US spending millions to boost democracy in Iran

[ECH1969]

US public policy on Iran focuses on blocking it from building a nuclear bomb, but the State Department is also spending millions of dollars on grant programmes in the country in an effort to boost democracy.

“What we are aiming to achieve is trying to first of all support those inside of Iran who want for their own country greater freedom of expression, greater participation, greater rights for women, broader freedom of the press,” said Erica Barks-Ruggles of the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, which handles the grants.

Iranian officials have in the past reacted angrily to the grant programme, calling it a violation of the Algiers Accord between the two countries under which the United States agreed not to intervene in Iran’s internal affairs.

One Iran analyst, who asked not to be named, said some funds were used, for example, to provide democracy training for Iranians who traveled to countries such as Turkey and Romania.

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\01\22\story_22-1-2006_pg4_17

[ixion]

1. democracy training?

:wtf: :shrug:

[Kagemusha]

2. Boost democracy as long as the side we likes wins.

I hear of a lot of boosting democracy within Gaza and the West Bank. This used to be called bribery and subversion but, apparently we have nicer names for it now.

[jimshoes]

3. Are we using the same playbook

we used in Iraq? Sounds kinda familiar.

[VegasWolf]

4. Does "democracy training" = foisting civil war???? nt

[thebigidea]

5. in other words, we're paying for people to lie about Iran's scary weapons

like that "pro-democracy" group yammering about Iran's weapons test in march.

[ConcernedCanuk]

6. LIke the World needs more of Murikkkan "democracy"

.
.
.

Pre Gulf War 1 - Iraq was a prosperous stable country

Bush 1 and 2 fixed that

It is no longer prosperous OR stable

So what does that say about the benefits of democracy over dictatorship??

Of course I'm referring to the Murikkan version of "democracy"

which is a farce IMO

Grandpappy (Prescott) Bush helped fund Hitler - and his offspring learned too well the "benefits" of Genocide and Domination

Like they say

The nut(s) don't fall too far from the tree - -

Furget the "God Bless America" plea

Time to change it to

"God/Godesses HELP America"

Just My Canuk Opinions

[HuffleClaw]

7. "the United States agreed not to intervene in Iran’s internal affairs."

well, there's not an international agreement that bush hasn't been found willing to NOT violate!

they just got exposed nosing into the palestinian election via USAID, which is being currently solidified into a political instrument by condi.

[cantstandbush]

8. Promoting democracy abroad while trampling it at home. n/t