As Talks Stall with Iran, U.S. Steps Up Propaganda War
ipsnews.net / Barbara Slavin
16-Feb-2011 (5 comments)

In the wake of the mass protests that ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Washington has begun to "tweet" in Farsi as well as Arabic. President Obama - and to an even greater extent, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton - have toughened their language against the Iranian government. Meanwhile, the troubled Persian service of the Voice of America has hired a U.S. Foreign Service officer to direct broadcasting to Iran. 

Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says that the administration was more inhibited when protests broke out following Iran's disputed 2009 presidential elections because "Obama still held out hope of reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran. Today I think the White House has come to the conclusion that they can't reach a modus vivendi with a regime that seemingly needs them as an adversary." 

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Darius Kadivar

Ramin Asgard at Helm of VOA Persian (PNN)

by Darius Kadivar on Wed Feb 16, 2011 01:52 PM PST

Trita Parsi, head of NIAC, said Asgard had once suggested that the grassroots group help him recruit interns for the Dubai office but Parsi said he was not in a position to help and no funds were offered. While in Dubai, Asgard did promote scientific and cultural exchanges with Iran, which was – and remains - the policy of the U.S. government. 

Sadjadpour said Asgard was chosen in part to insulate VOA from Congressional complaints that the service was not sufficiently taking account of U.S. government views. 

"The heads of VOA think they need to protect themselves against Congress and he [Asgard] checked some of the right boxes," Sadjadpour said. 


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Escape

Unfortunately the Mullahs are smarter than the Dems

by Escape on Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:17 PM PDT

 Unfortunately the Mullahs appear to be smarter than the Leftist Dems in America.That's a credit to them but not much of one!


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SecularDemocraticIran

democrats are bunch of idiots

by SecularDemocraticIran on Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:47 AM PDT

 
the Iranian mullahs have all these propaganda machines such as PressTV, TehranTimes, Payvand News,... while the US has none thanks to the idiots in WH's "political correctness". Hillary just realized that weakness last month, her response:
"Oh, I got solution.... a twwitter account in Farsi!!!"
 idiots!!!


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Fred

Amature hour at VOA Persian

by Fred on Wed Feb 16, 2011 02:26 PM PST

It seems the governing board is intent on continuing the aimless drifting of VOA Persian.

This appointment of someone with questionable qualification and known leanings and cooperation with a lobbyist, whose extensive contacts and friendship with the Islamist Rapist officials are a matter of public record, is another example of what US policy toward Islamist Rapists is suffering from.  

Both Setareh Derakhshesh and Shahriar Ahi who were under consideration for the position, would had been a 1000% improvement over this new head of Persian service. On the job training and amateur hour at VOA to continue.


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Darius Kadivar

Profile of Ramin ASGARD (PAAIA)

by Darius Kadivar on Wed Feb 16, 2011 01:54 PM PST


Profile of Ramin ASGARD (PAAIA)

 

Ramin Asgardis a career Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State.  Hecurrently serves as a Political Advisor to General David Petraeus at U.S.Central Command in Tampa, Florida.  His work at CENTCOM focuses on Iran,Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula.  Prior to joining CENTCOM,Mr. Asgard served as Director of the Iran Regional Presence Office (IRPO) inDubai, the US government’s primary field operation concerning Iran. 

Mr.Asgard has also served as Deputy Political Counselor in Riyadh,Economic/Commercial Officer in Kabul, Pol/Econ Officer in the UAE, and as aConsular Officer in Turkey.  Mr. Asgard has served domestically as anInternational Affairs Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and as DeskOfficer for Iraq, Iran, and Turkey.  He has received the 2007 Secretary’sAward for Public Outreach, the 2003 Charles Cobb Award for Trade Promotion,three Superior Honor Awards and six Meritorious Honor Awards. 

Prior tojoining State, Mr. Asgard practiced law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He received his JD degree from Tulane University, his MA in Political Sciencefrom the University of Pennsylvania, and his BA from Temple University. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.


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