[DoctorZIn]

SMCCDI: "Clarify Your Position, Secretary Powell"

Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran (SMCCDI)
________________

July 7, 2003

The Honorable Colin Powell
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520

Fax: 202-261-8577

Sir,

The coming week is the most important in the last 25 years, for the Iranian people and perhaps the world. The next few days will determine our future. It will determine whether Iran will join the world community. Whether it will join in the fight against international terrorism or continue to be it’s biggest supporter.

As you must be aware, July 9th is destined to be the confrontation between the regime and the lovers of freedom. The level of support by the people of Iran will determine its outcome.

The recent statements of support by your president in our quest for freedom were of great encouragement to us. His statements were clear and unmistakable.

In contrast, your words have caused more damage than anything the regime could do or say. We expected the regime to doing everything possible to discourage the people from any protest on this date. What we did not expect is for you, our moral ally in this struggle, to agree with the regime in its analysis of the conflict.

At this most critical moment in Iran’s history, your statements have caused widespread confusion, shock, despair and anger within Iran.

You are an intelligent man with great accomplishments in this administration. That is why it is so difficult for the people of Iran to understand your greatly flawed understanding of our struggle against the tyranny of the present regime. Your statements are not consistent with the facts, as they exist in Iran today.

In your statement this weekend, it is reported that, that you said the United States should stay out this Iranian "family fight" and that it is your hope that "the United States had learned its lesson not to interfere in Iran's affairs." It sounded like a press statement from the regime, not the US Secretary of state. This is not a family fight. The regime does not reflect the will of the people of Iran. It is not an Iranian regime but a radical Islamic regime. This regime hates Iran, our love for our culture, our history. It has taken hostage our entire country. They are not part of our family.

If your statement was designed to make clear that the United States was not prepared to back up our efforts militarily, we understand that. We have consistently and repeatedly declared that we do not need your military support. But we do need your encouragement. The people of Iran need to know that the United States supports the morally correctness of opposing this regime. Yours is one of the few nations to speak with moral clarity in our world today, which is why your statements are so discouraging to millions of Iranians.

You spoke of Iran as a democracy. But it is not a true democracy. As you must know the regime only permits people who support the regime to be placed on the ballot. Our true leaders are not in the regime or its parliament. They are either in prison or in hiding. We do not support the so-called reform movement. In our last election, we asked the people of Iran not to participate any longer in the illegitimate elections of this illegitimate regime. As a result, fewer than 12% of the public voted and this in a nation where voting is mandatory. The people of Iran no longer support either the so-called reformist or conservative elements of the regime. Please do not support them either.

This is not a conflict between the reformers and the hardliners, as you appear to assume. The protests in our country are lead by a third force that supports a true secular democratic republic. It is no longer a student movement alone; it is broad based with supporters every aspect of our society.

We are calling for a national referendum where the people of Iran can judge the legitimacy of this regime. We believe a separation of religion and state are necessary and therefore seek the establishment of a secular government. But, we will respect the will of the Iranian people whatever their choice may be. Only the Iranian people can determine their own future. We simply ask for your moral support.

The hours are ticking by before the July 9th demonstrations and strikes are to begin.

We need a clear statement of your support for our efforts.

We beseech you to clarify your position for the entire world to hear, before it is too late.

We are prepared to be the friends of the United States that you have longed for. Secretary Powell: give us a chance, give us your support, do it now, before it’s too late!


Respectfully,

On behalf of SMCCDI,

Aryo B. Pirouznia (for the Committee)


SMCCDI
5015 Addison Circle #244 Addison, TX 75001 (USA)
Phone: +1 (972) 504-6864; E.Mail: smccdi@daneshjoo.org
www.smccdi.org; www.daneshjoo.org; www.iranstudents.org

http://www.iran-daneshjoo.org/cgi-bin/smccdinews/viewnews.cgi?category=5&id=1057598723

"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail me”

DoctorZin Note: I will be publishing an American version of this letter shortly. We need to fax or email this to Secretary Powell and the media immediately.

This second post will appear shortly.

[Khashayar]

Did any one forward this to Medias and organizations?
I will do it soon.
Lets support the movement inside Iran with whatever means we have.

[risk]

I'd like to create a shortened version of this letter to send to president@whitehouse.gov. I will work on that much later tonight after I am done working.

Note: I will stress the notion that this is a critical moment that should not be lost. I will also remind President Bush of the Kurds and the Shia peoples in Iraq, and how they suffered because of our inability to act over the past 12 years. This is a chance to do the right thing in real time.

However, I have warned you that you could be let down by America. Please don't hate us if this happens. Remember that you need to own your own revolution. Good people from around the world will come to your aid when they see you willing to shed your own blood for freedom.

[Nix 2]

I confess I have often been shocked at the opposition to the White House position Powell so often exhibits, and I can not, for the life of me, understand why he still heads up the State Department nor why at least half of its employees are not in jail...including Powell who needs to keep his mouth shut or have it sown shut.
I can only imagine what cold chills his latest pronouncements must have given those who are looking to us for help.
I remember Tienemin Square when we silently watched tanks drive over the Statue of Liberty and all the students in their paths.
Lord, grant our president the will to never stand idly by when those whom we have encouraged believe in us enough to put their lives at risk for freedom.
We stand with you. Salute to a new dawn of freedom on July Ninth.
Below is Kharazi's response to Powell's words.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi:

Iranian FM says there are signs of acceptance of reality in Powell's words, warns against US positions' inconsistency.


TEHRAN - Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi on Friday welcomed what he called a shift in the US position toward last month's student-led demonstrations which swept Iranian cities, the state news agency IRNA reported.

"There are signs of an acceptance of the reality in the words of US Secretary of State Colin Powell," said Kharazi.

Powell said Wednesday that Washington should avoid a direct role in anti-regime protests in Iran, arguing US interests would be best served by stepping back and waiting.

"The best thing we can do right now is not get in the middle of this family fight too deeply," he said.

The demonstrations have evaporated after peaking in mid-June. Security forces made 4,000 arrests during the June 10-20 wave of protests, which were marked by unprecedented slogans against Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader.

As the protests unfolded, Powell and other US officials were quick to offer moral support to the demonstrators.

At one point on June 17, Powell said the United States was "encouraging" but not "fomenting" the protests and then five days later said Washington had a duty to do so.

Iranian officials reacted angrily to the remarks, accusing the United States of meddling in its internal affairs.

Kharazi welcomed the change of tone but cautioned that "there is no consistency in the positions of the Americans, and that's because they do not have accurate information on Iranian society and are easily influenced.

"Today, they have realised that this unrest was unimportant," he said.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Worth repeating:

"Today, they have realised that this unrest was unimportant," he said.

Let July Ninth make a liar of him.

[risk]

To: president@whitehouse.gov
Subject: Support the Iranian Revolution July 9th!

Dear President Bush and cabinet:

Please listen to the Iranian youth as they cry out for help in
fomenting regime change there tomorrow. They are hoping against hope
that America is with them. They would bring democracy and freedom to
their land. Please do not let them down as the west once did the Kurds and
the Shia muslims in Iraq. I understand that your plans are complex,
but some things are simple: democracy could succeed in Iran where it
is currently still experimental in Iraq.

The students are ready to fight. They are ready to support American
special forces and American advanced landing units. Don't turn your
face away!

Very best regards,

XXXX