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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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?
http://salem-news.com/articles/may122009/iran_db_part1_5-12-09.php
