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Hizballah Chalks up Protests in Iran to Western Meddling

Posted: 06/27/09 01:02 PM ET

I thought Naim Qassem's comments on "Western and American involvement in Iran" were especially despicable.

Qassem said:

The extent of Western and American involvement in Iran's internal affairs is now clear. What is going on in Iran is not a simple protest against the results of the presidential election, There are riots and attacks in the streets that are orchestrated from the outside in a bid to destabilise the country's Islamic regime.

This is an affront to all the Iranians who are bravely protesting, getting viciously beaten in the streets by Basji militia and in many cases killed. Despite the entreaties of the likes of Paul Wolfowitz, Obama has shown remarkable forethought and restraint in not getting involved, even verbally in the events in Iran. There is nothing to indicate that anyone but Iranians endeavoring to have their political voices heard are behind these protests. With his remarks, Hizballah's deputy leader cheapens the words and blood of all the valiant Iranians who have taken to the streets to voice their displeasure with the recent "election."

Before the election many in the western press were crowing about the democratic process going on in Iran in the form of political debates, ignoring the fact that the debaters were hand picked by the religious and security establishment. Likewise, there a smattering of "academics" and "journalists" who like to talk about Hizballah's democratic credentials, ignroing the fact that last year their response to some unfavorable parliamentary decisions was to start killing people.

I hope that Iranians, particulary those courageously protesting in the streets, have a chance to read Naim Qassems remarks.

 
 
 
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07:15 PM on 06/28/2009
Reality check. The US doesn't even have an embassy in IRI and is supposedly responsible for 100,000's risking their lives by remote control? Add that it's hostile terrain and say what you will about IRI, its policing system is robust. The reform movement came from neither CIA test tubes nor from a spaceship. Why do people think Iranians are so backwards that they can't struggle for freedom by their own aspirations? If anything this revolt is long overdue. It's time for the left and progressives to offer solidarity with those threatening and exposing the theocracy. Why would anyone defend the reactionary IRI?
06:19 PM on 06/27/2009
The neocon Foundation for Democracy in Iran, which according to its website "is a private, non-profit organization established in 1995 with grants from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), to promote democracy and internationally-recognized standards of human rights in Iran," has admitted on its site that there has been interference by the US government and pro-US NGOs in Iran:

"As we've been saying all along, despite the popular enthusiasm for the elections, the State Department money and training being pumped into the "green revolution," it won't be the people who vote who count, but the people who count the votes.

"According to Saeed Behbehani of MihanTV, a U.S. government emissary met in Dubai two weeks ago with Mehdi Khazali, campaign manager for Mir Hossein Mousavi, bringing assurances of U.S. government support for his campaign. So far, organizations such as "One Million Signatures" inside Iran, which is funded through NGO's getting State Department fnding, have been mobilized in favor of Mousavi in the election. For 30 years, Iranian women have been knocking their heads on the doors of Western "feminist" organizations, seeking - if not help, at least sympathy. Until now, they have been given the brush-off. But with a "reformist" in the White House, "reformists" in Iran have access s to campaign war chests, VOA Persian Service, National Endowment for Democracy grants, and more"

http://www.iran.org/
02:27 PM on 06/27/2009
Puhlease!

When US taxpayers are no longer funding the at least 3 groups currently launching attacks in Iran...

... then, such offenses to your sensibilities might be understandable.


The claims of US meddling aren't invented out of the thin air, and the unintended consequences of our actions include the ability of those in power in Iran to make such statements to stay in power.

With our governemnt funding violent groups, it's hardly a stretch to think we're also funding rioters.
Known US policy is far worse than what is being denied.