American group calls for "Regime Change" in Iran

SMCCDI:

Jan 24, 2006, 00:00 A US think tank group named "Committee on the Present Danger" (CPD) called, yesterday, for "Regime Change in Iran" to be the official policy of the Bush Administration. Such call is taking place few days before the next "State of the Union Speech" scheduled for January 31st.

The group which is based in WDC has several influential members, such as, James Woolsey and George Schultz as its co-chairmen. Mr. Woolsey is a former CIA Director and Mr. Schultz is a former US Army head. Senators Joseph Lieberman (D) and Jon Kyl (R) are the group's honorary co-chairmen.

In its press release, the CDP has requested from the Bush Administration to adopt officially the policy of "Regime Change" and has urged "strong diplomatic and economic measures" to be taken against the Islamic republic regime.

Some of the measures requested are: Sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council; Embargo on oil and ban of any foreign direct investment in Iran; Building a legal case against the Islamic regime's supreme leader and its current president for torture and murder of Iranians and incitation to genocide; Appointment by the U.S. President of a "Point Person" who would speak to Iranians and would dramatize the plight of political prisoners; More energetic and effective assistance to pro-democracy activists in Iran; Sharply increased support for U.S. based pro-democracy Iranian satellite TV stations; Ancillary pressure on Tehran by asking from the Lebanese Army to disarm Hezbollah and to restore the Lebanese sovereignty and freedom.

During the press conference, James Woolsey stated: "We believe that the U.S. and the International Community should energetically assist the millions of Iranians who want a government that does not repress its own people and threaten others".

While the CPD move - boosted by the dangers posed by the theocratic system to the western world - can be qualified as a positive step, concerns are existing about the level of the group's commitment in backing a genuine and non-military change in Iran.

Many opponents to the Islamic regime and particularly the National-Secularists are worried about the relations which are existing between the CPD and some, officially former, members of the Islamic regime.

Some of them are, such as, Mohsen Sazgara who's living currently in the US. The latter was a former founder of the Islamic Militia and was among those who backed factions of the Islamic regime till two years ago. Sazgara left Iran after the massive boycott of the regime's last parliamentary elections in which Iranians showed the deep rejection of all of the regime's factions. The former militiaman is also known for his involvement in the brokerage and looting of Iranian petroleum thru offshore societies.

Same concerns are existing about the CPD's relation with the members of a so-called student group, named "Office of Consolidation Unity" (OCU). The group, which is rejected by most Iranian students, is also known for its support of part of the current regime and active role in trying to deviate the true aspiration of the Iranian youth in seeking a secular and accountable state.

Fears are existing that CPD or some other American policy groups might try to boost such controversial individuals or groups to the pedestal of genuine 'reformer leadership' as they tried to do so a year ago without any real success or popular welcoming in what was qualified as "Referendum Project".

Unfortunately, some Iranian-American analysts, such as, those consulted by the Hoover Foundation, are offering often a distorted view of Iran and Iranians' aspirations to their employers. These individuals' suggestions are often based on their own past ideological views or some opportunistic goals rather than the requests of the progressist Iranian society of today.

Most importantly, Iranians are rejecting any Russian type scenario in which former KGB members or heads could become the future leaders of their country.

It's hoped that the CPD would clarify the dark zones existing in some of its suggestions or that the US Administration would complement them based on Iranians aspirations. Some of these requests are: Support of genuine and trusted National-Secularist groups inside and outside Iran; Support of a genuine and accountable secular state; Respect of Iran's territorial integrity and its sovereignty over the Iranian islands of the Persian Gulf, such as, the Lesser & Greater thumbs and Aboo-Moosa; Respect of Iran's 50% share of the Caspian sea and its resources - based on the 1921 & 1972 agreement made with the former USSR.

Also, one of the main LA based genuine pro-democracy satellite TV network to be supported is without doubt the NITV (www.nitv.tv )

Such clarifications would without doubt raise the level of hope and of political activity among millions of Iranians, who have till now been deceived by some of the free world's empty promises or wrong policies which have, so far, benefited to the clerical regime.