bahmani

NIAC's Lopsided Ad!

The Only Option Left For Patriotic Iranians is to unite and overthrow the regime of the Islamist terrorists in Tehran. In the event of a war breaking out IR must be held responsible for provoking it.

In this lopsided ad, NIAC has not condemned 33 years of IR's warmongering and provocative acts such as sponsorship of international terrorism and calls by IR officials for the annihilation of the sovereign state of Israel.

This ad comes at a time when Iranians in a nation-wide boycott of the recent "elections" showed their overwhelming desire for regime change.

The Islamist terrorists in Tehran are well aware of Iranians' sentiments and their hatred towards regime's authoritarian rule and are ready to sacrifice millions more Iranian lives only to stay in power.

NIAC has ignored the pursuit of such dangerous policies by the regime. Instead it only sees Israel and the US as the aggressors to be.

NIAC also views patriotic Iranian opposition forces as a source of "nuisance" in their way to help with the regime's survival, thus concentrating a great amount of their political activism on attacking those forces who are calling for regime change.

NIAC's Lopsided Ad!

The Only Option Left For Patriotic Iranians is to unite and overthrow the regime of the Islamist terrorists in Tehran. In the event of a war breaking out IR must be held responsible for provoking it.

In this lopsided ad, NIAC has not condemned 33 years of IR's warmongering and provocative acts such as sponsorship of international terrorism and calls by IR officials for the annihilation of the sovereign state of Israel.

This ad comes at a time when Iranians in a nation-wide boycott of the recent "elections" showed their overwhelming desire for regime change.

The Islamist terrorists in Tehran are well aware of Iranians' sentiments and their hatred towards regime's authoritarian rule and are ready to sacrifice millions more Iranian lives only to stay in power.

NIAC has ignored the pursuit of such dangerous policies by the regime. Instead it only sees Israel and the US as the aggressors to be.

NIAC also views patriotic Iranian opposition forces as a source of "nuisance" in their way to help with the regime's survival, thus concentrating a great amount of their political activism on attacking those forces who are calling for regime change.

Reply to: bahmani

The parts not in bold are my response. 

Today NIAC spent what is hopefully left of it's budget on a full page ad in the Washington Post calling for president Obama to hold off on attacking Iran first.

So NIAC puts an ad out in an important newspaper calling for caution in stumbling into another war, and your response is that never happens again?

You're entitled to your opinion, but you're also part of the fringe 3% in the Iranian community according to the recent Zogby poll.

The ad says, "Unless we or an ally is attacked, war should be the option of last resort."

Or, please wait until Iran attacks the US or Israel before you blow them into the next century. Which is a perfectly good argument, if 911 or Pearl Harbor (ranked by total number killed) had not happened.

There's a difference between pre-emprive and preventive war, and under even the broadest application of international law an attack on Iran would not be considered pre-emptive. You reasoning would allow IRI and many other countries to launch their own pre-emptive wars. 

You're reasoning is identical to that used lead up to the Iraq war and that turned out to be one of the greatest strategic blunders in US history with a humanitarian catastrophe that will likely take decades for Iraq to recover from. 

Unfortunately what NIAC in spite of the amount of time it spends on Capitol Hill still doesn't seem to get, is that the US is not in a position to risk this again. 

The US is not in a position to risk another 9/11? You're telling us that that is what will happen if Iran is attacked? Not even the most crazed neocons go that far, and they mainstreamed the idea of pre-emptive war. 

The US is not in a position to risk not attacking Iran? Allow me to skip past that for now since the answer is fairly obvious for most. I will say however that if there's any risk the US can't afford, it's war with Iran. That the dominant view of the US intelligence and military officials. The collapse of the world economy and the various factors contributing to that and destablization on an unprecedented level would likely spell the end of American preeminence.

Thus the war drum beating is getting louder. Naturally.

You don't appear very informed about how Washington works and how the drumbeat happens. There's nothing natural about the push for war, which is why it's not popular opinion that's the driving force but rather special interests who aren't too concerned about the cost the US would occur. I'd be glad to get into this more, but let's leave it there for now. 

To be absolutely fair about all this, the likelihood of Iran attacking the US first is far lower than even the Fordow nuclear storage facility. And Israel is safe too.

You can't say in one paragraph that the drumbeat for war is natural because a 9/11 or Pearl Harbor style attack is around the corner, and in the VERY NEXT paragraph say it's unlikely that the Iran would attack anyone first and the US and Israel are "safe."

That's a profound example of confusion.

Because everyone knows that...

Let me stop you there. There are very few things that "everyone knows" unless the polling conducted was under the IRI, Mubarak, or Saddam's Iraq. This isn't an insignificant problem among Iranians so I have to ask that you substantiate this claim.  

Because everyone knows that the only reason that Iran wants a nuke is; because Pakestan has one, and it also happens to be a very good way to protect the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic. So they can keep the fun times going.

With due respect, I'm beginning to think you're pulling our leg. First, are you really ascribing one half of IRI's motivation for getting a bomb to the fact that Pakistan has done? If that's one of the many factors then at least the point can be argued. 

Second, obtaining a nuclear weapon would not be in the regimes interests for a variety of reasons, though I grant that having a nuclear capacity could be in Iran's interests, though again I'm skeptical how even that could prolong the IRI's life (in fact one could argue that it does the opposite).

Third, you have to be very careful about presenting weaponization of the nuclear program as a fact. This issue's a bit more complex for definitive statements to be made on either side. 

The irony is that the reason Iran feels it's sovereignty threatened by the US and Israel, is precisely because of the Islamic Republic's policies. Supporting nefarious activities around the world, let's name them; Hamas, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Syria, Bahrain, Argentina and now Thailand. These are facts about Iran that even NIAC cannot deny, because Iran never denies them, but of course you will never see this mentioned in a NIAC ad.

Nefarious they are. That's the nature of international relations when you have states pursuing their perceived interests. Each case you mentioned has it's own underpinning, and though one might find the activities you mentioned abhorrent, such ruthless meddling to pursue one's interests is the norm in international affairs. 

That the source of ALL of Iran's problems, are Iran.

Again, these kind of definitive statements are rarely true in politics, and this statement is such a profound oversimplification that it hardly merits a response.

It is important for everyone to know that it is these actions by Iran, and now add to it the desire to get a nuke with which to protect these actions, that have put Iran square and center, at the very top of "Countries I should Invade Next" wish list of the President of the United States.

Once more, do you really think President Obama just sits there salivating with the thought that he can cross one country after another off his invasion list? And if you think Obama has the type of executive power that's so immune from checks, balances, and pressure, then a civics lesson might be useful. 

The reasons you mention are certainly significant factors in bringing Iran into focus, but they alone don't account for the current hysteria on Iran. It's far easier to see things as black and white. It simplifies life and allows you to avoid critical thinking. But as with nearly every political question, a multitude of factors are involved.

Blame everyone else if you want, but know in your heart that it will always come back to Iran and her shitty life choices. 

Blaming probably isn't the best way to approach a geopolitical problem. You identify obstacles and problems, place them in context, and evaluate your options. The only person that's engaged in blaming is you, and blaming everything on one party at that. 

This is Iran's very dangerous game of a lazy fat Persian Cat vs a very lean and mean American Yard dog. One guess who will end up in whose mouth.

Yes, because Iranians are all lazy and Americans are all sharp strategic thinkers. The US stumbled into Iraq against it's own interests and spent an incredible amount of it's wealth and resources and IRI strolled in after the mess was over and without a single shot and with the most minimal of resources brought much of Iraq under it's sphere of influence politically, economically, and otherwise. That's not something that any of us should be proud of because the regimes poisonous influence will be bad for the Iraqi people, but we also can't engage in wishful thinking simply because we despise the regime. 

NIAC's ad further says that, "Fortunately, diplomacy has not been exhausted, and peaceful solutions are still possible." which is completely and utterly true. Because that statement is painfully obvious.

Unfortunately and apparently as usual, and like always, NIAC suggests a super secret better way exists, but has absolutely no idea of what that might be. Because if they did, you'd think someone on NIAC staff would get the clue that maybe, just maybe, that information would be worth sending to the guy who knows PhotoShop in the office, and can put that in the full page ad in the Washington Post on a cold Monday morning.

This is the contradiction I pointed to earlier when I said your paragraph contradicts the next paragraph, which incidentally isn't the first time you've done so just in this one post. So let me address this by directly addressing your comment in response to me which are more specific. Here we go..

I would simply like to know more about those diplomacy options that NIAC says have not been exhausted. 

Then you should consider subscribing to their newsletter and reading the large number of articles they frequently publish (almost on a daily basis in fact). 

Your task is made easier because nearly all of the stuff they put it out gets published in mainstream and prestigious places, as opposed to the work of these conspiracy theorists attacking NIAC who live in the fringe and hardly ever are allowed access to mainstream reputable newspapers, shows, or websites. 

What are they?

I hate to do your homework for you, but generally the specific policy prescriptions NIAC puts out depend on the changing geopolitical situation, though broadly the policies remain the same. For instance NIAC has favored talks and not favored talks because what works could be counterproductive if the facts on the ground change. Diplomacy entails a number of things but in the context of the current situation NIAC and staff have sent out a lot of material identifying the problems on all sides during the pathetically brief talks held between the US and Iran under Obama such as attempts from special interests on all sides to scuttle successful talks, timetables, internal divisions in Iran and in the Obama administration, unclear goals and an unclear endgame, ultimatums, refusal to discuss logistics by the US after Iran agreed to a resolution, unrealistic redlines imposed by external parties, refusal to accept Iran's yes because of bad planning and a preference to extract concessions from Russia instead, skepticism from elements in the P5 who possibly intentionally sought to sabotage success, refusal to allow third parties trusted by both sides engage, and a general unsophistication about who to engage with. 

Those are factors I recall off the top of my head and I don't even read NIAC material very often. But as I said, this material is easily accessible and google is your friend. 

Surely you're not arguing that three days consisting of probably less than 24 hours of talks is an "exhaustion of diplomacy." You should look into some of the research pieces done by them on the track record of diplomacy and the factors that worked and didn't work with the case studies they analyze. In fact, I know we may not exactly be a culture that reads much, but NIAC's president wrote an entire book that answers your questions. Based on what I've read from you you seem more attracted to simple answers and shortcuts to thinking, but then it's hardly fair for you to come out and attack a group and ask answered questions when you refuse to do the reading.

In fact, NIAC's president will be on the Daily Show tonight because of the book and he's in the media perhaps more than any other Iranian so you can't really say the policies they advocate are any secret. 

Why is that secret or left off a full page ad? 

Just because one might be too lazy to looking into something that doesn't mean that material is secret. And I'm not sure if you've seen similar full page ads by other groups, but generally the format is very similar. A full page ad isn't where advocacy groups write essays. Those are what articles and books are for. In a full page ad you post what you're advocating, in this case diplomacy and no rush to war. That's what you're raising support for. If you succeed and the administration finds greater political space for diplomacy, then the tactical specifics are available for policy makers and the public at large to access, so that's less important in an ad. 

In short, that's why it's an ad. Aside from infomercials like the one with the shamwow guy, most commercials don't even lay out every detail about their product. And those are products and not complicated questions like diplomacy.

Finally, all you need to know about NIAC is in the black and white ad. Discount Lobbying and Bargain Diplomacy for half the price of color. 

I noticed a similar sentiment you expressed in another blog post, that time over the size of NIAC's stuff. I suppose if rooting against the underdog is your thing, then that will appeal to whoever shares your mindset. 

Personally my thinking is thatif NIAC's staff size is small and it has a tiny budget as you say, that makes their impact even more impressive. 

If a group with such supposedly few resources has had the kind of impact on America's discourse on Iran that NIAC has, they must be some pretty sharp cats. 

You and the many others for and against NIAC who spend countless hours writing and discussing NIAC aren't doing so because they're insignificant, but because they've emerged as a force that can't be ignored regardless of what you think of them.

LA satellite channels wouldn't spend the bulk of their non-rug selling hours discussing NIAC if it was so insignificant. 

The NIAC team, that tiny team of just a few people you wrote about, regularly get called up to present analysis on everywhere from NPR to CNN to the Financial Times and the most highly regarded media outlets out there. Is that a sign of their irrelevance? 

So you can see how your argument actually helps the very people you're bashing. Before you mentioned it I didn't care enough to look into the size of NIAC's staff or its budget, and I'm just going to assume for now that you're right about its size and lack of resources, but the point is that the argument you presented has made me and I'm sure some others reading your post see NIAC's impact as far more impressive than originally thought.

Let me leave with this, if you think NIAC is doing everything wrong or if you think they stand for all the things you oppose, why haven't you registered your own group? It's not hard to get one going, and once it's set up, it should be easy to grow more powerful than NIAC if indeed you're confident you possess the answers that NIAC does not. Or alternatively you could join another group whose views are more aligned with yours. Have you? If so, how does that group's record compare to NIAC's? The easiest thing in the world to do is attack others who have rolled up their sleeves and are actually doing what they think is best. Why won't you put your money where your mouth is and get to work too? And if NIAC is as insignificant as you suggest, which other Iranian group do you know with a list of accomplishments matching NIAC's? Which Iranian groups are out there pushing for student visas or holding conferences on Capitol Hill educating congressional staffers and representatives on the IRI's human rights violations or working to prevent a disastrous war? (you can disregard this last one since your comments in the blog post suggest you favor war). And if you can't find a group whose record compares, then what does that say about Iranians in America that NIAC is preeminent and what does it say about NIAC that they've come as far as they have in a community as apathetic or difficult to work in as ours? 

Bahmani, it's admirable that if nothing else you're thinking about these questions, though I wish you would do a little bit of homework on the groups you hate before you start your attacks. You don't have to agree but so long as you're keeping an open mind and allowing for diverse perspectives, you're on the right track. Because even though we may be diametrically opposed to each other politically, I'm sure you love Iran as much as I do and I'm sure you wish to see a democratic Iran as I do and as long as we share these fundamental bonds of principle I have faith that in the free battle for ideas we'll arrive at answers that will benefit Iran and the collective Iranian family that we both proudly belong to. 

Fesenjoon Jaan- good for Hamas, really!

They're doing what any government should do: they are protecting the interests of their people.  Unlike the IR, and its lackeys and zombies, (some of which are on this very thread) Hamas does not have a policy of "arbadeh keshi" against other nations, demanding destruction of other nations and driving their own people off of a cliff for the sake of someone else's cause.

Hamas has correctly figured out that it is not in its people's interest for it to align itself with the "criminal entity" in Tehran.  In fact, unlike the suicidal, flag burning, 'arbadeh kesh,' "laat," and warmongering criminal entity in Tehran, Hamas has shown to be quite rational and politically savvy (BTW, have you ever seen Hamas ritualistically burn an Israeli flag onthe street?  Think about that for a moment.)  An example of that flexibility is their reconciliation with Fatah, which the lunatic IR was against.  Again, good for them.  They do what they believe is right for their people.  I sincerely hope their efforts pay off and the Palestinian succeed in getting back their land and establishing their own state.  

Hamas also gives its people much more personal freedom than the criminal entity in Tehran.  For one thing, alcohol is permitted in Gaza and there is no forced hejab rule.  Here, see this:

//www.cnn.com/2012/02/16/world/meast/gaza-music-school/index.html?iref=allsearch 

AO, you know what the funny part is?

It's that Palestinians dont give a shit about Iranians.

//www.parsine.com/fa/news/59216

//www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/06/hamas-no-military-aid-for-iran

Activism vs. fence sitting…

FWIW, here is a good example by NIAC of real activism vs. fence sitting by some other opposition groups which seem to be waiting  for the end game just to decide what they want to do with it or who they want to side with.  RP ought to raise his voice with his own ad or his method of choosing,  to voice his position and/or objection to a war on Iran if he wants to be perceived/received as a contender for future leader in Iran.

  This proactivism is a clear distinction between the fence sitters and those who are willing to stick their reputation for their principal and what they believe and Iranian people will certainly remember that.

'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory 

Mehrdad

How many mass Muslim murdering "criminal entities" do our

resident pretend Palestine bleeding heart friends support?  Answer: 4

1) the criminial entity in Khartoom;

2) the criminal entity in Moscow;

3) the criminal entity in Beijing;

4) the criminal enity in Damascus.

NIAC should have asked Mohammad Javad Zarif to add his name too

Since, the NIAC Rahbar had such a good working relationship acting as a liaison between the IRI's former UN envoy and members of Congress, he should have asked Zarif to add his name to the list of "antiwar" dignitaries endorsing this ad.

Some on Mossad payroll or rejected MEK members (same thing)

Sons and Daughters of Basijis!

The Sons and Daughters of Basijis having received some education in the west are trying to sound patriotic!

NIAC did a great job by posting an ad in WP. Those of...

The Treacherous NIAC!

The timing of this ad is vey important. It has come at a time when, once again, the greatest majority of Iranians showed the world how much they hate the regime by declining to go to the polls for the recent "elections."

For NIAC war is only an excuse. As always, NIAC with its privileged position--having its offices in Washington and being connected to some politicians-- is hard at work to divert attention from Iranians' real issues by concentrating on an "imminent war!"

We saw a similar tactic by NIAC right after the presidential elections of 2009. Then too, while millions of Iranians were in the streets protesting against the regime and shouting "Death to the Islamic Republic," thus wanting regime change, NIAC reluctantly paid some lip-service to the abuse of human rights by the regime.

In the meantime, of course, NIAC has been hard at work trying, treacherously, to save the regime from an imminent downfall.

Instead of being on the side of Iranians, NIAC is making every effort to divert attention from the "elections" by talking about war while urging Washington to opt for a policy of appeasement regarding the regime in Tehran. By doing so, NIAC has become the most treacherous and anti-Iranian organization in the past decade!

Good point Fesenjoon

What would happen if the IR comes out and declare that it deos not want Israel wiped out of the map, and puts an end its 33 years of oral diarrhea of "marg bar esraeel?"  Perhaps that would put an end to hostilities, no?

Ahhh, who am I kidding?  Let's 'arbadeh' some more like we've been doing for the past 33 years.  Also, let's burn some flags, fund and arm terrorist groups against Israel--and brag about it--but then cry "mazloom" when Israel responds in kind.  

It's easy to stop the war

All you have to do is stop hating jews, and stop sayinmg Marg bar Israel, and instead focus on your own damn country's problems.

Then you might even see Israel helping you build your country. (oooo, the horror. Jews helping us. God forbid.). 

Ah, but jews are najes. Never mind. It's better if we destroy Israel, like the Imam Ruhollah al-Khumayni said. 

MM Jaan: I suspect they know the intention…

Of the Israelis which is being organized and pushed by AIPAC and they don’t mind it.  I also suspect  deep down they know that the only loser out of all this will be the Iranian people and they don’t mind that either as long as the hated IRI is hurt and set back to some degree.

As for the NIACiers go, what can I say, much like the Birthiers nothing will satisfy them since their opposition is not based on principals and facts but emotions.

'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory 

Mehrdad

Mehrdad Jaan - Never mind the closet war-mongers.

This bombing is not about regime-change, but delaying the suspected nuclear sites.  In Syria, Israel tolerated Assad and his dictator son for forty years and only bombed a suspected nuclear site recently. It is very clear that Israel is only interested in bombing the nuclear sites and wants to drag the US into this mess to accomplish this long range & multi-site mission.  Why else Bibi would come all the way here blowing steam (haart-o poort)?  Why even come here asking or demanding that the US do this or that?  Go do it!!!

NIAC members have made it clear that they do not want to see bombs dropping on their old neighborhoods, friend and relatives.  And, if the west has decided to negociate, then human rights be included in the talks.  However, closet war-mongers here attack anything that resembles voice of reason, especially if it comes from NIAC.  So, let them blow off steam just like Bibi at AIPAC meeting.

PS, J-street is a Jewish lobbying organization that is also aligned against the hawkish stance of AIPAC, Bibi and the gang (including some here).  So, if someone has an anti-AIPAC stance, it is definitely not anti-Jewish

knowing about NIAC

 the fact that if you go to Chelokababi or Sizdeh bedar, many Iranian Americans don't know about NIAC, that is not a negative point for NIAC. Some Iranians in Diaspora don't care about politics. They don't care about politics in Iran, in Us or anything. they just want to make money, be beautiful, go to parties, etc. So it is not fault of NIAC or any other organization if these kind of Iranians don't know about them. However, among Iranian americans who care about poltics, many know about NIAC. They may not support it. They may be opposed to it like Faramarz is, but they know about it.

Faramarz jaan: If your beef is with the semantics ...

And the naming convention, then you ought to write to them and express it so.   That would be a proper and responsible way to deal with it.

And for the record, my comment was very explicit to identify “those of” and not include all Iranian-American community.  Unless of course you don’t believe that those of us who have united under this banner are not part of the Iranian-American community?

'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory 

Mehrdad

Very Simple Mehrdad

Don't call yourself a representative of the Iranian-American community (which I am a proud member for many years), but rather a tiny lobby group of anti AIPAC folks and I will get out of your way immediately.

There is an anti-AIPAC, pro-peace lobby group called J Street. You guys could model yourself after them, if you want my opinion.

haha amazing

AIPAC has over 200 employees and $350,000,000 -$400,000,000 budget.  NIAC has three employees with no more than 200,000 to 300,000 which mostly go to pay rent and its employees.  AIPAC is number one donor for 90% USA senators and congress people.  AIPAC has been instrumental in placing sanctions on Iranian people including civilian parts which lack of them have killed over 2500 innocent Iranians. 

NIAC gets bashed every day on IC.  If Iranians in the USA have not heard about NIAC is NOT NIAC's fault.    Amazing logic from so-called Iranians... haha amazing.

And AIPAC is all about to destroy Iran…

Thru pushing for a war of choice and aggression, thus those of Iranian-American community that have united their voice thru this organization (NIAC) feel compelled to stand up to them and present their case thru a peaceful and civil manner.

  What baffles me is that if you don’t want to join and raise your objection to a warmongering drive, why stand in the way to bash it.  Is their policy and posture that you prefer for Iran or just seeing NIAC in action?

'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory 

Mehrdad

Fesenjoon buddy

You've nailed it.  The [fake] Iranian bleeding heart preoccupation with Isarel has nothing whatsoever to do with "justice for Palestine" or any other humanitarian concern.  If that was the case, they would (and should) have been tearing themselves apart for Chechnya, Darfur, the Chinese Uighurs, etc., which, as you pointed out, they don't.  Much to the contrary, they actually support genocide and crimes against humanity committed against Muslims--who in a lot of cases are much closer to them geographically than Palestine--such as Russian crimes against the Chechens, Armenians against the Azarbaijanis, and, of course, the ongoing mass murder and crimes against humanity in Syria.  

I'm extremely busy with work these days--with Spring coming, and animal habitats and migrations becoming pressing issues.  When I get some time, I will write a blog on the subject.  

niac should be called "NAIPAC" :)

Great one Faramarz, very appropriate.

Question remains, how this tiny grouping of a few hundred (at most),  niac (sorry , NAIPAC) manages to make so much noise and misrepresent the Iranian-American community as a bunch of hatefull individuals with nothing to do other than write hateful blogs about Jews and in favour of Fascist islamic regime of Iran  24/7?

Who payrolls this campaign of hate and mistrepresentation of Iranian-American community  by NIAC? I want to see their books, their accounts, receipts. Anyone???  

Faramarz - you are very correct on both accounts

First, on NIAC's obsession with AIPAC.  Which by the way is not surprsing.  Just look at their supportesr on the IC micro chasm.  They're all about AIPAC and Israel--everything else be damned.  Back to NIAC's obsession.  Just look at this whole OcuupyAIPAC thing.  It looks like NIAC had a healthy hand in the project.  Jamal Abdi was one of the first featured speakers.  See here, March 3, 2012 agenda, 10:30 am:

//www.occupyaipac.org/summit/schedule2012/

I wonder how deep the IR has infiltrated the peace movement in the U.S.?  With all the money that they spend on propaganda and counterintelligence, it must be pretty deep.

And on your second point, I agree.  No one that I know has ever heard of NIAC.  Actually, correction: there's one college professor who I know who may have heard of it.   

NIAC is all about AIPAC

NIAC is all about being anti AIPAC. Therefore, it should call itself NAIPAC!

Every single comment or blog that the NIACies make has to do with AIPAC, and not the Iranian-American community.

One easy way to find out if the Iranian-Americans have even heard of NIAC and its owner Trita is to go to any Iranian supermarket, chelokababi, or since Norooz is just around the corner, just go to a park for 4Shanbeh-Souri or 13-Bedar and ask the folks there what they think of NIAC or Trita. The overwhelming majority of the people have never heard of this private club of several hundred people.

And when it comes to Iran and the Iranians, they have not put forward any vision, a plan or a path forward, just a whole lot of hooey!

Grand Bargain (translation: let's do business with the mollahs)

//www.nationalreview.com/corner/233212/big-lies-and-little-lies-michael-rubin

The Leveretts, who serve as the "Amen Corner" of the Ahmadinejad faction of the IRI, have been peddling the same rubbish for years.

What gives....?

It seems okay on this site to attack NIAC every day but when one speaks against AIPAC, he or she becomes anti-Jews or anti-Semitic.  Something wrong with IC members.

AIPAC with over 200 employees and $300,000,000 -$400,000,000 budget which controls every aspect of US gets no bashing?  As Fred who gets two featured blogs every day (rain or shine) says… what gives?

Reply to RaminJ

Pathetic? I am sorry that you pity me, but I don't really need your pity as much as I need your brain and intellect and consciousness to wake up from your coma and know when you are being spoken for without your authorized permission.

The 8 former folks are that. Former. Or invalid and irrelevant. They had their chance, messed up and now get a quote in an unauthorized self appointed Iranian ad. Not as convincing as someone in charge now on the ad, wouldn't you say? Or are you too, fascinated and impressed and in denial of the many US foreign policy foibles of the past? Such that you are giggly-tickled and impressed by those who foisted it.

Iranian org? If by unelected, unauthorized by the greater Iranian community to act on behalf of them, by merely being Iranian, then yes, they are Iranian. But unelected and unauthorized Iranians. NIAC is a club, not an org. You join it like you do a club. By choice and by paying. Since most have chosen not to join it, it cannot therefore represent Iranian Americans without their authority. So it is unauthorized. It is a politics club. Don't believe it represents the average opinion of Iranian Americans. NIAC cannot prove that, because NIAC has never asked. NIAC has only taken their self appointed unauthorized role, claiming their 2000 odd (very odd indeed!) members represent the pulse of Iranian Americans. Then they do not even ask their own members what they would like NIAc to do/be. That's how it works. Sort of. Due to the inherently bad PR management, most of the decision making is done in secret, so it isn't ever clear where they are taking their 2000 members. You just pay and go along for the ride. Hence odd indeed.

I don't deny Trita's intellect. And with proper presentation to the IA community, with oversight, NIAC could certainly be authorized to represent us. I'm trying to coax out some reason and logic out of NIAC with this. To know that there are diplomacy options, implies you know what they are. But to not say them in the ad is the question. Why?

As I said in another reply, if you and I said that there was a cure for cancer, would we hold it back in a full page ad?

To read more bahmani posts visit: //brucebahmani.blogspot.com/

Regarding NIAC

Ok, we are getting the usual pro and anti NIAC comments. But whatever NIAC's true intentions and where its loyalties, as an organization, lie, one thing I have yet to see is NIAC's solution(s) for sorting out problems between the IR and the West.

NIAC has been very vocal about how the West and the US in particular, should NOT deal with Iran (though curiously, very little about how the IR should not deal with the West). I constantly read NIAC saying the US should not be doing this or should not be doing that in respect of the IR.

But I haven't seen a cohesive case put forward by NIAC as to how the West should deal with the tyranny of the IR and what its approach should be. For example, how does NIAC think the West should approach the numerous gross violations of human rights in Iran?

Anyone?

Thank You NIAC.

Thank You NIAC. Job well done.