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Nobel Laureate, Wiesel, Publishes NY Times Ad Calling for Sanctions
07-Feb-2010
Cross posted to Tikun Olam:
Elie Wiesel's much ballyhooed full page N.Y. Times ad came out today. It offers strong support for the Iranian reform movement and denounces the clerical regime. The only purely political stance it advocates is sanctions. There is no mention of force. As close as the statement gets is:
"Concrete measures much be taken to protect this new nation of dissidents so that their sacrifice is not...in vain."
This statement echoes the current Israeli policy which advocates punishing sanctions to be followed, when they fail, presumably by calls for a military attack. I presume that in a few months we'll see another ad by Wiesel with those Nobel laureates foolish enough to sell the spirit of their medal for a mess of porridge and a few bunker bombs.
There is one strange notion in the text of this ad. It calls on Presidents Obama, Sarkozy, Medvedev, and Gordon Brown and Chancellor Merkel to "put an end to this outrage." How are they supposed to do this? And why would Wiesel presume that it would be a good thing for them to do so? This statement could easily be construed as an incipient call for intervention in Iran's internal afffairs. Certainly, the next step would be an ad with such a call for regime change or military attack.
Another element in the rhetoric to which I object: there's a distinct notion of western noblesse oblige about the whole thing. Iran's regime has "now attained new levels of horrror" with "thousands arrested...tortured, raped, and killed, many by hanging." Sounds pretty bad doesn't it? Till you stop to think, isn't there another country in the region which kills on a far larger scale and with far more technological dexterity? One that is currently under consideration by the UN for a war crimes referral to the International Criminal Court. Hmmm, who could that be? And could it be an accident that Elie Wiesel, friend of Dershowitz and Hagee, might have an ulterior motive in pointing to Iran as the supreme menace to world peace?
To be clear, this post is not a defense of Iran's current regime. Anyone who reads this blog knows that it is not my purpose.
A few interesting notes about the signatories and those who are missing. First, almost all signers are scientists and I'm not sure why we should trust a scientist speaking about Iranian political affairs any more than Iran analysts, academics and Iranian activists, almost all of whom speak of sanctions as counter-productive. Second, Desmond Tutu signed an earlier Wiesel ad which did not call for sanctions. He is missing from this ad. Also missing are Israel's latest laureate, Ada Yonath, who pointedly attacked the Israeli Occupation the very day she won her award. It must've taken some courage for her to resist the urge to sign. Predictably among the signers is perhaps the most extreme right-winger among them, pro-settler Robert Aumann. Other than Betty Williams, Jo Williams and Wole Soyinka, there are no Peace or Literature laureates at all. This includes Al Gore, Jimmy Carter, Shirin Abadi, and Barack Obama (missing). Missing also is Alan Dershowitz, who never won a Nobel. Maybe they'll have to create a new category for pro-Israel propagandist.
M.J. Rosenberg reports at Huffington Post that the Senate approved an Aipac-inspired Iran sanctions bill with only FIVE MINUTES of debate and only three senators on the floor! How's that for democracy?
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Yossi Sarid's response to Wiesel
by Farzad Khabiri on Tue Apr 20, 2010 12:45 PM PDTReally?
by NOT_AK69 on Tue Feb 09, 2010 04:40 PM PST" To be clear, this post is not a defense of Iran's current regime. Anyone who reads this blog knows that it is not my purpose. "
//iranian.com/main/blog/richards1052/iran-attack-could-set-reform-movement-back-50-years
???
AK69
Israel is Iran's best friend
by argebam on Tue Feb 09, 2010 01:02 PM PSTNow that I have your attention, you should know that we may have common interests with Israel. Historically they have been our friend, Iranian Jews are some of the most nationalist you ever see, part of our anctient history has been saved by them. Presently and geopolitically we have common interestes. We have no interest with Lebanon nor Palestine and we should sway from this type of thinking which is in line with what IRI has spread and Iranian leftist pushed for last 40 years. Jewish people provide 6000 inventions a year ad help humanity, Muslims 1/4 of the world population is merely end users. I am not a jew nor a Muslim (I am agnostic) but put yourselves in Jewish people shoes for one minute and think.
If sanctions do not work chnaces of attack increase
by argebam on Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:53 PM PSTWe are in bad situation, we better hope crippling sanctions will work. Only pragmatic and politiacally minded people understand the lessor evil. No one is seeling their medal rather are being pragmatic. If you knew the history you would agree too.
Bavafa
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Mon Feb 08, 2010 05:11 PM PSTA pretext to military attack and destructions.
No it means they want regime change. I don't think US is up to attacking Iran yet. They rather have Iranians do the regime change internally. The IRR is definitely playing in the hand of those who want regime change. Khamenei is an idiot. I just talked to another friend in Iran who is in West for a few weeks. The atmosphere there is very anti-Khamenei and anti IRR. People are scared alright. But they also hate the regime. Even the religious types hate the regime. The whole taboo against criticizing VF is gone. The IRR is phasing out the subsidies which means more angry people. With inflation running rampant and the sanctions no one will support the regime. My belief is that it won't come to an attack. If it does there won't be much resistance.
Ahmad from Bahrain: "Crippiling sanctions" means
by Bavafa on Mon Feb 08, 2010 04:43 PM PSTA pretext to military attack and destructions. They can't just go and bomb the hell of another country and still pretend that they want to follow the law. Some active bloger on this very site openly admit to this that if sanction does not lead to military attack, it will be useless. Do I need to say who writes a couple of blogs a day and advocate "airtight sanction"
Mehrdad
Democratic my foot
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Mon Feb 08, 2010 03:16 PM PSTThese Nobel Laureates have the perfect background to cut America's foreign policy to overthrow democratically elected president Ahmadinejad....that is if you asked Netanyahu!
Don't you get tired of spewing Soviet type propaganda? AN is about as "democratic" as the "decmoratic republic of East Germany".
Thanks! but NO thanks
by Fatollah on Mon Feb 08, 2010 02:59 PM PSTwe don't need this at this juncture, never was for sanctions or intervention of any kind! the last thing we need is a statement from SarGoozy or Brown.
No offence Mr. Elie Wiesel.
Sanction those thieves!
by statira on Mon Feb 08, 2010 01:25 PM PSTSanction is good as long as, it's limited to the Revolutioary gaurds, regime elites and not affecting ordinary people. Billions of dollors is in the regime thieves' bank accounts in foreign countris. Thugs such as Ahkond Janati, Akhond Yazdi, Kharmenei's family, Larijani's brothers and Ahmaghinejes' family who don't worth a penny have billions in forign banks. All should be frozen and return to the Iranian people later when regime went to hell.
a confluence of 2 competing worlds....
by Ali9 Akbar on Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:40 AM PSTI cannot help but note the antisemitism of this blog ...
But I do agree that the government of Israel has a lot of questions to answer to because of the Palestinian issue within Israel....
Now factor in the issue of the IRI and their mistreatment of non-Muslims and we have the textbook case of a conundrum.... What we need to do is the SEPARATE each issue and try to resolve BOTH ISSUES simultaneously....
I am no longer satisfied with the lesser of 2 evils scenario because that is why the world is in this mess to begin with...
"Weasel" Nobel Laureate, father of Holocaust Industry
by Jaleho on Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:00 AM PSTshould consult the other Nobel Laureate, the mastermind of Cambodia massacre, that of East Timor, the savior of Israel in Yom Kippur war, and the mastermind of the military coup in Chile against the democratically elected Salvador Allende.... Mr. Henry Kissinger.
These Nobel Laureates have the perfect background to cut America's foreign policy to overthrow democratically elected president Ahmadinejad....that is if you asked Netanyahu!
Freedom of speech in the USA means??
by Javadagha on Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:15 AM PSTFreedom of speech in the USA means; you can criticize Iran, but NO one would dare to criticize Israel.
Why this Eli Weasel does not have a red nose? He should, he would be more convincing. :-)
Re: "Crippiling sanctions"
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Mon Feb 08, 2010 10:20 AM PSTAhmed, make no mistake the sanctions are crippling. They mean:
I don't have the whole list but living under sanctions is no fun. You have to assess things honestly and sanctions are very tough.
"Crippiling sanctions"
by Ahmed from Bahrain on Mon Feb 08, 2010 09:47 AM PSTCan someone please define what does that mean?
Me believe that this is another double speak by those in the know - those who run US behind the scenes - But I would love to hear from those in the know.
Ahmed from Bahrain
Nobel Prize
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Mon Feb 08, 2010 06:18 AM PSTThis whole Nobel Peace Prize is becoming very political. They are giving the Nobel Prize to the most undeserving people: Kissinger; Arafat; Begin; Rabin; Carter; Obama. I like Obama; I voted for him but what did he do to promote peace? Jimmy Carter?? The man who brought down the Shah and ushered in the age of Islamic radicals?
This is a political move. Make no mistake. It is ham handed and not helpful. I think the Nobel awarding committee needs to wake up. I am all for the democracy movement. But I am not a fan of foreign intervention. There is however one thing Obama can do. Go on National TV and state:
Shameless indeed
by MeyBokhor_Manbarbesuzan on Mon Feb 08, 2010 05:47 AM PSTPop goes the Weasel!
It must be genetic
by پندارنیک on Mon Feb 08, 2010 03:43 AM PSTNo matter what; these people always look like they have been just liberated by the Red Army from the camp. But these folks actually own and run the USA.
My spelling sucks!
by میرزا چغندر on Mon Feb 08, 2010 02:53 AM PSTA Wiesel indeed!
Does Wiesel have ANY crediblity at all
by Q on Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:37 PM PSTafter his shameless full-fledged backing of the Iraq war. He wasted no media opportunity for pushing for an invasion, and now he's on Iran's case.
//www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,79885,00.html
Good blog post. I submit
by Sargord Pirouz on Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:36 PM PSTGood blog post.
I submit Elie Wiesel's time would be better spent with fellow holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein, discussing her recent activism against the inhumane seige imposed by Israel upon the residents of Gaza, 800,000 of which are children.
Maybe Wiesel would learn something new for a change. Just maybe.
Butt out, please!
by Jahanshah Javid on Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:16 PM PSTIt is this kind of non-sense which infuriates much of the opposition against the Islamic Republic.
Foreign intervention in the form of sanctions or, worse, military attacks will only help the regime win its absurd argument that any opposition is part of an overall conspiracy backed by foreign powers.
You want to put put real pressure on the Islamic Republic? Don't ban gasoline sales which will make life miserable for the whole population who need to make a living driving their car or truck!
Instead block the foreign bank accounts of key individuals within the regime. Ban trade with companies owned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. Use satellites to provide free internet service to Iranians who rely on it to organize/publicize protests and break the regime's monopoly on the media. Give more tourist and student visas to Iranians to experience and appreciate democratic values and spread them at home...
But please, DO NOT send Obama, Brown, Sarkozy and Netanyahou to the rescue. This is an IRANIAN struggle for democracy and the moral support of the international community will suffice.