Growing Concern about War and Sanctions

NIAC members make their concerns clear

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Growing Concern about War and Sanctions
by Nobar Elmi
18-Oct-2012
 

Over the last decade, the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) has been steadily growing in size, strength and political influence.  With approximately 4,000 dues-paying members and 43,000 supporters who subscribe to our emails and attend our events, NIAC is the largest Iranian-American grassroots organization. I'd like to emphasize the word "grassroots." Why? Well, because this word means a lot to me personally and to the organization as a whole.

To put it simply, NIAC could not exist without the support and guidance of our grassroots membership. Not only do they write and/or call in to regularly offer feedback and suggestions, but their financial support provides approximately 70% of our operating budget. 

Perhaps what is most valuable is our members' role in shaping our agenda on an annual basis. They do this by participating in our members-only survey.  The results help us determine how best to focus our efforts and resources as well as how to prioritize our policy positions.  And, the results of this year's survey are clear. 

Concern about war with Iran has only intensified since our last member survey, and our members overwhelmingly chose to keep preventing war as NIAC’s top priority.  Concern about sanctions aimed at the entire Iranian population has also grown, with the issue rising to the second priority.  NIAC members made supporting human rights in Iran, supporting the civil rights of Iranian Americans, and promoting Iranian cultural heritage the third, fourth, and fifth priorities, respectively. 

Here’s more on the issues:

Preventing War: NIAC members emphatically selected preventing war and promoting a peaceful solution to the US-Iran conflict NIAC’s top priority.  74% made it their top priority, and 15% made it their second highest priority. Asked to rank their priorities 1 through 5, preventing war averaged 1.4, with 1.0 being the highest possible number.

Opposing Broad Economic Sanctions: NIAC members made opposing broad economic sanctions that hurt the Iranian people their second priority, with an average rank of 2.5. 86% of NIAC members “oppose sanctions aimed at Iran’s entire economy,” while only 7% disagreed with this position.

Supporting Human Rights: Supporting human rights in Iran was ranked as the third highest priority with an average ranking of 2.9.  A strong majority further supported targeted sanctions against human rights abusers in the Iranian government, and NIAC will continue to support targeted human rights sanctions.

Supporting Civil Rights of Iranian Americans: Supporting the civil rights of Iranian Americans was selected as the fourth highest priority, just behind human rights in Iran, with an average ranking of 3.1. 

Protecting Heritage: NIAC members ranked protecting Iranian cultural heritage, such as the Persepolis Tablets, as NIAC’s fifth priority for the year ahead. The issue ranked 3.8.

437 dues-paying members participated in this year’s survey, making it larger than the sample sizes of other surveys done of our community at-large.  Although not a scientific survey of the entire community (as the survey measures the views of our active members), past NIAC member surveys have corresponded with the results of scientific community-wide surveys.

Based on the results below, the year ahead promises to be busy and, at times, difficult.  But, by unifying as a community to take action and be heard, no hurdle is too high. We all know there is power in numbers, so we look forward to working together to accomplish our goals and increase our community’s political influence.

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more from Nobar Elmi
 
nozarmahallati

Mossadegh one of the greatest leaders?

by nozarmahallati on

LOL

He may have been a decent nationalist.  But he wasn't very smart.


Soosan Khanoom

Dear Imam Zaman,

by Soosan Khanoom on

Mr. Kazemzadeh has never hidden his support for MEK or the fact that he is a sympathizer towards the group. This also happens to be the latest U.S policy towards Iran. In future, there will be no trace of any other political groups.   The freedom fighters would only be the JM and MEK. Same old story; the same revolutionary voices in the late 70s minus the Ayatollahs and the lefties. First revolution, it was a take over by the Ayatollahs and Toodeh and now it is going to be a take over by JM and MEK; like there is no other way to achieve democracy in Iran.

Actually that is what the new movie " Argo" is all based on.   If you have seen it and if you have truly paid attention you know what I am talking about. The movie starts with a support towards JM and it ends with a woman with red scarf ( being mentioned as a friend to both Canada and U.S ) entering Iraq ( a sort of camp ashraf settings ).    

Now why is it? I am not sure.  I personally can not mix, Dr. Mossadag, one of the greatest leader in the Iranian history, with morons such as Rajavi but then this is American induced uprising ... so what can one conclude but to say,

" Only In America "   

: )  


Imam-e Zaman

Mr. Kazemzadeh

by Imam-e Zaman on

Dear Mr. Kazemzadeh,Regarding your diatribe on NIAC’s article I have a few questions for you.Quoting you: NIAC claims "....past NIAC member surveys have corresponded with the results of scientific community-wide surveys." This is vague and misleading. For example, the PAAIA poll of Iranian-Americans, found that 57% of Iranian-Americans supported American military action against the terrorist regime if the regime mass murdered the Iranian people and only 26% opposed U.S. military strikes under any circumstance. //www.payvand.com/news/12/mar/1269.html "When asked under what circumstances they are most likely to support a U.S. military strike against Iran, a majority of fifty seven percent (57%) of Iranian Americans indicated that they would support military action if the Iranian government were to commit mass murder of its civilian populations. In contrast, only twenty six percent (26%) of Iranian Americans would not support U.S. military strikes against Iran under any circumstances."  You seem to cast doubt on the results of the NIAC survey of its own members and their claim that the result obtained from their smaller sample can be extended to the larger population of Iranian Americans. To be more specific, you imply that it may not be true that about 74% of Iranian Americans oppose an attack on their country of birth. There is nothing wrong with being skeptic. However what you employ as your evidence (The PAAIA poll) is totally irrelevant. First of all I wouldn’t be surprised if the PAAIA statistic were, say 70% or 80% instead of only 57%. The question on which this statistic was obtained was a qualified statement in PAAIA’s questionnaire. You work in social sciences and you know very well that you can get totally different answers to slightly different questions. In short what you have presented as your evidence does not correspond to the NIAC’s finding. Again nothing wrong with being skeptic, but for someone who works in social sciences this kind of twisted argument is not expected. Imagine you try to publish a research employing this sort of argument. 9. The best way (and perhaps the only way) to prevent war is to get rid of the war mongers who rule Iran. As I have already argues, we have two real options: war or revolution. Those who have not helped the opposition to get rid of the vf regime, have increased the likelihood of war. Those who have helped the vf regime have increased the likelihood of war. //iranian.com/main/blog/masoud-kazemzadeh/war-or-revolution-only-2-actual-options  You correctly characterize the IRI as a terrorist regime. You recommend helping the opposition. But which opposition? I hope you don’t mean MKO (or as you reverently call PMOI). You missives show the depth of your feelings about the IRI and those that you perceive as its direct or indirect supporters. This is understandable. However it weakens the effectiveness what you try to convey. (For instance, you hate NIAC and its members)BTW, what do you think about the Israeli lobby? What do you think about the MKO and the Israeli support for it, or its support of separatists? Being a Middle East expert you probably know more than all of us combined. Can you enlighten us please?Thanks  


vildemose

 Thank you dear MK for

by vildemose on

 Thank you dear MK for yet again having the patience to deal with the lies of NIAC groupies. They are absolutely shameless. I partly blame our own Iranian community to have let this entity to exploit and trample all over us with lies and deception. There is nothing wrong to be anti-war. But NIAC's anti-war stance is nothing but sham to prolong IRI's and Reformers's reign of terror.

 

 

All Oppression Creates a State of War--Simone De Beauvoir


Peril

Re:Masoud Kazemzadeh

by Peril on

استاد گرانقدر، دکتر مسعود کاظم‌زاده؛ از تصحیح شما سپاسگزارم، عذری بر
تساهل خویش ندارم. امیدوارم که قادر باشم زمینه تشکیک ذهنی‌ شما و دیگر
هموطنان نیکو سیرت را به تدریج برطرف کنم. روحیه بد‌بینی‌ و سؤ ظن  در
خارج که از عواقب شوم حکومت کثیف و جنایتکار آخوندی در داخل است را کاملا
درک می‌کنم. به امید پیروزی.


Mohammad Alireza

Email address hissy fit...

by Mohammad Alireza on

get over it.


rrrezz

!رئیس جمهور منتخب 63 درصدی ، خانم مریم رجوی

rrrezz


 !رئیس جمهور منتخب 63 درصدی ، خانم مریم رجوی

حزب فقط حزب علی، رئیس جمهور مادام العمر یکی خانم رجوی! 

 

 


Masoud Kazemzadeh

Dear Mehrban on the fishy "Peril"

by Masoud Kazemzadeh on

Mehrban jaan,

I agree with Divaneh. "Peril" is fishy and is NOT a supporter of the PMOI. Peril is trying to divert the attacks from the NIAC to the PMOI.

Peril repeatedly called "Shoray Melli Moghavemat Iran" "Nehzat Moghavmat Iran" and "Nehzat Moghavemat Melli."

The group that now the PMOI leads is called Shoray Melli Moghavemat Iran.

//www.iranncr.org/

The "Nehzat Moghavemat Melli" was first started after the coup by JM people, and then after 1979, Dr. Bakhtiari’s group NAMIR is called "Nehzat Moghavemat Melli Iran."

//www.namir.info/

 

If someone does not know the difference between Shoray (Council) and Nehzat (Movement), one could be certain that he or she is NOT a supporter of the PMOI. The PMOI is a highly disciplined group, and its supporters KNOW the name of their group, and would NOT confuse it with the name of Dr. Bakhtiar’s group.

 

In my opinion, "Peril" is either a supporter of NIAC, or an agent of the IRI’s Ministry of Intelligence, or a supporter of the IRI.

Best,

Masoud

 

 


Masoud Kazemzadeh

Binder Full of Lies and Distortions (and Losers)

by Masoud Kazemzadeh on

Binder Full of Lies and Distortions (and Losers)

1. First and foremost, I am so proud of the overwhelming majority of our commentators, who have exposed the lies in the NIAC report.

2. And thanks to Faramarz for the title. :-)

3. It is not surprising that NIAC distorts and lies. It is surprising that the NIACis are soooooooo obtuse that they think that others are soooooooooo stupid to fall for their lies.

As so many have already pointed out, the following NIAC’s statement is absolutely false and an absolute LIE. "... 43,000 supporters who subscribe to our emails and attend our events, NIAC is the largest Iranian-American grassroots organization."

 

I am a member of NIAC’s email list. And I totally oppose and despise NIAC. Somehow NIAC has gotten hold of my email without my permission and they keep sending me their garbage. My guess is that NIAC got my email from the Iranian.com. Only liars and charlatans would claim that the members in a mailing list that they got (purchased or free) from another source, constitute their "SUPPORTERS."

4. Moreover, NIAC claims that they have approximately 4,000 members. According to Mr. Hassan Dai’s observations of the NIAC documents released to him during the court proceedings, NIAC has about 600 current dues paying members. Reportedly, Trita Parsi had claimed on his cv that NIAC had 10,000 members.

//iranian.com/main/blog/masoud-kazemzadeh/how-many-actual-members-i-e-current-members-does-niac-have

5. NIAC claims "....past NIAC member surveys have corresponded with the results of scientific community-wide surveys."

This is vague and misleading. For example, the PAAIA poll of Iranian-Americans, found that 57% of Iranian-Americans supported American military action against the terrorist regime if the regime mass murdered the Iranian people and only 26% opposed U.S. military strikes under any circumstance.

 

//www.payvand.com/news/12/mar/1269.html

"When asked under what circumstances they are most likely to support a U.S. military strike against Iran, a majority of fifty seven percent (57%) of Iranian Americans indicated that they would support military action if the Iranian government were to commit mass murder of its civilian populations. In contrast, only twenty six percent (26%) of Iranian Americans would not support U.S. military strikes against Iran under any circumstances."

 

 

6. NIACis are a bunch of losers.

6.1. NIAC LOST the court case against Hassan Dai. And as bizarre as it is, NIAC claimed partial victory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

//jebhemelli.net/htdocs/Views/2012/kazemzadehM_Lawsuit.html

6.2. NIAC LOST in their campaign of keeping the PMOI on the State Department FTO list.

6.3. Thanks to the wonderful people of Canada, and the fantastic decision by the Canadian government, they closed their embassy in Tehran and kicked out the terrorist-diplomats of the terrorist regime from Canada. This is a huge defeat for the terrorist regime. This is also a huge defeat for the policy of NIAC in promoting engagement and good relations between the various governments around the world and the terrorist regime.

6.4. Thanks to the U.S. Congress, there are real sanctions on the terrorist regime’s central bank, and other countries that would buy oil from the terrorist regime. This is a huge defeat of NIAC. This is a huge defeat for the terrorist regime.

6.5. Thanks to the EU sanctions, there are real sanctions on the terrorist regime’s oil since July 2012. This is a huge defeat for the terrorist regime. This is also a huge defeat for NIAC’s policy of opposing real sanctions on oil and promoting business deals with the terrorist regime.

7. What is most significant and most revealing about the NIAC survey of its own members, is that NIAC officials did NOT even put on the survey the policy option of changing the terrorist regime to democracy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This shows that getting rid of the terrorist regime and helping establish democracy in Iran is NOT on the agenda of NIAC.

8. And this is precisely the DIFFERENCE between the rest of us and NIAC. We want to change the vf regime to democracy. We want to send the terrorist regime to the garbage can of history. And in this struggle between Iranian democrats and the terrorist regime, NIAC is NOT on our side.

9. The best way (and perhaps the only way) to prevent war is to get rid of the war mongers who rule Iran. As I have already argues, we have two real options: war or revolution. Those who have not helped the opposition to get rid of the vf regime, have increased the likelihood of war. Those who have helped the vf regime have increased the likelihood of war.

//iranian.com/main/blog/masoud-kazemzadeh/war-or-revolution-only-2-actual-options

 

My 2 cents (which might soon be several thousand rials as the free fall continues),

Masoud

 


Roozbeh_Gilani

Warmongering of a pie in the cyber space!

by Roozbeh_Gilani on

NIAC, this pathetic gang of mercenaries who so patheticaly present this "pie chart", claimed to be based on the opinions of their "thousands of cyber supporters!!!!", have done huge damage to the true cause of anti war, anti military attack on Iran, by first Hijacking it on behalf of the fascist , warmongering islamist regime and then utterly discrediting it by association. 

Shame on all mercenaries of islamist regime 

 


Imam-e Zaman

Kudos To NIAC

by Imam-e Zaman on

The NIAC report was compiled by a survey of their members (not non-members or those who are only of the e-mail list) and as such represents the opinion of a cross section of Iranian Americans.  74% voted against war and for support of a peaceful resolution.  It won’t be surprising if it reflects the majority opinion. After all who is insane enough to wish his country of birth to be attacked with all its terrible consequences even if that country is run by a bunch of lunatics?

 

If this is the majority opinion, which is quite plausible, then the loud voices of the nay-sayers here   is just a reflection of the opinions of a fringe group. Some of these groups (Israel supporters, some MKO supporters, some separatists, etc.) have clear agendas for being so vociferous in support of war which will directly hurt the Iranian people. Other than the above-mentioned if someone else is for war, it is out of pure ignorance.  True, the IRI is evil and its leaders are criminals.  But that is no comparison with the evils of war that the policies that these fringe groups advocate will result in, which may lead to fragmentation and the end of Iran as we know it. Déjà vu.  We have seen it in Iraq and Syria.

 


masoudA

I agree with Divaneh

by masoudA on

I also Think Brian Appleton is just as dubious as Peril.    True - Iranian opposition is far far from whre we like it to be - but when it comes to NIAC or MKO we are all pretty much on the same page and in agreement.......what scraes Brians of the world is not that they could not fool us - what scares them is that we will wake up others who had been fooled!!!   especially Americans who have in the past bought the BS.   I hope I am wrong about Brian......but I am sure Divaneh is correct about Peril........the two posts just seemed orchestrated to me.....especially in a thread whre just about all os us say the same thing. 


Faramarz

Johnny Appleseed

by Faramarz on

 

 

Please spare us the lecture.

We have been through the drill and know all about these Swedish Carpetbaggers!


Peril

@mehravan

by Peril on

ما به اتحاد و حمایت فرزندان مبارز ایرانزمین، خواهران و برادران آزدیخواه،
به وجدان بیدار انسانهای شرافتمند در مجامع بین‌المللی پشتگرم هستیم. ما
به خوبی‌ با دسایس دشمن آشنایی داریم. ما به رهبری رئیس جمهور منتخب، خانم
مریم رجوی میبالیم و در باره آن با هیچکس و هیچ گروهکی مذاکره و مماشات
نمی‌کنیم. مرگ بر رژیم تروریستی ولایت فقیه و حامیان رنگارنگ و پنهان و
آشکار آن.


Mehrban

Thank you Divaneh jaan

by Mehrban on

For the heads up.


iraj khan

Brian Appleton,

by iraj khan on

wonderful take on the subject, thanks.


divaneh

فکر نمی کنم که مجاهد باشد مهربان جان

divaneh


بنده فکر می کنم که ایشان خودش را مجاهد جا زده تا همانگونه که شما فرمودید آب را گل آلود کند. به نظر از همین نیاکی ها و نوچه های رژیم است.


Mehrban

خودت می‌بری و خودت میدوزی.

Mehrban


  یک کاری نکن که از حمایتم از در آمدن گروه مجاهدین از لیست سیاه پشیمان شوم.  مریم رجوی ممکن است که رئیس دسته شما باشد ولی‌ پرزیدنت ایران نیست. زور و شعار هم این طرفها زیاد خریدار ندارد.   


Mehrban

Delete pls

by Mehrban on

    Double post


Peril

Re:mehraban

by Peril on

گنجینه سرشار و افتخار آمیز مبارزات سازمان مجاهدین خلق ایران از بدو تاسیس
تا کنون بی‌ نیاز از انچیزیست که شما از آن به نام ماهی‌ از آب گًل‌آلود
گرفتن یاد می‌کنید. مردم ایران یکصدا و یکپارچه با اهداف و خط مشی نهضت
مقاومت ایران و رئیس جمهور منتخب، خانم مریم رجوی همراهی خواهند کرد. نهضت
مقامات ملی‌ تنها آلترناتیو موجود و به رسمیت‌شناخته شده در سطح بین‌المللی
است که توانایی‌ رهبری، و همگامی با ملت را در سرنگونی رژیم تروریستی
دارد. مرگ بر رژیم تروریستی ولایت فقیه. مرگ بر حامیان رژیم آخوندی.زنده
باد رئیس جمهور رجوی.


Brian Appleton

No consensus among the diaspora

by Brian Appleton on

what I gather from the majority of your comments is that the Iranian diaspora is its own worst enemy. No agreement, no unity, no strength and any organization like NIAC which is attempting to give Iranian Americans a political voice and make the US government more aware of the results of their policies on Iran is ruthlessly attacked. The jewish Americans and the Israelis are certainly over represented in both houses of Congress why shouldn't Iranian Americans have more representation? It is all well and good to say that the only remedy for the IRI is to overthrow that regime but how is this accomplished without returning Iran to a vassal client state of the USA with another puppet in charge and no national and cultural sovereignty? There were reasons that there was a revolution and no matter how bad this regime is, they will always have a mandate as long as Iran's national sovereignty is at stake. You all know full well that the nuclear program is another WMD propaganda scheme intended to justify an invasion and recolonization of Iran and on the side of the IRI, the nuclear issue has become a point of national sovereignty whether they need a bomb or not or  whether they are even trying to make one or not is irrelevant, the sticking point is that they don't want to be dictated to by outsiders  especially since they are members of the non nuclear proliferation agreement. If US companies like GE and Bechtel had the contract to finish the reactor in Bushehr rather than the Russian Federation things would be different. No one is more moral than anyone else in international politics, they are all whores....and obviously if Iran had no oil or gas and only carpets and pistachios to export it wouldn't even make the daily news.

 

Brian H. Appleton

aka

Rasool Aryadust


Mehrban

از هر طرف که رفتم بر وحشتم بیفزود.

Mehrban


پریل جان، سر جدت حالا آب رو گل‌آلود نکن که ماهی‌ بگیری. هیچکس پرزیدنت ایران نیست مگر در یک انتخابات آزاد رای آورده باشد.  عجب گیری کرده ایم.   


divaneh

It seems like AN has compiled NIAC's statistics

by divaneh on

This statistic reminds me of Ahmadinejad's votes (of course not to forget his graph of economy). Don't bother Nobar, as you see we are not as stupid as you thought.


Peril

Down with terrorist akhoonds in Iran

by Peril on

Down with the terrorist regime in Tehran and all its supporters. Long live the Iranian resistance movement. Long live President Maryam Rajavi.


masoudA

In all fairness to JJ

by masoudA on

It is so great to read all your posts and see how the whole NIAC trick has failed in America......I knew of NIAC's full failure several years ago after I heared in an Official Congressional Hearing, after testifying how the Majority of Iranian/Americans THINK, mr. Parsi was asked: How do the rest think?!!!!!   Knowing Americans - that question was the dagger in NIAC operations.....

However, we must give JJ and IC and others like IC a lot of credit for creating the environment for us to dicuss NIAC and reach a conclusion.  


masoudA

In all fairness to JJ

by masoudA on

It is so great to read all your posts and see how the whole NIAC trick has failed in America......I knew of NIAC's full failure several years ago after I heared in an Official Congressional Hearing, after testifying how the Majority of Iranian/Americans THINK, mr. Parsi was asked: How do the rest think?!!!!!   Knowing Americans - that question was the dagger in NIAC operations.....

However, we must give JJ and IC and others like IC a lot of credit for creating the environment for us to dicuss NIAC and reach a conclusion.  


xalephbet

Thank you!

by xalephbet on

Keep up the great work!


Mehrdad A

The Pathetic 43000

by Mehrdad A on

Is there any NIAC supporter here at all? Anyone to support their cause? No wonder all they could gather to prevent "war" was a 100. LOL


vildemose

which US congressmen and

by vildemose on

which US congressmen and US Senators support NIAC?? does anyone know? 

 

All Oppression Creates a State of War--Simone De Beauvoir


vildemose

BTW, didn't terita joon

by vildemose on

BTW, didn't terita joon declare that there will be no war and netanyaboo is all hat and no cattle??

 //iranian.com/main/2012/oct/bibi-s-three-steps-forward-one-back

 

 

All Oppression Creates a State of War--Simone De Beauvoir


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