Iranian democrats tell US where to stick its $85m

[400Years]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HD06Ak02.html

Iranian democrats tell US where to stick its $85m
By Golnaz Esfandiari

While gauging public opinion can be a tall order in Iran, many of those who have spoken out so far say they are keen to maintain their independence, and this includes American money to continue their efforts to promote democracy in Iran.

The Bush administration has US$75 million in emergency funding to promote democracy in Iran, in addition to $10 million already budgeted.

Mohammad Ali Dadkhah is a co-founder of the Center for Human Rights Defenders. Dadkhah tells RFE/RL that democratic changes should come from inside the country - without outside interference. "Democracy is not a product that we can import from another country," Dadkhah said. "We have to prepare the ground for it so that it can grow and bear fruit - especially because independent and national forces, and also self-reliant forces, in Iran will never accept a foreign country telling them what to do and which way to take."

[alfredo]

1. good for them. If they took our money, they'd lose credibility

[bemildred]

2. Smart move. Credibility is priceless. nt

[cliss]

3. Oh, don't worry. That $85 million has found a home.

Elizabeth Cheney has been in Dubai lately. Amazingly, she has dug up the Shah of Iran's son. She and her Team of US advisors have spoken to him about becoming the New Shah of Iran.

Apparently, he wants to do it.

I know, I know. It's hard to believe, isn't it? I was shocked myself, when I read it.

But with Bushco and his group of clowns, what can you expect? They'll go for it. They didn't learn one damn thing from the revolution in Iran in 1979. They're willing to try again.

[saigon68]

4. she has dug up the Shah of Iran's son

Was he dead?

[cliss]

9. No: sorry, Saigon.

I meant it as a figure of speech. The Shah's son is very much alive. In fact, he met with Liz Cheney and her team in Dubai recently.

Apparently, the US has asked him to become the New Shah of Iran. He seems to want to do it.

I'm just in a bad mood because I can't believe the US would do something like this. Maybe it's a joke ?!?

[cliss]

10. OK: here's what I could find on him -

http://depts.washington.edu/~uweek/archives/2002.04.APR_25/news_j.html

Shah of Iran’s son to speak May 6, 2006.

Reza Pahlavi, son of the late Shah of Iran, will speak at 7 p.m. Monday, May 6 in 120 Kane about the current situation in Iran and the future of democracy there.
Pahlavi was described in a recent Time magazine article as “the most significant symbol of external opposition” to Iran’s current rulers. His father, Shah of Iran Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, was deposed and exiled by a regime led by fundamentalist Islamic clerics in 1979.

At the time, the younger Pahlavi was studying to be a fighter pilot in Texas. He now lives near Washington, D.C., and makes regular satellite TV broadcasts to Iran (which are illegally but widely watched). He told Time that he supports Iranians’ right to self-determination.

His UW appearance is sponsored by the Department of Near Eastern Languages & Civilization, the Middle East Center of the Jackson School of International Studies; and the College of Arts & Sciences.
* * * *
In another article, it says that Elizabeth Cheney has recently contacted him about establishing regime change in Iran.

Look out, Iran. You're about to get A NEW SHAH.

[saigon68]

11. sorry I was being a smart ass.

This type of stunt has been tried before

Mostly with BAD RUSULTS

BAO DAI, THE LAST EMPEROR OF VIET NAM




On August 25, 1945, Bao-Dai abdicated when the communist Viet-Minh seized power. He then lived in exile in Hong Kong until 1949 when, with the support of the French, he returned as Chief of State.

On October 23, 1955, more than a year after the French defeat at Dien-Bien-Phu (on May 7, 1954) Bao-Dai was over thrown by a referendum and his Prime Minister Ngo-Dinh-Diem declared South Vietnam a Republic on October 26, 1955. Diem became its first president.


http://www.viettouch.com/philately/scst_baodai.html


PHILIP SHENON, "Bao Dai, 83, Last Emperor of Vietnam," New York Times, August 2, 1997

link: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/baodai.htm

[leftchick]

13. been there done that

are meriKans stupid enough to believe this will actually work? I know the neofreaks are.

[BrotherBuzz]

6. Interesting

I heard he had resurfaced recently and was ranting about Iran, but I didn't know the Blue Meanies had sunk their claws into him. I suspect his complete education/orientation will be complete just in time for the event. He would be a useful tool for Bushco.

[pinniped]

8. That's absolutely crazy, which is exactly why I believe it.

--Amazingly, she has dug up the Shah of Iran's son--

[sweetheart]

5. is iraniandemocrat still around

god bless him/her, its been a while and
your post can't help but remind absence.
Its like lost DU'er states of i'm alive pings,
i am busy but not writing,
i am not alive,
i am angry at you guys,
i've been banned,
i am the enemy,
I am a spy surfing you DU'ers weird posts.

:-)

Om Namah Ram Namah Tat Sat

[Zynx]

7. This administration's view of the Middle East is something right out of

Rudyard Kipling. "Oh, those poor brown people don't know what they're doing. Here, we'll help them out.".

[plasticsundance]

12. It appears even Israel may disagree with Washington on Iran

One of the issues that came up in many of the national security related discussions I had was that Israel has maintained and cultivated a very strong human intelligence network inside Iran. The two nations were close strategic allies 25 years ago -- and continue, in many behind-the-scenes ways, to communicate and possibly even to coordinate certain actions. It doesn't mean that Israel is ready to appease Iran's regional ambitions, but it does mean that I have witnessed far more worries about Iranian President Ahmadinejad's anti-Holocaust and anti-Israel rhetoric in the U.S. than I did in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.

Many serious Iran watchers in Israel think that chances are relatively high that "internal developments" will emerge in Iran to constrain Ahmadinejad's "political options and political life."

Chris Nelson, who writes the must-read Nelson Report echoed somewhat this Israel diffidence about U.S. stridency towards Iran in a fascinating excerpt of today's report:

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