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Funding Democracy or war?
24-Dec-2007
The ‘Iran Democracy Fund’ was recently warded $60 million. There seems to be neither rhyme nor reason to this re-appropriation, especially since more than two dozen Iranian American and human rights groups appealed to Congress to eliminate the program given that the program had backfired, undermining democracy efforts in Iran and leading to wider repression of activists. It therefore begs the question why the United States would deliberately waste tax payers’ money while causing hardship on aspiring democrats in Iran?
Perhaps the answer lies in the lead up to the Iraq invasion.
Post 9/11, Mr. Bush’s core agenda was Iraq, but for this he needed the American people on board. Their reluctance to go to war had to be overcome. To this end, it was necessary to promote a policy that was altruistic. The American public were made to believe that war was necessary to defeat evil.
The Iraq agenda was so important to the Bush administration that the White House had even formed “an interagency” ‘Iraq Public Diplomacy group’ comprised of NSC, CIA, Pentagon, State and USAID staffers.” The Iraq Public Diplomacy Group created the ‘Iraqi Voices for Freedom’ - voices which spoke of Saddam’s brutality and torture, while they made themselves available for interviews, especially to foreign press (non-American). In addition to this, a public relations firm, the Rendon Group, helped create the Iraqi National Congress (INC) in order to promote ‘the democratic voice of Iraq’. This firm helped President Bush sell the war to the public by linking Iraq to al-Qaeda and presenting Saddam Hossein as an imminent threat. They repeatedly linked Saddam and the shocking pictures of the Twin Towers with Saddam Hossein, where there was no link,; but this was accomplished by sheer repetition. False allegations of his capability to launch WMD in 45 minutes was imbedded in the minds of the masses by showing video clips of 1988 chemical attack on the Kurds of Halabja in an attempt to convince people that an attack against Saddam was to defeat evil.
What is more telling is that concurrent with the INC, a Committee for the Liberation of Iraq (CLI) was formed by a group which called itself ‘distinguished Americans who wanted to free Iraq from Saddam Hossein’s rule’. The distinguished members of CLI had close links to the Project for the New American Century and the American Enterprise Institute, a think tank that shaped the Bush foreign policy (CLI members were involved with Committee for Peace and Security in the Gulf (CPSG) prior to Operation Desert Storm . Let us be reminded that the idea of “babies thrown from incubators" story of Gulf War I, was the creation of a P.R. firm; Hill & Knowlton – which was of course false).
The CLI does indeed have many distinguished members; Richard Perle, Bernard Lewis, William Kristol, Randy Scheunemann, Newt Gringrich, John MacCain, James Woolsey, and the list goes on, but not to be left out, former secretary of state, George P. Schultz. Prior to the Iraq invasion, Shultz was Bechtel's senior counsel and director . Fiercely pro-war group with close ties to the White House, he made it clear that the ouster of Saddam's regime was not enough, and that it was necessary 'to work beyond the liberation of Iraq to the reconstruction of its economy." Shultz not only used his political influence to help bring this war about, “but key Bechtel board members with advisory positions to the Bush Administration, helped ensure that Bechtel would receive one of the most lucrative contracts for rebuilding what they had helped to destroy”
It was not the first time that Bechtel had been given a lucrative contract in Iraq. According to the Haaretz, Hanan Bar-On, the former deputy director-general of the Foreign Ministry, confirmed that during the mid 1980s, Israel was involved in talks on a plan for an Iraq-Jordanian pipeline to the Red Sea port of Aqaba. Among the participants in these talks was Donald Rumsfeld, then an adviser to U.S. president Reagan ( and at the time of the Iraq invasion two, secretary of defense). The American corporation Bechtel was slated to build the pipeline . These talks were taking place as Saddam Hossein was dropping chemicals on his own people and his neighbors, the Iranians. In 1985, the deal was called off as Hossein had concerns about the safety of the pipeline going through Israel.
The question to ask is why did Congress approve the Iran Democracy Bill when it means more crack down on the pro-democracy movement?
The devious NIE report is intended to link Iran with a WMD program. The message is to make the masses believe Iran has deviated from the civilian program and that it is a threat to world peace. With the funding, the U.S. government is deliberately sending the Iranian government into a fit of paranoia believing that it has every intention of undermining it – which of course it does. The natural reaction of the Iranian government is to ensure it foils the American plans – as such, it curbs liberties at home even more. America successfully aborts the aspirations of democrats – once again.
As Brian Eno argues, American P.R. companies who have already "preconditioned the emotional landscape," will indulge in "large-scale manipulation of language," and help to "create an atmosphere of simmering panic where American imperialism would come to seem not only acceptable but right, obvious, inevitable and even somehow kind" Mr. Bush’s plan, along with those who have managed to hold U.S. foreign policy and the interest of United States hostage, to attack Iran.
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Dear Soraya thank you as always
by Ari (not verified) on Mon Dec 24, 2007 06:01 PM PSTDear Soraya:
Thank you for your compassion for your constant reminder and relentless efforts in bringing awareness to the peace loving Iranian and American people of the hypocrisy of this Administration. This White House and their proponents know very well that
such so called b.s. "democracy funding" is only intended to cause further crackdown of the civil liberties of the Iranian people. They do not care about the Iranian people, nor do they care about promoting democracy, or liberty for anyone, including the American people. In fact as one commentator indicated they should restore the rights of the citizens of this country which they have stolen.
This funding has only one aim, to strangle the Iranian people, as they have already done with their economic sanctions to the point of mass uprising in the hopes of bringing down the regime, and replace it with a puppet regime of their choosing.
The U.S. has never brought democracy and freedom to any country, let alone Iran. In fact our history demonstrates how U.S. interference in the affairs of Iran have proven to only serve the U.S. and a tiny top echelon of Iran.
I hope the Iranian people have read their history and are aware of these dubious, lies and propaganda.
Iran is still not out of danger and in fact the NIE report just raised the bar. This Administration cannot be trusted. I can't wait until they are all out of office.
May peace prevail.
To Soraya: What is YOUR solution?
by aaj sr (not verified) on Mon Dec 24, 2007 02:29 PM PSTMajority of readers in this site are very familiar with most of your notes and content of your previous articles. I believe majority of Iranian are absolutely against war, I also believe that true democracy is not an "exporting material" and that must come, blossomed from within.
As you know very well, the Iranian media particularly TV and Radio is 100% regime's propagandas machine. Internet's speed is reduced for obvious reasons, thousands of sites are filtered, over 70 newspapers/blogs shut down during and many writers, activist are jailed during last two years, students are suffocated, satellite dishes are destroyed, and 25 internet-coffee shop were closed down just last week. (that may explain why we need voices from outside, including your responsible writings)
I have never read not even once that you come up with some sort of solution and or condemning the regime for their numerous atrocities and their barbaric act against humanity.
Make it short: Constant nagging against West is fine and appreciated, as long as the rights of Iranian people are spelled out for the sake of prosperity and democracy for Iranian people, and YOU MUST accept and bear responsibility as a responsible writer.
ISREAL: The Enemy for both Americans and Iranians
by Koskhol (not verified) on Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:48 AM PST.
Gilani, you should just read
by Anonymous^2 (not verified) on Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:47 AM PSTGilani, you should just read and enjoy the kind of garbage such as that under the title "MILK" for which you have indicated a great deal of pleasure of reading. Serious subjects such as this one is too much for you to comprehend.
triangular hexagon
by Fred (not verified) on Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:35 AM PSTTalking about the blossoming of indigenous Democracy under the stewardship of the Islamist Republic is akin to talking about a triangular hexagon. Of all people, excluding Islamist lobby CASMII and NIAC, women of Iran should know this.
whatever. i do not want 50
by Anonymous_Flowers (not verified) on Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:18 AM PSTwhatever. i do not want 50 more years of this godless regime.
peace is a great goal but to be John Wayne is not
by Arash2008 (not verified) on Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:16 AM PSTMrs. Soraya,
You may want to submit some of your writings for peace to:
//www.usfca.edu/peacereview/guidelines.htm
Also they accept and publish book reviews.
Dear Rosie
by DT (not verified) on Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:15 AM PSTI have tremendous respect for reasonable voices such as yours, Soraya's, and a few others on this site. However, can't stand nonsense and annoying noises which come from many who think of themselves as intellectuals and saviors of Iran. I hope that you're right and the majority of level-minded readers are silent. But silence at this critical time, that Soraya tries to warn us, won't help in the long run. There is still a possibility of another invasion, another savage bombardment, and another horrendous loss of innocent lives. I wish the majority "silents" had voiced their concerns now and not tomorrow which might be too late.
Iran Democracy by Iranians Only
by Nazy Kaviani on Mon Dec 24, 2007 10:46 AM PSTThank you for your analysis. I think anyone who follows the news and events in Iran knows that US' naming and appropriation of funds to Iran Democracy Fund have caused a major, irreparable setback to Iranian activists' efforts to bring democracy to Iran, the only way democracy can be brought to a nation. I also agree that the NIE report was written in an insidious way, leaving the door open for further speculation and action on Iran. Those celebrating the NIE report in Iran and abroad show signs of naivete in my opinion. I think the money for Iran Democracy Fund should be re-appropriated to estalish a US Democracy Fund, in which civil liberties withdrawn and changed in this country over the past few years can be restored.
Dear DT
by Rosie T. on Mon Dec 24, 2007 09:54 AM PSTplease do not be so pessimistic about the response to these (or any writings) on this forum. I myself have been assured that there are many many readers who do not post routinely but who READ and THINK and CARE and CONSIDER carefully what they read. Have faith in them. They are READERS. They're not writers and they're not bloggers and they're not THREADERS, not commenters. But they're readers. And they read and think. A lot of the real discourse is happening on this website in ways that are not immediately visible to the naked eye, , But it happens. Be patient. Yavaash, yavaash...
Great analysis!
by DT (not verified) on Mon Dec 24, 2007 09:31 AM PSTWish you could publish your articles in the major US media so the truth about the current US-Iranian affairs could be heard by a wider audience. Here in the Iranian.com, your voice will find its way mostly in deaf ears. In fact, you will create enemies for yourself among those who wish their country bombed and invaded by the US.
Thank you, and please don't stop writing!
Really!
by Gilani (not verified) on Mon Dec 24, 2007 08:47 AM PST“The question to ask is why did Congress approve the Iran Democracy Bill when it means more crack down on the pro-democracy movement?”
Boro gomsho ashghal, The crackdown of pro-democracy movement is in the nature of dirty Islamists in Iran and started when the mullahs came to power. It has nothing to do with congress appropriation of money.
“The devious NIE report”
You are more afraid than Mullahs about the future of Islamic Republic. Even, the hard-line elements of Islamic regime were happy with the report as the language of the report was either impartial or favored IR position.
I am still wondering why you have so many phone numbers registered under your name in California!