Daily Briefing on Iran 12/28/2005

There are many valuable, interesting and disturbing articles this past week. I will try to highlight the first one of each day, and leave the rest up to you. I hope everyone had a nice Christmas or Hanukkah. May the New Year bring many blessings and changes for the good of humanity.

Sunday, Dec. 25, 2005. Merry Christmas!
Friedman on The Real Iran Myths
Thomas L. Friedman, The New York Times:

I'd like to thank Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for his observation that the Nazi Holocaust against the Jews was just a "myth." You just don't see world leaders expressing themselves so honestly anymore — not about the Holocaust but about their own anti-Semitism and the real character of their regimes.

But since Iran's president has raised the subject of "myths," why stop with the Holocaust? Let's talk about Iran. Let's start with the myth that Iran is an Islamic "democracy" and that Ahmadinejad was democratically elected. [continue reading]

The good Dr. Zin has this to add, " It’s great to see the NY Times got this one right. A must read."

Monday, Dec. 26, 2005.
Iran Denies Receiving Russian Nuke Offer
The Jerusalem Post: Sunday Tehran denied receiving a proposal from Russia to move it's uranium enrichment facilities. Thursday, however, it is out in the open because they aparently accepted!

Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2005.
Bill Frist: Reining in Iran [Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) is Senate Majority Leader, The Los Angeles Times]:

Iran's ruling mullahs have waged a 26-year campaign to suppress dissent, support terror and pursue a nuclear weapons program. In recent weeks, it has become clear that international efforts to stop Iran's atomic program have failed to bear fruit. Unless we act quickly, the United States will have a nuclear crisis on its hands.

Today's Iran presents a sharp contrast between a ruling class hostile to the world and a populace ready to rejoin the global community. The Iranian people's desire for freedom, however, hasn't stopped he nation's leaders from trying to build a fearsome arsenal. Continue reading.

Doctor Zin continues, "He has yet to call for hearings on pending the Iran Freedom Act. Call his office and ask for him to call for hearings now!"

Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2005.
MEMRI reported that Iraqi reformist Dr. Abd Al-Khaleq Hussein criticized the Iranian and Syrian regimes and their actions in Iraq and Lebanon. He wrote that these regimes were fascist.

Shahram Rafiizadeh, Rooz Online reported that this past week's union strike of Bus drivers in Tehran is the most serious confrontation between workers and government officials during the last two decades.

Rooz Online reported that in a public letter, Ms Shafiee, the wife of imprisoned journalist and writer Akbar Ganji has called the recent statements of Mahmud Salarkia, the deputy prosecutor of Tehran to be laughable.

Bill Gertz, The Washington Times reported that several Chinese companies involved in selling missile goods and chemical-arms materials to Iran have been hit with U.S. sanctions.

Thursday, Dec. 29, 2005.

Hassan Abbasi, ... the director of the Center for Security Doctrines ... “Mr. Khatami! It is your Dialogue Between Civilizations that is thwarting Lebanon’s Hizbullah struggle. I am proud that foreign terrorists are trained by us. Who cares that Mr. Khatami calls this violence. Mr. Khatami, we will dry out the roots of the Anglo-Saxon race. One ninth of the US budget last year was our work” he clarified. Ruydad website published more of Abbasi’s words as follows: “Hassan Abbasi further said ’29 weak spots have been identified in the US and the West to be attacked… Anything that can be done to terrorize and create fright in the atheist camp is our privilege and honor… We have identified 6,000 nuclear warheads in the US to be detonated. We have informed guerrilla groups of their weak spots and shall act through them… We have also created a department for Britain and its destruction is on our agenda. We even work with the Mexicans, Argentineans and anybody else who has a problem with the US.’” Continue reading.

What is Dr. Zin's frustration? "When will the mainstream media report that it is not only Ahmadinejad who is a threat and Israel is not the only target?

Iran Focus reported that thousands of Iraqis turned out to demonstrate in Baghdad against Iranian meddling in December 15 parliamentary elections.

The New York Times reported that new U.S. sanctions against state-owned Chinese companies accused of aiding Iran's missile and chemical programs could signal a harder line toward Tehran.

Los Angeles Daily News reported that U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman is making Iran his mission.