Posted on 06/15/2005 11:44:32 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
Top News Story
CNN plays a dangerous game of softball with Rafsanjani
Excerpt:Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani -- now seeking another term as the Islamic republic's elected leader -- said Tuesday the United States has been hostile toward his country for more than 30 years.
The man widely expected to win Friday's presidential election told CNN the United States has taken "steps in the right direction" but must do more to prove to Iranians that it has relinquished what he called "a hostile attitude." READ MOREDoctorZin:
CNN's report reminded me of Dan Rather's interview with Saddam Hussein. It was more of an infomercial for the axis of evil than a legitimate news report.
CNN has an opportunity to ask the hard questions of Rafsanjani. Where were the tough questions about:
If in the next few days, the rest of the mainstream media follows CNN's example, the people of Iran will once again be silenced. If these same media outlets had done this with the Soviet dissidents we may have never seen the collapse of that evil system.
- the recent demonstrations in Iran over women's right?
- the imprisonment and hunger strike of its political dissidents?
- about the coming boycott of the election?
- about the fact the real power in Iran is with the Supreme Leader making the election a mere show for the western media?
- and the many hard questions about Iran's nuclear program?
- The New York Times reported that Iran has admitted to experimenting with producing plutonium, much more recently than it originally told the U.N.
- Times Online points out the dangers of a Rafsanji President and that few Iranians want an Iranina nuclear bomb. They fear that the possession of a nuclear bomb would entrench the hardline regime.
- Dow Jones Newswires reported that some 300 Iranian Kurds celebrating the election of their leader to office in Iraq clashed with police in northwestern Iran.
- SF Chronicle, says Iran's mullahs have a problem. Obliged to hold a presidential vote Friday, they've cleared the field of most dissidents. But will voters buy this rigged setup and keep the clerical kingdom intact?
- VOA News reported that two members of Congress want to ban gasoline shipments to Iran.
- Iran va Jahan reported that four young Iranians in London staged a hunger strike in front of the Islamic Republic Embassy, includes the text of their brochure. Well said.
- U.S. Department of State reported Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice saying, I have to say that a process by which the candidates were pre-selected by the mullahs before they could run doesn't really fit my definition of a free and democratic election.
- Reuters reported that Police on Wednesday broke up a protest outside Tehran's Evin prison by more than 100 people demanding the release of all political prisoners.
- Reuters reported that a group of leading international human rights organizations said the Iranian judiciary should immediately release prisoners of conscience, particularly those in urgent need of medical treatment.
- Sify.com reported that Rafsanjani won the support from the oil and nuclear sectors.
- Iran Focus reported that Iran presidential candidate Moin hints at bombings being “insider job.”
- In a Press Release, the Hakha Movement claims the Islamic Republic of Iran will be overthrown June 16.
- The NY Sun reported that an analyst for the Pentagon, Lawrence Franklin, conspired to funnel classified information to Israel.
- IranMania reported that UN Nuclear Watchdog Chief Mohamed Elbaradei said, "Iran's nuclear dossier at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would be closed once all remaining questions would be promptly answered."
- And finally, Gene Sharp, author of some of the finest work on non-violent regime change methodology is being forced to close his Albert Einstein Institution due to lack of funding.
"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail DoctorZin
Join Us At Today's Iranian Alert Thread – The Most Underreported Story Of The Year!
"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail DoctorZin”
CNN...didn't they perform the same service for Saddam Hussein?
My point exactly.
Is this boycott going to be big tomorrow?
Doesn't matter if 99% of the country boycott. There are no independent observors - all of them work for the Islamic Republic so they can say whatever percentage voted. That's why I don't see the big deal in this boycott not like it will be reported as the actual number.
Has CNN forgotten to read the Axis of Evil list, again?
It is important, Freedom44.
(from the Wall St. journal article, "May God Be Our guide"............
""The second reason not to go to the polls is that the regime has no respect for the opinion of the people. What the regime is saying is that the more people in line to vote, the more successful the election will appear to be. They think that the public will interpret a big turnout as support for the regime, without reflecting on the years of intimidation and terror."
"If people go out and vote, they are ratifying a criminal process carried out by a so-called Islamic Republic, which does not follow the principles of Islam at all. There is nothing in the Quran that allows the clergy to be involved in government. By voting, the people would legitimize the slaughter of our youth, the destruction of our culture and economy, the murders of innocent citizens, and the tragedy of Iran today. This kind of election is a betrayal of Islam...."
"We human beings are made in the image of God, so we do know the difference between right and wrong without being guided by clerics who have usurped power. The right thing is not to become a participant in elections that are an insult to all the principles of the Quran and to all humanity."
Actually Boycott matters because the Media will only report the turnout numbers and it shows the level of legitimacy of the Mullahs
To read today’s thread click here.
Join Us At Today's Iranian Alert Thread – The Most Underreported Story Of The Year!
"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail DoctorZin”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.