Dutch businessman sentenced for Iran-Iraq war crimes

This is interesting news indeed. A glimmer of hope for international justice.

The Dutch Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the war crimes conviction of a businessman for selling chemicals to Saddam Hussein that his regime in Iraq turned into poison gas and unleashed on Kurds and Iranians

Attempted coup in Iran

Does the “republic” part of Islamic Republic still exist ? A good article by Henry Newman, LSE PhD, here. And a good sum up from Reuters of different analysts’ views.

No Concrete Opening (in public at least)

How long does it take for the US to sit at the negotiating table with Iran?

They’ve been talking about it for months. Surely it just takes a phone call.

What are they waiting for ? The June elections in Iran is my hunch. An Ahmadinejad win will mean a continuation of Bush policy (or worse) IMHO. So much has been invested in demonising this character.

Russia and the US are still not on the same wavelength.

Despite promising a new beginning with Iran, the new US administration has apparently followed in Bush’s footsteps. The Obama administration earlier extended Clinton-era sanctions in 1995. It also imposed sanctions on six Iranian firms over alleged links to Tehran’s missile and nuclear work last month.

The gap between Arab autocrats and their citizens/subjects in relation to Iran is highlighted in this article by Mark Lynch on the Foreign Policy site.

Durban II

The original text of the speech that caused the controversy at the Durban conference:

Mr. Chairman, honorable secretary general of the United Nations, honorable United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Ladies and gentleman:

We have gathered in the follow-up to the Durban conference against racism and racial discrimination to work out practical mechanisms for our holy and humanitarian campaigns.

Over the last centuries, humanity has gone through great sufferings and pains. In the Medieval Ages, thinkers and scientists were sentenced to death. It was then followed by a period of slavery and slave trade. Innocent people were taken captive in their millions and separated from their families and loved ones to be taken to Europe and America under the worst conditions. A dark period that also experienced occupation, lootings and massacres of innocent people.

Many years passed by before nations rose up and fought for their liberty and freedom and they paid a high price for it. They lost millions of lives to expel the occupiers and establish independent and national governments. However, it did not take long before power grabbers imposed two wars in Europe which also plagued a part of Asia and Africa. Those horrific wars claimed about a hundred million lives and left behind massive devastation. Had lessons been learnt from the occupations, horrors and crimes of those wars, there would have been a ray of hope for the future.

The victorious powers called themselves the conquerors of the world while ignoring or down treading upon rights of other nations by the imposition of oppressive laws and international arrangements.

Ladies and gentlemen, let us take a look at the UN Security Council which is one of the legacies of World War I and World War II. What was the logic behind their granting themselves the veto right? How can such logic comply with humanitarian or spiritual values? Would it not be inconformity with the recognized principles of justice, equality before the law, love and human dignity? Would it not be discrimination, injustice, violations of human rights or humiliation of the majority of nations and countries?

The council is the highest decision-making world body for safeguarding international peace and security. How can we expect the realization of justice and peace when discrimination is legalized and the origin of the law is dominated by coercion and force rather than by justice and the rights?

Coercion and arrogance is the origin of oppression and wars. Although today many proponents of racism condemn racial discrimination in their words and their slogans, a number of powerful countries have been authorized to decide for other nations based on their own interests and at their own discretion and they can easily violate all laws and humanitarian values as they have done so.

Following World War II, they resorted to military aggression to make an entire nation homeless under the pretext of Jewish suffering and they sent migrants from Europe, the United States and other parts of the world in order to establish a totally racist government in occupied Palestine. And, in fact, in compensation for the dire consequences of racism in Europe, they helped bring to power the most cruel and repressive racist regime in Palestine.

The Security Council helped stabilize the occupying regime and supported it in the past 60 years giving them a free hand to commit all sorts of atrocities. It is all the more regrettable that a number of Western governments and the United States have committed themselves to defending those racist perpetrators of genocide while the awakened-conscience and free-minded people of the world condemn aggression, brutalities and the bombardment of civilians in Gaza. The supporters of Israel have always been either supportive or silent against the crimes.

Dear friends, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. What are the root causes of the US attacks against Iraq or the invasion of Afghanistan?

Was the motive behind the invasion of Iraq anything other than the arrogance of the then US administration and the mounting pressures on the part of the possessors of wealth and power to expand their sphere of influence seeking the interests of giant arms manufacturing companies affecting a noble culture with thousands of years of historical background, eliminating the potential and practical threats of Muslim countries against the Zionist regime or to control and plunder the energy resources of the Iraqi people?

Why, indeed, almost a million people were killed and injured and a few more millions were displaced? Why, indeed, the Iraqi people have suffered enormous losses amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars? And why was billions of dollars imposed on the American people as the result of these military actions? Was not the military action against Iraq planned by the Zionists and their allies in the then US administration in complicity with the arms manufacturing countries and the possessors of wealth? Did the invasion of Afghanistan restore peace, security and economic wellbeing in the country?

The United States and its allies not only have failed to contain the production of drugs in Afghanistan, but the cultivation of narcotics has multiplied in the course of their presence. The basic question is that what was the responsibility and the job of the then US administration and its allies?

Did they represent the countries of the world? Have they been mandated by them? Have they been authorized by the people of the world to interfere in all parts of the globe, of course mostly in our region? Are not these measures a clear example of egocentrism, racism, discrimination or infringement upon the dignity and independence of nations?

Ladies and gentlemen, who is responsible for the current global economic crisis? Where did the crisis start from? From Africa, Asia or from the United States in the first place then spreading across Europe and their allies?

For a long time, they imposed inequitable economic regulations by their political power on the international economy. They imposed a financial and monetary system without a proper international oversight mechanism on nations and governments that played no role in repressive trends or policies. They have not even allowed their people to oversea or monitor their financial policies. They introduced all laws and regulations in defiance of all moral values only to protect the interests of the possessors of wealth and power.

They further presented a definition for market economy and competition that denied many of the economic opportunities that could be available to other countries of the world. They even transferred their problems to others while the waves of crisis lashed back plaguing their economies with thousands of billions of dollars in budget deficit. And today, they are injecting hundreds of billions of dollars of cash from the pockets of their own people and other nations into the failing banks, companies and financial institutions making the situation more and more complicated for their economy and their people. They are simply thinking about maintaining power and wealth. They could not care any less about the people of the world and even their own people.

Mr. President, Ladies and gentlemen, Racism is rooted in the lack of knowledge concerning the root of human existence as the selected creature of God. It is also the product of his deviation from the true path of human life and the obligations of mankind in the world of creation, failing to consciously worship God, not being able to think about the philosophy of life or the path to perfection that are the main ingredients of divine and humanitarian values which have restricted the horizon of human outlook making transient and limited interests, the yardstick for his action. That is why evil’s power took shape and expanded its realm of power while depriving others from enjoying equitable and just opportunities of development.

The result has been the making of an unbridled racism that is posing the most serious threats against international peace and has hindered the way for building peaceful coexistence in the entire world. Undoubtedly, racism is the symbol of ignorance which has deep roots in history and it is, indeed, the sign of frustration in the development of human society.

It is, therefore, crucially important to trace the manifestations of racism in situations or in societies where ignorance or lack of knowledge prevails. This increasing general awareness and understanding towards the philosophy of human existence is the principle struggle against such manifestations, and reveals the truth that human kind centers on the creation of the universe and the key to solving the problem of racism is a return to spiritual and moral values and finally the inclination to worship God Almighty.

The international community must initiate collective moves to raise awareness in afflicted societies where ignorance of racism still prevails so as to bring to a halt the spread of these malicious manifestations.

Dear Friends, today, the human community is facing a kind of racism which has tarnished the image of humanity in the beginning of the third millennium.

World Zionism personifies racism that falsely resorts to religions and abuses religious sentiments to hide its hatred and ugly face. However, it is of great importance to bring into focus the political goals of some of the world powers and those who control huge economic resources and interests in the world. They mobilize all the resources including their economic and political influence and world media to render support in vain to the Zionist regime and to maliciously diminish the indignity and disgrace of this regime.

This is not simply a question of ignorance and one cannot conclude these ugly phenomena through consular campaigns. Efforts must be made to put an end to the abuse by Zionists and their political and international supporters and in respect with the will and aspirations of nations. Governments must be encouraged and supported in their fights aimed at eradicating this barbaric racism and to move towards reform in current international mechanisms.

There is no doubt that you are all aware of the conspiracies of some powers and Zionist circles against the goals and objectives of this conference. Unfortunately, there have been literatures and statements in support of Zionists and their crimes. And it is the responsibility of honorable representatives of nations to disclose these campaigns which run counter to humanitarian values and principles.

It should be recognized that boycotting such a session as an outstanding international capacity is a true indication of supporting the blatant example of racism. In defending human rights, it is primarily important to defend the rights of all nations to participate equally in all important international decision making processes without the influence of certain world powers.

And secondly, it is necessary to restructure the existing international organizations and their respective arrangements. Therefore this conference is a testing ground and the world public opinion today and tomorrow will judge our decisions and our actions.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, the world is going through rapid fundamental changes. Power relations have become weak and fragile. The sound of cracks in the pillars of world systems can now be heard. Major political and economic structures are on the brink of collapse. Political and security crises are on the rise. The worsening crisis in the world economy for which there can be seen no bright prospect, demonstrates the rising tide of far-reaching global changes. I have repeatedly emphasized the need to change the wrong direction through which the world is being managed today and I have also warned of the dire consequences of any delay in this crucial responsibility.

Now in this valuable event, I would like to announce to all leaders, thinkers and to all nations of the world present in this meeting and those who have a hunger for peace and economic well-being that the unjust economic management of the world is now at the end of the road. This deadlock was inevitable since the logic of this imposed management was oppressive.

The logic of collective management of world affairs is based on noble aspirations which centers on human beings and the supremacy of the almighty God. Therefore it defies any policy or plan which goes against the influence of nations. The victory of right over wrong and the establishment of a just world system has been promised by the Almighty God and his messengers and it has been a shared goal of all human beings from different societies and generations in the course of history. Realization of such a future depends on the knowledge of creation and the belief of the faithful.

The making of a global society is in fact the accomplishment of a noble goal held in the establishment of a common global system that will be run with the participation of all nations of the world in all major decision making processes and the definite root to this sublime goal.

Scientific and technical capacities as well as communication technology have created a common and widespread understanding of the world society and has provided the necessary ground for a common system. Now it is upon all intellectuals, thinkers and policy makers in the world to carry out their historical responsibility with a firm belief in this definite root.

I also want to lay emphasis on the fact that Western liberalism and capitalism has reached its end since it has failed to perceive the truth of the world and humans as they are.

It has imposed its own goals and directions on human beings. There is no regard for human and divine values, justice, freedom, love and brotherhood and it has based living on intense competition, securing individual and cooperative material interest.

Now we must learn from the past by initiating collective efforts in dealing with present challenges and in this connection, and as a closing remark, I wish to draw your kind attention to two important issues:

Firstly, it is absolutely possible to improve the existing situation in the world. However it must be noted that this could be only achieved through the cooperation of all countries in order to get the best out of the existing capacities and resources in the world. My participation in this conference is because of my conviction to these important issues as well as to our common responsibility of defending the rights of nations vis-à-vis the sinister phenomena of racism and being with you, the thinkers of the world.

Secondly, mindful of the inefficiency of the current international political, economic and security systems, it is necessary to focus on divine and humanitarian values by referring to the true definition of human beings based upon justice and respect for the rights of all people in all parts of the world and by acknowledging the past wrong doings in the past dominant management of the world, and to undertake collective measures to reform the existing structures.

In this respect, it is crucially important to rapidly reform the structure of the Security Council, including the elimination of the discriminatory veto right and to change the current world financial and monetary systems.

It is evident that lack of understanding of the urgency for change is equivalent to the much heavier costs of delay.

Dear Friends, beware that to move in the direction of justice and human dignity is like a rapid flow in the current of a river. Let us not forget the essence of love and affection. The promised future of human beings is a great asset that may serve our purposes in keeping together to build a new world.

In order to make the world a better place full of love and blessings, a world devoid of poverty and hatred, merging the increasing blessings of God Almighty and the righteous managing of the perfect human being, let us all join hands in friendship in the fulfillment of such a new world.

I thank you Mr. President, Secretary General and all distinguished participants for having the patience to listen to me. Thank you very much.

(Source)

Instead of all the hysteria, an excerpt from the horse’s mouth.

Why do are they impose their values on others? You said that the number of those who left the meeting was quite insignificant. They were in the minority, yet these minorities are going to impose themselves on the world. This is against moral standards and against the principles of democracy.

Here a relevant article from the Press TV op-ed piece.

Israel was actually established through ethnic cleansing. The Zionists drove about 800,000 Palestinians out of their homeland in 1948 and are still denying them the right of return. And Israel is still committing war crimes, human rights violations, and racist acts against the Palestinians, as was exemplified in the recent Gaza war.

The British conquered Australia and disenfranchised the Australian Aborigines, killing every single indigenous person on the island Tasmania in the process. And the Australian Aborigines are still fighting the Australian government for the right to their homeland.

The European settlers of Canada also dispossessed the indigenous people, and the First Nations of Canada are still fighting for their rights.

The Dutch East India Company and the Dutch West India Company colonized Indonesia and Surinam, earning huge profits from those territories, but the Netherlands has never paid reparations to the people of its former colonies. And it still possesses the Netherlands Antilles.

In addition, the Netherlands was a major player in the transatlantic slave trade but has never paid reparations to African nations or Africans in the Americas.

The United States also committed numerous acts of genocide against the Native Americans over the years.

In 1811, Tecumseh, a leader of the Shawnee nation, commented on the genocide committed against the Native American people, saying:

“Where today are the Pequot? Where are the Narragansett, the Mohican, the Pokanoket, and many other once powerful tribes of our people? They have vanished before the avarice and the oppression of the white man, as snow before a summer sun.

“Will we let ourselves be destroyed in our turn without a struggle, give up our homes, our country bequeathed to us by the Great Spirit, the graves of our dead and everything that is dear and sacred to us? I know you will cry with me, ‘Never! Never!’”

Obama may drop enrichment freeze precondition

An article by the NY Times Gaza war apologist, David E. Sanger, who refers to Israeli sources with secret intelligence.

The proposals, exchanged in confidential strategy sessions with European allies, would press Tehran to open up its nuclear program gradually to wide-ranging inspection. But the proposals would also allow Iran to continue enriching uranium for some period during the talks. That would be a sharp break from the approach taken by the Bush administration, which had demanded that Iran halt its enrichment activities, at least briefly to initiate negotiations.

Trita Parsi 2007 Youtube

Trita Parsi discusses his book on Iran, Israel, and the United States at UC Berkley.

Trita is described as a realist and analyses the relationship between Israel, Iran, and the US through the simplifying lens of power politics. He believes that rhetoric and idealogical fervour is squarely in second place behind the machinations of state interest in the region. Gives the example of continuity of the Shah’s regional objectives and those of Khomenei’s.

Some random points from the first 30mins of the video:

1.  The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990 and the first Gulf War saw a change in the regional balance

- Israel & Iran who were tacit friends beforehand became more prominent and rivals

- They felt their power was unchecked

- The goal for both is to lock in a long term ascendant balance of power status

- Israel’s periphery strategy inverts: befriend direct neighbours and threaten periphery (Iran)

2. The bi-polar world collapsed

- the US enters the region through the 1st Gulf War

- Israel worried that any Iran-US accommodation would jeopardize its own strategic position

3. 1971 the Brits leave everything east of the Suez, both the Shah and Khomenei do not want to see them (or the Americans) return – the Gulf War changes this

- Iran is part of Nixon’s twin pillar policy

4. Jockying for regional influence and relative regional strength was always a factor but very much in second behind the Cold War conflict. The issues came to ahead once the Soviet Union collapsed

5. There was a continuation of the Shah’s realist regional perspective in the region under Khomenei. He cites the example of collaboration between Israel & the Shah’s Iran continuing under Khomenei’s Iran when the regime dependend on Israel for American parts & supplies in its war vs. Iraq. This all changed with end of the Cold War.

6. Parsi refers to an Iranian FP contradiction in that in the short run Iran has needed Israel’s support but in the long run Iran must come to terms with its immediate, and permanent Arab neighbours (to the West). One mechanism that Iran used to overcome the mistrust with Arab states was the anti-Israel rhetoric. The Shah played the same card.

7. Domestic factors matter but not as much as regional structure according to Parsi. As the regime in Iran is not in a comfortable position, and the region is in constant flux, it must head off the reality of possible oblivion. There is also no one fanction which completely dominates the discourse (ie. Reformers, Pragmaticists, and Conservatives). This deadens the weight of idealogical imperatives over realist imperatives.

8. The impact of the end of the Cold War had an important impact on Israel as the country lost much of its strategic value to the US.

… more but did not watch the end of the video.

NY Times’ Op-Ed Cohen on a roll

After a controversial but insightful series on Iran earlier this year, Roger Cohen of the NY Times has again produced another illuminating piece which deconstructs and rebutts Israeli regional thinking vis-a-vis Iran.

Cohen …
1. first accuses Israeli leaders of crying wolf by constantly warning of an Iranian nuke since the 1990s
2. describes the Iranian regime as repressive but debunks the messianic apocalyptic cult caricature
a. Israel was doing business with Iran in the 80-88 Iraq-Iran war
b. The regime has followed a realist approach centered around it survival ever since
3. rebutts the Israeli premier’s claims that the Iraq-Iran war did not sear a terrible wound … And explains this as driving factor for the younger generation wanting change through reform not upheaval.
4. argues that Arab states will not be led into viewing Iran as the primary enemy in the region but will continue to see Israel as the enemy
5. sums the Israeli interest is in maintaining the regional status-quo and opposing a re-ordering where Iran is bought in from the cold
6. thinks that Obama is not heeding Netanyahu’s call and gives as evidence the US participation in upcoming nuclear talks
7. believes that Obama is genuine about rapprochement with the Muslim world
8. concludes that Iranian regime reform is only possible through the negotiating table and that Iran’s nuclear progress is still a couple of years off producing highly enriched uranium
9. argues against Israeli hegemony in the region

The best line in the article …

Every scrap of evidence suggests that, on the contrary, self-interest and survival drive the mullahs.

V. refreshing article. How long will he last in his job!?  Cohen also cites TitraParsi’s Treacherous Alliance which reviews Israeli-Iranian relations.

A good comment …

It is indeed the realignment of the regional order which roils Israel’s leadership. If Iran does return into its “rightful place in the community of nations”, some think Israel’s ability to act in the region will be curtailed. On the other hand, a reconciled Iran will be less of a threat to Israel within a more stable regional security system. So perhaps it is in Israel’s own security interests to see the diplomatic overtures succeed? Though, in reality, is Iran truly a threat to Israel at the moment, or even with crude nuclear devices… hardly.

A point that Cohen alludes to, but which could be elaborated further, is that external threats play an important role in domestic politics in both Israel with “Mr. Iran” now the premier, and with Iran’s Ahmadinejad. The wind will be taken out of the sails of bellicose politicians in both countries if a détente succeeds and we will all be better off.

Pakistan is the key

An interesting FT article by Anatol Lieven on the issues facing the new US administration in dealing with Afghanistan and more importantly Pakistan.

Main points:
1) Afghanistan and Pakistan have very deep problems that will not be resolved any time soon
2) For Afghanistan, the new strategy is on the right track emphasising
  – Need to build up national army
  – Develop an exit strategy
  – Rhetoric on democracy building & staying the course toned down
  – Western & Northern neighbours have been engaged
3) Iran is key (1) pre-9/11 kept Taliban opposition alive (2) trade (3) share same basic agenda with US
  – Correct to engage Iran on Afghanistan issue
4) Pb is Taliban insurgency rooted on border w Pakistan (Pashtuns). Requires help from Pakistani military & state. However Pakistani population opposes this. Bending Pakistan’s will not trivial.
5) Underlying issueis that Pakistan is democratic! That gov’t cannot afford defy public opinion so blatantly.

As a Pakistani general put it to me last year: “We can survive without American money and arms if we have to, though of course we don’t want to. But we cannot survive without the loyalty of our jawans [men].”

6) Obama will need change anti-US public attitude by vastly improved public support programs. Current £1bn/year is not sufficient (for 170m people)
7) Obama administration has still not realised: (1) a stable Pakistan is a vital US interest (2) changing Pakistani opinions means changing society implies it will take time (a generation)
8) US needs to tread carefully when dangling aid for help as it will undermine government (what happened to Musharraf) and could lead destroy of Pakistani army, a much greater danger to US

Good analysis by Titra Parsi in the Huffington Post

In spite of its rhetoric, Israel views the regime in Tehran as rational, calculating and risk-averse. Even those Israeli officials who believe that Iran is hell-bent on destroying the Jewish state recognize that Tehran is unlikely to attack Israel with nuclear weapons due to the destruction Israel would inflict on Iran through its second-strike capability.

The article by Titra Parsi in the Huffington Post basically states that the real threat as perceived by Israel is a rapprochement with Iran which would denigrate Israel’s own regional power projection. However, Parsi argues that a reconciled Iran would in itself be less of a threat to Israel. IMHO, Israel will never willingly share power with an enemy and adopt Parsi’s view. And as pointed out by a comment at the bottom of the article:

The second premise that the US would have to treat Iran as a regional power does make sense. I wouldn’t put anything past Netanyahu. If he could get the US involved with bombing Iran, he would do it in a heart beat.

Iranian Oil Consumption (US Gov’t report)

Iran is OPEC’s second-largest producer after Saudi Arabia. In 2007, Iran produced approximately
4.1 million barrels per day (bbl/d) of total liquids, of which roughly 3.8 million bbl/d was crude oil,
equal to about 4.5 percent of global production. For most of 2008, it is estimated that Iran’s OPEC
production was approximately 3.8 million bbl/d; OPEC-wide cuts in late 2008 have lowered its
production quota to roughly 3.6 million bbl/d. Iran’s current crude oil production capacity is
estimated to be 3.9 million bbl/d.