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Iran - Member of the Axis of Evil? Part 1

Dorsett Bennett Salem-News.com

When will Americans understand Iran?

 

 

May-12-2009 07:29

 

 

Street scene in Tehran

Courtesy: p.vtourist.com

 

(SALEM, Ore.) - I have been a dedicated Iran ‘watcher’ for years. Like practically every other country in the world, it is difficult for a foreigner to understand the intricacies and complexities of that most civilized country.

 

I certainly don't pretend to have any great understanding of the country. An Iranian ‘wag’ said that under the Shah, Iranians would drink in public and pray in private.

 

Under the Islamic Republic, they now pray in public and drink in private. There are certainly many things about present-day Iran that can be legitimately criticized. Examples include the suppression of women's rights and absurdly ridiculous incidents like the recent arrest and conviction of the Iranian American journalist.

 

But I have also read that Iran has not invaded another country in about 300 years. I am not sure that is correct, but the United States has only been an independent country for 233 years, and we have invaded numerous countries.

 

There are a number of ethnic groups that live in Iran. The largest group is that of the Persians. According to the CIA World Factbook and other Western sources, ethnicity/race in Iran breaks down as follows: Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%.

 

However, these statistics are largely discredited and viewed as flawed by Iranians themselves, because the Western data ignores considerable intermarriage rates over centuries between these groups, and the fact that almost all of these groups speak Persian as well as their ethnic language, and identify with their sub-identity only secondarily.

 

Moreover, there is debate as to what the definition of a Persian is. According to Western sources, such as the CIA World Factbook, anyone in Iran who associates with a regional linguistic sub-identity is deemed an "ethnic minority", even though the individual speaks Persian as their first language, and is ethnically indistinguishable from the rest of Iranians, including Persians. Conversely, Western sources erroneously define the "Persian" "ethnicity" as basically anyone living in Iran who does not claim a secondary regional linguistic identity.

 

There are ethnic rights movements amongst the Kurdish and the Baloch groups. The Baloch terrorist group, Jondallah, has probably received financial and tactical advice from the United States government in an effort to destabilize Iran's regime.

 

Some of you might remember the February 2007 car bomb attack against a bus transporting members of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) just outside of the provincial capital of Zahedan, that left 11 dead and scores injured, have become a Jondallah signature.

 

Under the definition of State Supported Terrorism, as put forth by the United States government, it would appear that the US is guilty of State Supported Terrorism. It is certainly nothing new.

 

An autobiographical type book The Quiet American, by a British journalist, Graham Greene, and later made into a superior movie starring Michael Caine and Brandon Fraser, sets forth in a fictionalized novel, how the CIA assisted pro-USA and non-Communist rebels in Vietnam in the 1950s against America's ally France. The group utilized car bombings in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), along with random massacres of villagers in an attempt to smear the communist revolutionary group the Viet Minh (later merged into the Viet Cong), led by Ho Chi Minh.

 

Later on we instigated the overthrow and assassination of the president of the South Vietnam. The arrest and assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem, then president of South Vietnam, marked the culmination of a successful CIA-backed coup d'état in November 1963. 10 years later, in 1973 the CIA provided assistance for the overthrow of leftist Chilean Pres. Salvador Allende.

 

Allende was President of Chile from November 1970 until his suicide during the coup d'état of 9/11, 1973 by the Chilean military. I could go on and give numerous other examples of such war crimes, but I think you get the point.

 

========================================================

 

Dorsett Bennett is a disabled and recently retired lawyer who moved to Salem in October 2008. Politically and historically aware since age 12, he was a moderate to liberal Republican from 1971 until 2004, and now considers himself an Independent/Libertarian. Seth says much of his writing conveys his belief that in reality, the federal government does not follow the Constitution. He says it should leave other governmental powers up to the citizens of the individual states, rather than to concentrate power in Washington DC; where the Military-Industrial (and now Political) Complex has bankrupted the nation and unconstitutionally regulates all of us; even those few who do actually know better. To quote the iconic cartoon character Charlie Brown, "Good Grief." Bennett says he is self-aware enough to admit that he has beliefs or positions that can be considered to be either liberal or conservative.

 

 

 

Comments

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Dorsett Bennett May 12, 2009 8:45 pm (Pacific time)

 

To Baloch: In working on this three-part series I learned that the people in the Iranian province of Sistān and Balūchestān are mostly Inayatullah Baloch , are mostly Sunni and speak the Baluchi language. While I have known for years that he was Iranian by birth, I also learned that Iraq's most influential Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Sistani, is also originally from that province though he currently resides in Najaf, Iraq. One of the ironies of life is that he comes from a province that is numerically dominated by Sunni Muslims. My further research has caused me believe that the Balochi people's experience has not been dissimilar to that of the Kurds, divided amongst three countries, and suffering oppression by at least two of the countries. I am sorry to learn that! I have also read that the Jindullah terrorist organization are not actually seeking independence from Iran, but rather to obtain the protections from the Shiite theocracy that governs the country. I am also under the impression that there are far more people of Baloch origin in Pakistan, then either Iran or Afghanistan. The only thing I found in reference to an Iranian invasion of 1928 was an Internet site that clearly had an ax to grind. I did find other information that the territories of the Balochi people were a political football between the Iranians and the British primarily from 1871 to the 1930s, with the British ceding control of Balūchestān to the Iranian's in an effort to influence them against the Russian Empire. Another website by an Inayatullah Baloch provided the following information: The Goldsmid Line (the southern part of the Perso-Baluch Frontier) was imposed on the Khan by the British Government in 1871. In 1896, when the rest of the Perso-Baluch Frontier was demarcated, the Khanate, an independent state, was not consulted. The partition of Seistan was unjust because Seistan was autonomous and the majority of the population, which was Baluch, recognized the Khan as their suzerain. The Sanjrani chief of Chakansur (Seistan) refused to accept Afghan rule in 1882. The British reports clearly suggest that the Baluch people resented the rule of Iran and desired to accept, the status of a British protectorate against Iranian rule. The partition of Baluchistan took place without taking into consideration the 4 factors of geography, culture, history, and the will of the people. However, the final outcome of the boundary settlements imposed on the Baluch as: 1. Seistan and Western Makran, Sarhad, etc. became part of Iran. 2. Outer Seistan and Registan came under the control of Afghanistan. 3. Jacobabad, Derajat and Sibi were included in British India. 4. The Khanate of Baluchistan was recognized as an independent state with status of a protectorate. Nevertheless, Baluch tribes in the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century showed their hatred of the unnatural and unjust partition through their revolts against British and Persian rule. Gul Khan, a nationalist writer, wrote: “Due to the decisions of (boundary) Commissions more than half of the territory of Baluchistan came under the possession of Iran and less than half of it was given to Afghanistan. The factor for the division of a lordless Baluchistan was to please and control Iran and Afghanistan governments against Russia” in favour of Britain. In 1932, the Baluch Conference of Jacobabad voiced itself against the Iranian occupation of Western Baluchistan. In 1933, Mir Abdul Aziz Kurd, a prominent national leader of Baluchistan, showed his opposition to the partition and division of Baluchistan by publishing the first map of Greater Baluchistan. In 1934, Magassi, the head of the Baluch national movement, suggested an armed struggle for the liberation and unification of Baluchistan. However, it was a difficult task because of its division into several parts, each part with a different constitutional and political status.

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Baloch May 12, 2009 3:02 pm (Pacific time)

 

Dear Bennett you are sincerely trying to expose your own government hypocrisy and meddling with other state matters some time rightly and sometime wrongly. This is true that democratically elected leader Mossadeq was overthrown in 1953 by US government support. It was the USA who supported the Shah regimes until its last breath while the majority of Iranian wanted him to be out. But, I am disagreeing with you that the Persian did not invade any country. The history of Persian rulers itself is very complex and the (Persians) are only telling their side of the story in their history book. Do you know 1n 1928, the Reza Shah Pelvis forces invaded the Balochistan against the will of the Baloch people. After invasion Reza Shah Pelvis invited the Baloch tribal leader Mir Dost Mohammed Baloch for negotiation later he was betrayed and executed their. His 200 fellow’s fate is still unworn; sadly the world can find such story in Persian history book. Since 1928, the Baloch people are facing the worst oppression and deprivation in their own ancestral homeland. Recently the Iranian forces bulldozed Baloch Sunni Masque in Balochistan and has been executing their religious scholars along with the score of Baloch youth, their houses are being bulldozed just like Palestinians. Please do not jump to the conclusion only by giving the example of Jindullah. If any Persian fellows has any doubt about the Baloch people existence in their own ancestral land in Balochistan they have to read their own legendary poet Firdausi “Shahnama” that is more than enough to prove about the Baloch people homeland.

 

 

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Jacob T. May 12, 2009 10:47 am (Pacific time)

 

Mr. Bennett, May I also bring to your attention the USA aided coupe against democratically elected prime minister of Iran in 1953. Mosaddeq, He was removed from power in a 19 August 1953 coup supported and funded by the British and U.S. governments and led by General Fazlollah Zahedi. The American operation came to be known as Operation Ajax in America, after its CIA cryptonym, and as the “28 Mordad 1332” coup in Iran, after its date on the Iranian calendar. Mosaddeq was imprisoned for three years and subsequently put under house arrest until his death. Among many in Iran and abroad, Mosaddeq is known as a hero of Third World anti-imperialism, and victim of imperialist greed for Iran’s oil. At the time Shah had fled the country and was put back in the power by coupe. After his return, he established the notorious SAVAK secret police who is responsible for 1000's upon 1000's of atrocities against decent groups, students, journalist and anyone in opposition with Monarchy. Thanks for your article sir.

 

 

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Vic May 12, 2009 9:06 am (Pacific time)

 

If you go by countries attacked, invaded, land stolen, brutal colonialization, and number of WMDs used on others, violations of international law and UN sanctions, then the real Axis of Evil is The Unites States, Britain and Israel. The good news is that Britain has gone from "the sun never sets on the British Empire, to half of a dirty little island that is bankrupt, the US is bankrupt and reviled around the world and once the dollar is dumped as the world's reserve currency, will be reduced to third world status, and Israel is being recognized as the racist abomination that it is, re-enacting the holocaust, but this time playing the Nazis with the original owners of Palestine playing the concentration camp internees. All these three countries have left is miltary power..WMDs and the will to use them. We are like violent drunks..stealing and bullying and slaughtering our way through life. The US, Britain and Israel only represent 7% of the population of the world, so if we wish to enslave the rest of the world, we had better start killing on an unimaginable scale....Im sure it has been thought of and planned. Makes you proud, dont it?

 

 

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