Iranian Alert -- August 1, 2003 -- LIVE THREAD PING LIST

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Live Thread Ping List | 8.1.2003 | DoctorZin

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White House: No talks with Iran on prisoner swap

Friday, August 1, 2003 Posted: 2:05 AM EDT (0605 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The White House on Thursday denied a report that talks are being held between the United States and Iran on a possible exchange of senior al Qaeda figures in Iran for U.S.-held members of an anti-Iran terror group.

The report about the possible talks first appeared on NBC.

The United States has "communicated to Iran the importance of turning over senior members of al Qaeda," a senior Bush administration official said. "No quid pro quo, no negotiations, no exchange."

The report said the possible exchange may involve members of the Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MEK), who struck a deal with U.S. troops in Iraq during the war for a cease-fire, following a series of clashes between coalition troops and MEK fighters.

The group, also known as the People's Mujahedin, is dedicated to the overthrow of Iran's Islamic fundamentalist regime and is classified by the U.S. government as an international terrorist group.

The MEK was backed by former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, and he allowed it to carry out training activities in his country. The group's aim is to replace Iran's religious government with democratically elected leadership.

Last week, U.S. officials said four top al Qaeda leaders -- including the terrorist group's military leader and its spokesman -- were in custody in Iran.

Iran Intelligence Minister Ali Yunesi confirmed reports that had been circulating for weeks, saying that his country was holding what he said was a "large number" of al Qaeda members, but he would not name them.

U.S. officials said those in custody included Saif Al Adel, al Qaeda's military chief, and Suleiman Abu Ghaith, along with two other al Qaeda members.

Saif Al Adel is wanted in connection with the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in east Africa.

Yunesi last week left open the possibility that Iran could be "ready to extradite some" of the suspected terrorists to other countries, while others would likely stand trial in Iran.

In the wake of the May 12 suicide attacks against several Western housing compounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, some in the Bush administration have accused Iran of deliberately harboring al Qaeda terrorists who may have been involved in planning those attacks.

The U.S. State Department called Iran "the most active state sponsor of terrorism" in 2002, accusing Tehran of supporting Palestinian and central Asian militant groups and having a "mixed" record regarding al Qaeda.

"While it has detained and turned over to foreign governments a number of al Qaeda members, other al Qaeda members have found virtual safe haven there," the department's most recent report on global terrorism concluded.

-- CNN Correspondent Chris Burns contributed to this report.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/08/01/us.iran.qaeda/

White House: No talks with Iran on prisoner swap

Friday, August 1, 2003 Posted: 2:05 AM EDT (0605 GMT)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/956243/posts?page=3#3

"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail me”

Another "Must Read" by Amir Taheri. -- DoctorZin

TEHRAN'S TIPPING POINT

By AMIR TAHERI

August 1, 2003 -- WHEN President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair met in Washington last month, Iran featured prominently in their attention during a tour d'horizon of what is still a dangerous part of the world.
No one quite knows how long it will take before Iraq has a working government based on pluralism and committed to peace. But one thing is certain: With Saddam Hussein gone, Iraq has a chance to build a new life fit for its people while developing normal relations with the rest of the world.

Iran, however, is in a state of uncertainty.

On the one hand, there are powerful domestic forces that could lead Iran onto a new path of reconstruction and peaceful coexistence with the outside world. On the other, there are other forces, their power augmented by their control of the state apparatus and much of the oil revenue, that still pursue the messianic dream of exporting their revolution and conquering the whole world for their pseudo-ideology.

The question for the outside world is: How to deal with this dual reality?

With Iraq liberated, the policy of "double containment" no longer makes sense. Containing Iran is no longer enough. Iran must be engaged, either diplomatically or with a mixture of diplomacy and military force, in order to alter its current trajectory. For if that trajectory is not altered it is bound, sooner or later, to lead into open conflict between Iran and the United States and its allies.

The idea that Iran could be isolated is a non-starter. Iran has 16 neighbors, the largest number for any single country with the exception of Russia.

Iran is located between the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Basin that, together, contain some 70 percent of the world's known oil reserves and almost 60 percent of its natural gas. On each side, only one country separates Iran from the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa. Iran is also one of the world's 20 largest and most populous countries.

Nearly half of mankind are Iran's immediate or near neighbors. Iran's neighborhood includes five nuclear powers. In that neighborhood live many of the world's great ethnic and cultural families, the Han, the Altaic, the Indo-Dravidian, the Arab, the Turk and the Slav, among others. Directly or indirectly, Iran is involved in more than half of the 22 "current active conflicts" enumerated by the International Crisis Group.

Iran is significant for another reason. Along with Turkey and Egypt it has had a leadership role in the Islamic world for centuries. With Turkey now looking to Europe and Egypt unable to forge a synthesis of its Islamic heritage and its modernizing ambitions, Iran is left as the only major country where Islam could still develop in both positive and negative ways.

For the past quarter of a century, the Iranian experiment has been a model for many Muslims and a warning to many more. That situation is likely to continue as Iran enters a new phase in its political development.

Now that we know that Iran cannot be ignored or isolated the question is: What to do about it?

One answer is: Do nothing.

This would mean letting the Iranians fight it out among themselves until they can create a coherent government capable of developing a national strategy.

Here the danger is that the "exporters of the revolution," who control the nation's wealth and the coercive forces of the state, might eliminate their opponents and establish a tyranny akin to that of North Korea or of Iraq under Saddam Hussein. That would mean letting a dangerous regime acquire nuclear weapons, and build up its arsenal of other weapons of mass destruction, if only for blackmailing real or imagined foes in the region and beyond.

Another answer is to seek a détente-like deal with the hardline faction. That would defuse the situation, at least for a while, but would also prolong the life of a regime that is now in deep, and possibly terminal, crisis.

Yet another answer is to engage the hard-line faction into negotiations aimed at addressing its grievances, allaying its fears and ultimately persuading it to accept a set of changes in its behavior. But that could be seen by the pro-democracy movement as an act of betrayal and might well be construed by the hard-line Khomeinists as a sign of weakness on the part of the major democracies.

According to our sources, Britain favors engaging Tehran in a process of negotiations.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has visited Tehran four times in just over a year and believes that the hard-line mullahs understand the language of realpolitik and that, if assured that the West is not trying to overthrow them, will play the game.

There are also signs that the Bush administration, while keeping the option of using force open, may be tilting toward the British position. Mounting domestic opposition to American involvement in Iraq may well be one factor in persuading Bush not to turn the heat on Iran before the next U.S. presidential election.

The British analysis may be correct as far as short-term considerations are concerned. The Iranian regime is in deep trouble and would agree to largely cosmetic changes in order to ease the pressure. In the medium- and long-term, however, the British analysis misses the central point: The present Iranian system is an anomaly and will have to change.

We are only at the start of what could become known as the great Iranian crisis.

E-mail: amirtaheri@

benadorassociates.com

http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/2081.htm

Another "Must Read" by Amir Taheri. -- DoctorZin

TEHRAN'S TIPPING POINT
By AMIR TAHERI

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/956243/posts?page=5#5

"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail me”

Here's to hoping that the regime's crisis is "deep and terminal" like the writer suggests it could be.

Moderate breakthrough

August 1

It had to take the death of an Iranian-Canadian journalist for the reformists in Iran to score a minor victory against hardliners.

The authorities now admit that Zahra Kazemi, who died in police custody on July 10, was murdered. Kazemi, who lived in Montreal, was detained by the Revolutionary Guards for taking photographs of student demonstrations in Teheran and died under mysterious circumstances, although the government blamed her death on head injuries "caused by an accident". It was an uncharacteristic move for Iran's Vice-President Mohammed Ali Abtahi to come out openly, as he did last Wednesday, and admit that Kazemi was murdered. This suggests a moral victory, however tenuous, for moderates like President Mohammad Khatami and the reformist MPs who dominate Parliament.

That said, as long as the real war for democracy against the entrenched hardliners remains to be waged, Kazemi's death would be in vain. The Islamic republic has all the trappings of a democracy: a Constitution, political factions and local and parliamentary elections. Even women are empowered to vote and stand for election. So what's keeping democracy at bay, despite widespread disaffection with the clergy-inspired repressive policies? It's the fact that real power remains with the clerics under Ayatollah Khamenei.

President Khatami and his reformist allies are in a helpless position, therefore, despite enjoying popular support. Besides, they have yet to win over former President Hashemi Rafsanjani's powerful centrist faction to their side. As a result, the contest is still on between Mr Khatami's modernist ideas of an 'Islamic civil society' and the conservative clergy who condemn western-style democracy. As Iran's political experimentation goes on, there may be more tragedies like Kazemi's murder.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_326161,0012.htm

Moderate breakthrough

August 1, 2003

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_326161,0012.htm

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Iran 'doubling rewards for suicide attacks'

WASHINGTON - Israeli officials say new intelligence suggests that Iran is offering US$50,000 (S$88,000) to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers - double the amount paid by Saddam Hussein when he was Iraqi president.

Painting a bigger picture, the officials said that there was also growing evidence that Iran was stepping up support for Palestinian militants following the US-led war in Iraq.

In addition, Teheran was accelerating efforts to develop nuclear weapons that could strike Israel and other US allies in the region, they told Washington.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon raised the issues during his White House meeting with US President George W. Bush.

The US leader had warned a week earlier that Iran and Syria would be 'held accountable' if they supported terrorism.

Said one official: 'There are concerns both in Jerusalem and in Washington.'

Israeli officials say new intelligence points to Iran filling the void left by Iraq in supporting militant groups including Hamas and Hizbollah, adding that it was actively trying to undercut a month-old ceasefire.

'It must be made clear to these countries that their evil deeds cannot continue,' Mr Sharon said at a joint news conference with Mr Bush.

Mr Bush did not mention Iran or Syria, but National Security Council spokesman Sean McCormack said: 'Both Iran and Syria need to make a fundamental choice about the war on terrorism and to stop harbouring and supporting terrorists and terrorist networks.'

In building support for the war in Iraq, Mr Bush cited Saddam's support for Palestinian militants.

Said one Israeli official involved in the talks: 'We also know specifically of Iranian involvement, through Hizbollah and other groups, to undermine Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and to encourage terrorism... and undermine the ceasefire.' -- Reuters

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/world/story/0,4386,202427,00.html

Iran 'doubling rewards for suicide attacks'

WASHINGTON 8.1.2003

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/956243/posts?page=10#10

"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail me”

An important update on the jamming of the satellite broadcasts into Iran. -- DoctorZin

The Power of the Dish and the War of Ideas

By Nir T. Boms
FrontPageMagazine.com | August 1, 2003

On March of 2003, Zia Atabi, a former Iranian rock star placed a small satellite dish on the roof of a former pornographic studio in one of Los Angeles neighborhoods and began broadcasting.

Atabi, formally known as the "Tom Jones of Iran” escaped his homeland shortly after 1979 and found refuge in California, where approximately 600,000 ex-Iranian patriots live today. As is common in many ethnic groups in the United States, The Iranian community enhanced its local cultural activities. Zia, contributed support to his community’s cultural needs by borrowing some money from his wife, and launching a Farsi satellite station. He called it NITV (The National Iranian Television Network) since he wanted to stress its non-partisan nature to his ex-patriot community. The station began airing some old films, music and eventually news and original programs. Few days later he received his first telephone call from Teheran The Iranians on the line were exhilarated, telling him how excited they were to finally see programming that has been banned in Iran for over two decades. This caught Zia by surprise... “What do you mean? ” he asked.... “I am not even broadcasting to Iran!”. Well, He wasn’t. But someone in the satellite dispatch station pushed a button that opened an additional link that quickly went across the ocean. The Iranian regime had feared an American invasion, but did not prepare for an intrusion that entered 300 new homes every single day.

According to Zia, approximately 25 million Iranians who encompass a third of the population have up until now, viewed NITV. It has created a culture around it. Since private satellite dishes are expensive (and not to mention, illegal), the programs are often recorded and distributed to the public on VHS tapes and via the Internet, often bringing large local crowds together for a private screening. Zia was quickly able to set a satellite link to other centers of Farsi speaking communities like those in Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Bahrain. The channel was received in the Middle East, Europe, the Persian Gulf, South America, and even Australia adding millions of viewers.

“We tell the Iranian about Gandhi and Nehru in India”. Says Zia “We broadcast programs about the iron curtain and about the fall of the Soviet Union. In the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks, I asked young Iranians to show solidarity with America. The world must understand that the Iranian people do not stand for the terrorists. Using my channel, I asked that they take to the streets and they did. The images of students in the streets of Teheran were broadcasted all over the world”. Ali Dean, an Iranian comedian, known for impersonating ayatollahs was hired by Zia. Ali successfully recreated the popular 1980’s British show “Spitting Image”. The difference was that instead of puppets in the spitting image of Margaret Thatcher and Neil Kinnock, the Farsi speaking community was watching deformed puppets in the image of Mullahs. NITV began fighting the Iranian theocracy by revealing its leaders true faces.

Following NITV’s example, other Farsi news channels begun beaming their way to Iran. Among these are private channels like Azadi TV and Channel One TV, one of the fastest growing Los Angeles-based Farsi TV stations, and government sponsors channels such as Voice Of America and Radio Farda, a 24 hours U.S.- run radio service in Farsi.

In response to this new wave of streaming information, the Mullahs of Iran launched their counter attack. Private ownership of satellite dishes has long been illegal in Iran and is a punishable offence. Armed with government microwave trucks designed to jam satellite signals and help locate the satellite dishes themselves, the Mullahs unleashed the revolutionary guards in the urban and rural parts of the country. Hashemi Rafsanjani, the former, very influential Iranian president, ordered an early end to the academic year in order to avoid the forth commemoration of the first wave of student riots July 9th 1999. Iran also reached out to its allies for help. Only a few weeks ago, intelligent sources reported a secret visit to Cuba by Moshen Hashemi, the son of Mullah Rafsanjani. The details of the visit remain on unknown, however by July 4th, 5 days before the anticipated July 9th anniversary, Cuban satellite jamming systems were successful in blocking Parsh TV, Azadi TV, VOA, and NITV broadcasts into Iran. The jamming signal is thought to have come from a monitoring complex outside Havana, a facility built by the Soviet Union to eavesdrop on the United States during the cold war.

Though the Mullahs have been temporarily successful in their efforts to turn off the waves of freedom, Zia believes that the power of the dish has been unleashed and will not be forgotten. He tells me that when Iranian students, Arrested by the republican guard, come out of jail, they immediately call his station. They play a crucial role giving information on the evolving situation on the ground. In turn, Zia promises to send them the new satellite frequencies that will be in use.

Unfortunately, finding alternative ways of reaching the audience in Iran becomes an increasingly difficult task.

Kourosh Abbassi , a spokesperson for Azadi Television, says that they tried changing the satellite frequencies but "within minutes" the new ones were blocked. The task of locating these broadcasts on the satellite dial becomes increasingly more difficult. “The morale is so low here”, adds Mr. Abbassi, as he notes over 2000 responses received from supporter’s in Iran; "Technically if they can do it to us, they can do it to anyone, even to CNN."

On June 28th, Iranian students took to the streets by the thousands - and they are still in the streets today. According to government reports, 4000 of them were arrested (although the actual number is estimated at 10,000), many with the use of excessive force. Some of the Television and Radio stations were able to find alternative ways to reach their audience using short wave, the internet, and telephones. Alireza Morovati, an anchor for Voice of Iran radio station told me that the students were coordinating their activities on the air: “Someone from Shiraz was talking with someone from Teheran, telling them about the demonstration and the riots. Teheran and Shiraz were connected only via Los Angeles” It seems that the battle over the power of the dish is reaching a climax. “Our mission is to bring the voice of freedom to Iran” says Morovati and sometime all it takes is one small dish.

Nir Boms is the Vice President of the Washington based Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

http://frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=9168

An important update on the jamming of the satellite broadcasts into Iran. -- DoctorZin

The Power of the Dish and the War of Ideas

By Nir T. Boms
FrontPageMagazine.com | August 1, 2003

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/956243/posts?page=12#12

Good update.

Let's print this again later today in case people miss the beginning of the Thread.

Thank you for the update.
The earlier Taheri article was excellent, as well.

"...In the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks, I asked young Iranians to show solidarity with America. The world must understand that the Iranian people do not stand for the terrorists. Using my channel, I asked that they take to the streets and they did. The images of students in the streets of Teheran were broadcasted all over the world”.

I think that should be emphasized, not necessarily for those who regularly contribute to this thread, but for the average American who doesn't understand that the symbol of America is not always negative. We remember seeing people all over the world express their solidarity with us.

And even in the places where there is little light, people understood the threat to America. The liberties that we enjoy so easily, were threatened on that day. And even in places where the people are suppressed into silence, the people reacted with compassion. We are still the beacon of hope that can unite people in the darkest of places.

Absolutely.
The Iranian people are much more supportive of the US and the Bush administration than the US media. Once free they will be one of our greatest friends in the Middle East. We need to make sure that American's understand this.

Thanks for the pings. You're doing a great job bringing light to an important topic.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030801/wl_mideast_afp/iran_us_iraq_nuclear_030801130406

TEHRAN (AFP) - The United States is being dragged into a new Vietnam War in Iraq (news - web sites), former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani told worshippers at the main weekly Muslim prayers.

"They themselves freely admit that groups of Arab fighters are entering Iraq from Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia or Turkey to make war against them," said Rafsanjani, who remains a powerful figure within the Islamic regime.

"They themselves say they've become a punchbag for anyone who wants to have a go at them. The nightmare of Vietnam is rearing its head again for the Americans," he said.

Asked who was behind the spate of guerrilla attacks which have killed 52 US soldiers since Washington declared major combat over on May 1, coalition ground forces commander Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez said a whole host of groups, "probably" including Osama Bin laden (news - web sites)'s al-Qaeda network were involved.

"As long as Americans are here, people will come to attack them -- just like they're trying to attack American interests around the world," the US general told reporters in Baghdad Thursday.

Rafsanjani said he detected an easing of US policy towards Iran since the collapse of a wave of student protests in June which the Islamic regime blames on US agitation.

Only a "handful of good-for-nothings" had taken part in the 10 days of protests, "dashing the White House's hopes" of the overthrow of the Islamic regime and showing that US calls for change had no credibility among Iranians, he said.

"Very quickly (the Americans) changed their tone and (President George W.) Bush announced he could solve differences with Iran peacefully."

Rafsanjani said Tehran was unfazed by the twists and turns in US policy and intended to continue its "longstanding policy of detente".

He reiterated the regime's insistence that its nuclear programme is for civil purposes only, despite the atomic arsenals maintained in the region by India, Israel, Pakistan and Russia.

"We are not adventurists, we are not seeking nuclear weapons, but we will not accept any blackmail," he said, in reference to massive international pressure on the regime to sign an additional protocol of the Non-Proliferation Treaty permitting no-notice inspections of its nuclear facilities.

..."Very quickly (the Americans) changed their tone and (President George W.) Bush announced he could solve differences with Iran peacefully." ...

More dis-information from the regime.
They say these things to confuse the Iranian people about US intentions. The people of Iran fear that the US will follow Britians lead and negotiate a deal with the Mullahs, selling out the people of Iran.

Fortunately, Bush consistently speaks of his support for the people of Iran as opposed to the regime. This is reported in the US media but not enough to clear up the confusion for the people of Iran.