Who Killed the Green Movement?

Balatarin
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elias sajjad
by elias sajjad
19-Apr-2010
 

Who killed the Green movement? This is hopefully a question we won’t ever have to answer, because its premise will be false. The Green Movement neither is killed, nor is it dead by any other cause. And hopefully, that is the way it will be in the future as well.

But as an ardent supporter of the Greens – I even campaigned for Moussavi last year while visiting Iran after college – I believe we in the West need to wake up before we accidentally kill this great movement.

There has been plenty of infighting within the Greens. Mohammad Sahimi, in an expose of the behind the scenes activities of some of the exiled Green activists, introduced the idea that there are different shades of Green. Much of it wasn’t new – such as the Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s checkered past or Mohsen Sazegara’s ties to the neo-conservatives. His revelation of the activities of Karim Sadjadpour, however, raised some eyebrows, however. Elsewhere, prominent green figures such as Akbar Ganji and Mohsen Kadivar have had their public spats.

I do not intend to add to this in-fighting. Though disagreements must be able to be aired, my essay here is not about attacking any individuals or to disagree with them. Rather, it is to point out that unless a more professional approach is adopted, activists in exile may help kill the Greens inside Iran. It is not about doubting anyone’s motives, but rather point out that we have to raise our game.

Take for instance Meir Javedanfar’s recent tour in Israel with the known charlatan Caspian Makan, the so-called fiancée of Neda. Javedanfar is an Israeli of Iranian background. He writes for the Guardian in England and has published a book on Ahmadinejad based solely on open-sources. (I would be as interested in an Iranian-written biography of Ariel Sharon based on open sources as I am of an Israel account of Ahmadinejad based on open sources).

But in spite of Javedanfar mediocre writings and analyses, there is few who doubt his genuine interest and affection for the Green movement. If mistakes occur, they are due to lack of experience and expertise, not malice.

But unfortunately, Javedanfar does commit a lot of mistakes. A few weeks back, he helped Caspian Makan tour Israel, including with a high-level visit with Shimon Peres. He acted as Makan’s translator and the trip was presented as the Green movement’s outreach to Israel for assistance. Of course, Makan is nothing but a charlatan – see Iason Athanasiadis’ excellent article on Makan – and needless to say, the right-wingers in Iran had a field day with this. A figure closely associated with the Greens visits Israel – the right-wingers couldn’t have wished for a better opportunity to discredit the Green movement.

Any Iran analyst could have told you how damaging this would be to the Greens. Yet, Javedanfar helped Makan in Israel and deemed it on his facebook as a “favor” to the Green movement.

Of course, this ended up being a favor to Ahmadinejad, not to the Greens. And Javedanfar should know better – though he is a pedestrian analyst, he should nevertheless have been smart enough to understand how Makan’s trip would hurt the Greens.

Bottom line is that the Greens in Iran have very small margins to work within. They will inevitably commit some mistakes – but we on the outside should not commit mistakes for them. And if Israel-Iranians genuinely want to support the Greens, they have to accept that Israel as an entity is inherently discrediting to the green movement. If it’s about helping the Greens – and not Israel – then any Israeli role must be kept at nil.

Karim Sadjadpour is another well-meaning, yet less than competent activist/analyst that must tread carefully not to hurt the Greens. His many statements claiming that the Greens favor sanctions (given incidentally to neo-conservative audiences in Washington DC), have done much to hurt the Greens. In the midst of the fighting in Iran this past summer, Sadjadpour gave a talk to a neo-conservative conference in Washington DC led by John Hannah – Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff. There, Sadjadpour said that the Iranian opposition favors sanctions, but that it remains too risky for them to openly state this.

Hannah reveled this in an op-ed in the LA Times, fittingly called “Cripple Iran to save it.”

Again, the rightwing in Iran had a field day. Relying on Sadjadpour’s naiveté and inexperience, they cherished his quote that the Greens actually were seeking Dick Cheney’s help to “cripple Iran” and the Green leadership was forced to defend itself from the accusations of the Ahmadinejad crowd and the idiocy of Sadjadpour.

We need to up our game. We need some discipline. We Greens in exile need to get analysts and activists on the right talking points. If they are too inexperienced, they need to be put aside for now. Too much is at stake to permit novices to be in charge.

Everyone is permitted a mistake or two. But that is only true when the person committing the mistake pays the price for it. In this delicate situation, others pay for our mistakes. So we cannot be permitted to commit any.

Balatarin
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more from elias sajjad
 
Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

Re: That was no Green Movement

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Sat Apr 24, 2010 09:33 AM PDT

 

very well stated my frined. That is exactly true. No one was fighting for Musavi or Karraoubi. People want freedom and that movement is very much alive and well. In fact that is what makes it strong and powerful.


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HHH

That was no Green Movement

by HHH on Fri Apr 23, 2010 09:22 PM PDT

That was just a freedom movement under the mask of green movement. Most demonstraters only yelled Musavi because Musavi meant "No Ahmadinejad", but under a truly free referendum they will yell "To hell with Ahmadinejad, Musavi, Khamenehii, Rafsanjani and every other Arab-invader-worshippers who took our freedom, happiness, respect and oil money".

Oh, and the freedom movement is wide awake and alive and sober, just waiting for another chance to attack the A.I.W!


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Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

The Green

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Wed Apr 21, 2010 07:39 PM PDT

 

movement is not a person do burn Quran or anything. It is not even that organized. Not like you go and get a membership card! The nominal leaders are practicing Muslims. Therefore your statement does not make sense. What happened was the IRI scared the shit out of people and they went quiet. Simply repression nothing religious about it.

In addition the Green leadership was not up to the job. A new form will now follow.


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iranvataneman

It killed itself

by iranvataneman on Wed Apr 21, 2010 07:03 PM PDT

God bless Iran

 

The green movement killed itself, when they started burning Qurans, pictures of Imam Khomeini, Hazrate Ali, Imam Hossein, Hassan. Destroying gas stations, local stores, robbing places, burning down mosques, just you name it.

Desecrating the day of Ashura, the month of Ramadan.

Once they attacked the religious institution as a whole, and attacked innocent by standers, their beliefs, and everything they stand for, they ended up making the situation far worse and lost a considerable amount of supporters, the Muslim supporters they once had.


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Mashty

بذار یه چیزی

Mashty
Tue Apr 20, 2010 05:18 PM PDT

بذار یه چیزی بگم. اصلا رو ایران حساب نکنید. دفعه قبل که رفتم وضع بدتر شده. مردم اصل و نسبشون که کس خولی و احمقیه در اومده. اگر شما ایرانی با شرافت هستی باید کارتو کنی، ایرانی بمونی و نسل آیندت بره ایرانو بسازه. ایران خر تو خره و خر تو خر خواهد موند. یه کار دیگه هم اینه که باید یکی دوتا اخوند رو کشت که اینا بترسن بیان بیرون. زندگی رو باید روشسون تباه کرد. البته راستشو بخواین اینو از تنفرم گفتم، در حقیقت اونم کارگر نیست. چه کنیم دیگه، گاییدنمون و فعلا نمی​شه کاریش کرد.


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shahriar74

What a stupid article

by shahriar74 on Mon Apr 19, 2010 03:07 PM PDT

This piece is probably written by the failed wannabe scholar and Ahmadinejad supporter Kaveh Afrasiabi. He is angry with the world because he cannot find a job anywhere and the only way he gets on TV is to claim that Ahmadinejad is wonderful and Iran is a democracy. 


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vildemose

How many Kooky Islamist

by vildemose on Mon Apr 19, 2010 08:33 AM PDT

How many Kooky Islamist brown shirts live in Canada? It seems like Canada is their favorite destination.

Who is behind the Center for Iranian Studies?

Brother of Iran’s judiciary chief founded the “non-partisan” Toronto-based centre

    "The Center for Iranian Studies, located at 290 Sheppard Ave. W., was incorporated in January 2008. One of its three directors at the time was Fazel Larijani, who was then Iran’s cultural attaché in Ottawa. He is the brother of Ali Larijani, speaker of the Iranian parliament, and Ayatollah Larijani, head of the judiciary. Mahdi Shahrokhi, who works at the centre, says it still receives money from the Iranian embassy..."

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vildemose

With the likes of Mousavi

by vildemose on Mon Apr 19, 2010 08:18 AM PDT

With the likes of Mousavi being the leader of the "opposition movement" what else can one expect? The man has blood on his hands and has never apologized for it.


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shahanshahesmail

The problem is

by shahanshahesmail on Mon Apr 19, 2010 07:49 AM PDT

The greens in exile make up people who only know ridicule , insult and defemation . They dont know anything about respect or honour , they are completely westernized and wish to input that disease into the common iranian , the anti-islamic rhetoric doesnt assist either , infact ashora was the turning point for the green movement , when everything went to hell after those exiles decided to burn a qor'an and incite people to firebomb a hosseiniye.

 


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seannewyork

Moussavi Has Hurt the Greens

by seannewyork on Mon Apr 19, 2010 07:39 AM PDT

Because he did not show any leadership and the sea of green needs direction and leadership at some point.

also, moussavi keeps saying to stay in the context of the constitution of the Islamic Republic, and I know the youth are looking for somethign different.  They dont feel it is possible to have democracy under this constitution.

So he has played his role poorly. 


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Darius Kadivar

Your welcome Mehrban Jaan and Yes Please do ;0)

by Darius Kadivar on Mon Apr 19, 2010 07:39 AM PDT

Your Lips to God's ... Er ... The Green Movement Leadership's ...Ears

;0)


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Mehrban

DK, excellent point, if I may repeat

by Mehrban on Mon Apr 19, 2010 07:36 AM PDT

["That the leaders of the Green Movement adopt a far less ambiguous rhetoric towards the regime and it's foundations because the people's demands today go far beyond that of the "Green Movement's' Official Stance : Where is My Vote."]


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Darius Kadivar

Javedanfar-Sadjadpour Vs Iason Athanasiadis & Mohammad Sahimi

by Darius Kadivar on Mon Apr 19, 2010 07:44 AM PDT

It's all a question of Perspective I suppose But Personally I neither consider Iason Athanasiadis as an objective correspondent on Iran (even if he is a good journalist) no more than I consider Mohammad Sahimi entirely unbiaised.

Being Arrested by the IRI during the Protests as Iason was ( only to realize the Iranian Regime was No Democracy after reporting the opposite regularly in the Left Wing Press very much like Roger Cohen's 180 degree U TURN- Cohen being far more experienced than the young, yet certainly brave but rather biaised Iason Athanasiadis ) or being Shirine Ebadi's advisor as Muhammed Sahimi ( with strong ties with the Islamic Think Tanks: Hamid Dabashi, the Leveretts, the Sadri Brothers, NIAC to name a few ... ) and a long record of animosity towards The Monarchists and Reza Pahlavi whose views he has tried to distort in the public view:

Dream onMonarchists and international terrorism By Mohammad Sahimi 

While being a Good and Obedient Member Contributor of CASMII:

//www.campaigniran.org/casmii/index.php?q=node/5645  

As her Good Friend at CASMII Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich:

IRI APOLOGISTS OUT IN FULL FORCE !

Therefore I am not certain that Either two are entirely qualified to speak about the Green Movement no more than their Selected Representatives non of whom opposed the IRI and certainly never actively against the very foundations of the regime that has been ruling Iran for the Past 30 years.

As much as I respect Athanasiadis views and am flattered by his love and interest in Iran and Iranian culture particularly given that he is not Iranian. I cannot have the same indulgence for Mr. Sahimi views who appears as a spokesperson for the regular Islamic Intellegenstia which took root in academic circles both inside and outside Iran during the Reform Movement years of President Khatami aiming at buying the IRI some form of respectability.

 

To my knowledge Mr. Sahimi never opposed the Tehran Holocaust Conference at a time when NIAC/AIC and other deemed Lobbyists of the Islamic Republic on Capitol Hill were active in trying to sell us Ahmadinejad as the New Mossadegh ...

Unfortunately for them Other Iranian Patriots were AWAKE :

Iranian Diaspora Intelligentsia Unite Against Islamic Republic's Holocaust Revisionism By DK

Banalization of history By DK

Nor denounced such Programs on the issue of the Holocaust which is far more sensitive in Europe ( where the Reformists lost much of the support from their most staunchest Western Allies on the Nuclear issue) than even the US :

Finkelstein Slamming the Tehran Holocaust Conference (Sahar TV):

HOLOCAUST A MYTH: Michelle Renouf on Iranian SAHAR TV

Mr. Meir JAVADANFAR is first and foremost an Iranian expat like me and you who loves his homeland and does not wish it to be attacked by foreign forces.

France 24 debate with Ramin PARHAM, Meir JAVEDANFAR,Borzou DARAGAHI and Raymond TANTER

Lastly there has been a concerted effort by the IRI Think Tanks such as these :

DOCUMENTARY: Training of the Future IRI Political Elite ( ARTE TV)

( NOTE: In the above link Please listen even If you don't speak French but the Persian dialogue can be clearly overheard - If you go to 15 : 24 sec you will see that a student if given a French Political magazine with an interview of Crown Prince Reza ... The Student although perplex calls the Crown Prince : Reza SHAH and Not merely Reza Pahlavi  ... ;0) ... )

To present Iranians in LA aka Tehrangeleses through the distorted spectrum of the Bazari type so called Opposition channels ( which do not even represent any Official Stance of the Monarchists or Constitutionalist Parties and certainly Not that of the CPI-Constitutionalist Party of Iran who is run by Dariush Homayoun See Video commited to non violence, Democracy and Human Rights)  

Honestly Do these people look like Neo Con War Mongerors ? ...

Federal Building Los Angeles July 09 09 Part 1 :

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBm2A_XnR5Q&feature=related

Federal Building Los Angeles July 09 09 Part 2:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TouInrtwuQ&feature=related 
  
Federal Building Los Angeles July 09 09 Part 3:
 
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tIaLKSKuL0&feature=related

My understanding however is that part of the problem we Iranians face in our struggle against the IRI and our difficulties in helping the Green Wave in an effective is due to also a level of mistrust between ourselves and also a culture of conspiracy theories which has proved parralyzing and not just in the current struggle started since last june ...

GUNFIGHT AT OK CORRAL: Co-Starring Fakhravar & Batebi ?

To overcome such a mistrust that only gives ammunition to the IRI apologists and IRI supporters whose aim is the Regime's survival, I believe that two things are necessary:

1) That the leaders of the Green Movement adopt a far less ambiguous rhetoric towards the regime and it's foundations because the people's demands today go far beyond that of the "Green Movement's' Official Stance : Where is My Vote.

2) That Secular minded figureheads emerge beyond the regular IRI think tanks to date ( whether moderate reformists  or not)represented by the likes of Akbar Ganji, Mohsen Kadivar, Soroush, Bazargan's son and other two ( forgote their names) who came up with a 5 Point solution to the crisis to deaf ears. Not in an aim to exclude the latter people from any participation to debates or think tanks but in an aim to clarify that what the people demand is Regime change towards a SECULAR and DEMOCRATIC system of government.

Only then can an efficient Coalition crystallize particularly in the Diaspora in order to help and voice the genuine demands of the Iranians inside.

Till then the Anti Neo Con or Anti Israeli Zionist rhetoric is nothing else than an obsolete argument aimed at strengthening the grip of the IRI Henchmen and the Two Headed Snake ( Ahmadinejad and Khamenei) of the current Turbaned Dynasty.

My Humble Opinion,

DK An Iranian Expat Constitutionalist from France who is Not a Tehrangelese Nor likes the Neo Cons

Recommended Reading:

REZA'S CALL: An Iranian Solidarnosc by DK

Recommended Watching:

REZA'S CALL: Crown Prince Reza at Bonn Conference and Democratic Think-Tanks (March 27th, 2010 )

 


 

REZA's CALL: "From Theocracy to Democracy"- Reza Pahlavi at George Washington University (April 13th, 2010)

RESPONDING TO REZA's CALL: An Iranian Solidarnosc in the Making ...by DK

IRANIAN SOLIDARNOSC: Defecting Revolutionary Guard's confession and support to Reza Pahlavi by DK

IRANIAN SOLIDARNOSC: Yasmine Pahlavi, Nazanin Afshin Jam and Arash Sobhani (July 9th 2009) by DK

IRANIAN SOLIDARNOSC: Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, Nazanin Afshin Jam and Amir Abbas Fakhravar By DK

Other:

PRINCE OF PERSIA: Crown Prince Reza and Iranian Asylum Seekers, London (2005)

PRINCE OF PERSIA: Crown Prince Reza on Human Rights German TV & Diaspora Media (1993/1995)


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MeyBokhor_Manbarbesuzan

"Greens in exile" is an oximoron

by MeyBokhor_Manbarbesuzan on Mon Apr 19, 2010 06:34 AM PDT

"Greens in exile" is an oximoron. A leave is no longer green when detached from the tree.

Btw, I think it was the use of RoundUp that killed the Greens.


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Sargord Pirouz

Gimme a break,

by Sargord Pirouz on Mon Apr 19, 2010 06:21 AM PDT

Gimme a break, elias. Javedanfar is a an element of Hasbara.

//www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Hasbara

The only thing worse than an anti-Iran cheerleader is an Israeli anti-Iran cheerleader.


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