a Persian human rights movement with an emphasis on restoring the Monarchy is credible,"
Yes, I agree that Iranian people should overthrow the regime themselves, if possible.
I find his letter rambling and hard to understand. And why was it released to the public? For what purpose?
As for your objections to Ledeen and AEI over the representatives of various ethnic groups being invited to participate in the panel discussion last year, that was an educational forum. And the panelists spoke about their different ethnicities and about maintaining the territorial integrity of Iran and did not speak on behalf of separatists or separatist ideas. (with the exception of one Azeri guy, who had been warned not to get into controversial discussion.)
In my opinion that was some kind of a smear campaign against AEI and Ledeen and couldn't have been orchestrated better if Khamenei had orchestrated it himself. It was shameful how people that Ledeen had supported and fought for over the years, turned on him. He was very disappointed.
Some of your statements are a little confused (like it wasn't the previous head of State dept that called Iran a democracy, it was Armitage - which Mr. Ledeen mentioned numerous times in disgust).
And keep in mind that the U.S. doesn't operate in a vacuum. International actions and policies are complex, coordinated issues. Though the liberals and the regime would like the world to think that the U.S. goes off 'half-cocked' all on it's own with no consideration for the rest of the world, that's far from the truth.
If you want to support Dankof, that's your choice. I can't. I don't trust people who share the same beliefs as my enemies, even if they throw in a few ideas or people I do agree with.
At best, he's a nut. ((just my opinion, of course.))
I think he has some valid points but I disagree with him saying AEI people are dangerous.
Alright Chester your comments forced me to do some more homework and i've gone over a few of Mr Dankof's articles regarding Iran.
I must admit that I might have come to a hasty conclusion on Mr Dankof...
You brought this quote to my attention which must have missed my eyes:
"I do not believe that a Persian human rights movement with an emphasis on restoring the Monarchy is credible"
I guess that "he's a supporter of the Iranian Monarchy" was a bit too much no? lol. The articles (not more than 2 or 3) that I had read by him in the past (all regarding Iran) had never alluded that Mr Dankof was against the Iranian Monarchy -one that I can remember and came across was of his childhood recollections of Iran where he spoke positively about the late Shah of Iran.
I stand corrected on Mr Dankof and thank you for giving me some slaps to wake up lol. I do however agree with Mr Dankof in his assessment of Mrs Neshat...
As for Mr Leeden inviting what you term "various ethnic groups" and what I referred to as a meeting in which several seperatists (anti-Iranians) where present I must respectfully disagree.
The Kurdish member was speaking proudly of the Soviet-backed "Republic of Mahabad" under the leadership of the Kurdish terrorist leader Qazi Mohammad! This soviet-backed state was illegaly formed in 1946, at a time (WWII) when Iran was under foreign occupation! This Kurdish Members party, "PDKI", even commemorates the anniversary of this black date in our history! Thanks to the leadership of the late Shah of Iran and the Imperial Armed Forces this anti-Iranian movement was crushed and its leaders tried. The seperatists where defeated and Iranian soil/territory was reclaimed. It's also noteworthy to state here that this Soviet-backed state was NOT supported by a majority of Iranian Kurds but had a very limited backing.
The AEI, in regards to the participants in this panel claim that: "these individuals all consider themselves Iranians, and they are all working for a free Iran". Now that's a hard one to swallow! Yes there where dedicated IRANIANS there (2 out of the 5 in the panel) who are working for a free Iran and who genuinely love Iran, but this Kurdish participant, nor the group he represents, seem to fit that profile! This groups' goal doesn't seem to be the preserving of the territorial integrity of Iran but more so to carve Iran up! Again No IRANIAN would weep over the destruction of the terrorist soviet-backed self-proclaimed "Republic of Mahabad". Despite this, after tearfully recollecting the destruction of this "Republic" this individual goes on to say that he wants a "federal system of government in a united and integral Iran". Would this "federal system" he envisions include something like the soviet-backed Mahabad Republic of 1946?! If not what was the purpose of even having that part in his speech or better yet his organization holding commemorations on that illegal Republic!
Moving on, the self-proclaimed Azeri representative (anything but!), a particularly repulsive individual who is well known for his anti-Iranian and anti-Persian views and the filthy language he uses when talking of Persians. He comes to the podium and states that for 7000 years TURKS have been living in Tabriz! It can't get more ludicrous than that! Chester-jaan, if your blood does not start boiling when listening to these people I don't know what will! How can the representative of the Iranian Azeri's be a Pan-Turanist/Pan-Turkish lying bastard!? Is this yet another individual the AEI labels as commited to the integrity of Iran? He goes on and labels Iranian Azerbaijan for "South Azerbaijan"! What a great Iranian Nationalist - either he must be such an ardent nationalist that he considers "northern" Azerbaijan or the Republic of Azerbaijan as Iranian territory as well or the more likely version that he believes his self-proclaimed "South Azerbaijan" belongs to the (TURKISH) Republic of Azerbaijan! He goes on and says that Persians are a minority despite the 50%+ population figure (CIA Factbook) and states that "Azeri TURKS" (!) are the actual majority! First of all Iranian Azeri's are not Turks - I having Azeri's in my family sure as hell am no Turk and am fully aware of my roots! Further into his disgusting speech this repulsing character even forgets his made-up term of "Azeri Turks" and just says Turks! In his concluding remarks he comes out and condemns what he terms the "Persian Opposition groups" and puts them on the same level as the terrorist IRI! Thankfully a member of the audience made it clear that this individual does not represent Iranian Azeri's and that he has no right to speak on their behalf.
Lastly the representative of the Arabs comes to speak. This guy also claims the 50%+ persian figure is false and that it is much less. Probably this guy thinks that Arabs are the majority in Iran - it wouldn't suprise me after that lunatic TURK's comments!! Since when do Turks come and represent Iranian Azeri's?! Into his speech he (the Arab representative) states "you the Iranians are immigrants to this land, we the Arabs have been here before you" - well I guess this is a great example of an "Iranian" Arab don't you think!?
Then this Arab states that "the British-enginereed Reza Shah terminated the regime of Sheikh Khazal". Here we go again. Well firstly this idiot doesn't know that Reza Shah had great distrust in the British, was quite pro-German in fact, and was ultimately FORCED into exile by the Brits! Secondly if he is an Iranian concerned about the territorial integrity of Iran which the AEI stated that these individuals where, he wouldn't be crying about the crushing of that Arab terrorists state nor his execution! He also lies about the former Education Minister, Dr Ganji (who is present at the conference and who objects to this individual's comments on him in the Q & A session).
It was a total mess. A disgrace for these anti-Iranians to be given a platform. And which as you have pointed out led to many Iranians being disheartened by the actions of the AEI and Mr Leeden who they strongly supported previously. I being one of them.
Lastly, yes I had written "the previous sec. of state" but it was the deputy sec. of state which I was referring to Richard Armitage. My point still stands though irregardless.
Sorry for the long reply but that AEI conference really pissed me off as I had to watch it again in order to give commentary on it - I hope it will be the last time i'll watch that disgraceful conference ever again. You can find a link to it here:
http://www.aei.org/events/filter.,eventID.1166/summary.asp
Over and out.
I'm glad you did more research on Dankof.
I think the AEI discussion panel did not turn out as Ledeen had wanted. I understand you were upset by it.
He was only interested in it being an educational forum on the various Iranian ethnicities. Maybe he was naive about it. But there was no ulterior motive or maliciousness meant.
The point is, his intentions were good, and still are. He's always been a friend and supporter of Iranians' freedom and democracy. He's done a lot to bring the plight and suffering of Iranians into the public's eye and mind and to promote the democracy movement and regime change.
I don't think he deserved the harsh words and treatment he received from people he has genuinely been trying to help for years.
That's my last word on it.
To rap this discussion up, there were plenty of warnings to Mr Leeden about the background of these seperatist participants which brought shame to Iran and grossly misrepresented Iranian Kurds, Azeri's, and even Arabs! For this reason, I like many other Iranians were extremely upset by Mr Leeden's not heeding our calls - however (and now i'm only speaking for myself) although I won't have the same amount of trust in the AEI and Mr Leeden as I had previously I will still support, as stated before, anyone I see who can be used in a positive way for the success in our cause to liberate Iran from these terrorist Islamists.
Post a Comment