The Torturers and the Secretary
Iranian Prosecutor-General Ayatollah Qorban Ali Dori Najafabadi acknowledged that some detainees have been tortured in prison, saying: “Mistakes have led to some unfortunate and indefensible incidents, and those involved will have to be punished.” This includes many reported incidents at Kahrizak prison, where prisoners were killed, and which has [since] been closed on Khamenei’s orders. According to an August 9th article in Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), Mr. Hamid-Reza Katouzian, a member of a Majlis committee formed to monitor the situation of the protest detainees, said that Iranian Police Chief Esmail Ahmadi-Moqaddam received daily reports about torture at this prison, contrary to his public claims that he had known nothing and that he had believed the prisoners had died of natural causes.
Despite all this, Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani (the West’s favorite Iranian diplomat) announced yesterday (the thirteenth) that a Parliamentary investigation had found Karroubi’s claims to be false, and demanded that he present his evidence.
These horrible events, all in the name of preserving the pure faith, suggest a system that has gone berserk. The rape of virgin women is justified by a deranged appeal to sharia law, according to which virgins will go to heaven. Ergo, according to the warped logic of the torturers, it is necessary to ensure that women guilty of capital offenses not be virgins, so that they will go elsewhere in the afterlife. But, notwithstanding Ahmadinezhad’s celebrated claim in New York that there are no gay people in Iran, homosexual acts carry the death penalty. Do not hold your breath waiting for the public execution of the rapists Even many supporters of the regime are now beginning to wonder what has gone wrong with the revolution, and some of them are providing the details to people outside the inner circles.
The Western world, in the face of these outrages, maintains near-total silence. Well, except when they choose to pretend that things are not what they clearly are. I just learned that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was on CNN last weekend, and, when asked about our Iran policy, made an amazing statement.
“We did not want to get between the legitimate protests and demonstrations of the Iranian people and the leadership,” Clinton said in an interview with CNN broadcast on Sunday.
“And we knew that if we stepped in too soon, too hard… the leadership would try to use us to unify the country against the protesters.”
“Now, behind the scenes, we were doing a lot,” Clinton said. “We were doing a lot to really empower the protesters without getting in the way. And we’re continuing to speak out and support the opposition.”
This is the same secretary of state who equated electoral fraud in Nigeria with the presidential elections in the United States in 2000, thereby demonstrating either consummate ignorance of, or a hyperactive fantasy life about, the real world. Her statement about Iran is cut from the same tapestry. Let’s parse it, shall we?
“We did not want to get between…the Iranian people and the leadership.” That is, we didn’t want to take sides. We didn’t want to get involved. Because we feared that it might wreck our grand strategy of making a deal, any deal, with the mullahs.
“We knew that if we stepped in…the leadership would try to use us to unify the country against the protesters.” And just how would the regime “unify the country,” when the vast majority of Iranians hate Khamenei et. al.? Those nightly chants of “Death to the Dictator” do not continue, “unless the Americans help us, in which case we’ll rally behind the Dictator.” And here again, as so often with this administration, we have the undergraduate beer party-type pop lefty history, the kind that says the Iranians would be simply furious if we helped them gain their freedom. The sort of phony blame-America-first history that presumes the Iranian people think it’s better to be raped than supported, I suppose.
“Behind the scenes…we were doing a lot to really empower the protesters without getting in the way. And we’re continuing to…support the opposition.”
Prove it. So far as I know, we did–and still do–nothing to help the protesters, and we are certainly not supporting the opposition. Have you heard a single word from State or the White House in support of Mousavi? For that matter, have you heard a single word from Hillary decrying mass rape in Iran? I haven’t. I’ve heard her denounce rape in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but not in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
As for Obama, the curtain has fallen over Iran. He’s going to wait, hoping that the regime kills off the leaders of the Green Movement and silences the Iranian people, so that the glorious deal can be consummated.
He and Hillary had a choice between dishonor and war. They chose dishonor. And they have war. IEDs, many of them from Iran, are the biggest cause of American casualties in Afghanistan, aka Obama’s War. And he hasn’t heard the last from the Quds Force in Iraq, either, even though our soldiers are now locked in offsite bases. Iran’s been at war with us for thirty years, and the mullahs are not enchanted by his “special gift.” They intend to defeat us and eventually dominate us. We have yet to fight back effectively, and Hillary’s misrepresentations prove we have no intention of doing so.
It’s embarrassing. And for those of us who have children on the battlefield, as for the Iranians who have children in the nightmare prisons of the regime, it’s awful.
UPDATE: More details, from one of the best blogs on things Iranian. h/t Banafsheh.
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Michael, as you have more experience with this than I, it is safe to say that anything can be justified by those who conclude that they are in very serious trouble.
This shines a lot of light on the dead souls in Washington who are at the top echelon in the Oval Office, Foggy Bottom, Langley, and wherever else the poison has spread. The result – legions of zombies.
The same goes for Iran, and it will take time
for those who carry on with the Green revolution to see more than words come across the border into that land.
For, if someone other than a Muslim comes up
with something, those with blood on their hands reject it, unless it is useful to them.
But, if they find it inconvenient, or even opposed to their raison d’etre, they will rage
against it, even beyond the grave.
For one of the strengths of the west is an openness to express loyalty to the ultimate arbiter through the various areas of life. The likes of Ahmadinezhad want life to only be
a singularity, but in the end they are guilty of idolatry because they seek to replace what is timely with their own efforts.
The stakes are high, and even though the light of liberty is rejected by those who reject it, the light does an excellent job of
applying truth to any given situation where it
is allowed to shine.
The Obama administration is a disgrace to America, plain and simple.
They have sided with corrupt dictators or wannabes in Iran & Honduras, The Obama admin has disgraced Americans with their positions.
I am sure the Honduran people could not believe their eyes & ears when they heard the Official U.S. admin position as put out by the Obama admin.
Like them or not Presidents Reagan or Bush would NEVER ave taken a position like the present administration did.
It took Obama what 10 days to say a peep about the Iranian joke of an election, funny how it only took him a day to call his own American citizens a dangerous mob among other things just for simply disagreeing with him.
What a thinned skinned con artist he has proven to be.
To the kool-aid guzzling morons that voted for Obama all I can say is someday if you ever come out of your messiah stupor you will realize what you have wished upon you children and grand children.
They will be sitting around the kitchen table trying to figure out how their parents could have been so freaking stupid.
Go now , look in the mirror, try to find the truth in your eyes.
Do you even remember how to actually think for yourself?
Obviously many in our country are too far removed from any real challenge in life to understand just how much sacrifice was given by those before us so that we may enjoy the many freedoms we have today.
Freedom is not Free.
Obama is a lie.
“They intend to defeat us and eventually dominate us. We have yet to fight back effectively, and Hillary’s misrepresentations prove we have no intention of doing so.”
Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are existentially committed to the notion that the United States is ultimately responsible for the outrages committed by the Iranian thugs. We will only make things worse by speaking out against them. Nope, the Democrats are not going to do anything about Iran. The MSM will also go along with this abandonment. There will be few stores reported concerning the tortures and murders. Out of sight, and out of mind. And the sad thing is that with just some modest media exposure—the present Iranian regime may very collapse.
Omigod! The right is getting worked up over torture! About time.
To be sure, the looming confrontation between Israel and Iran will do a lot to smoke out the enablers of the US leadership on behalf of Iran’s psychopathic regime.
At that time no one should dare be surprised as Obama and his band of radical leftists wag their ‘enlightened’ fingers at Israel’s leadership, accusing them of aggression, human rights violations etc etc.
In fact, IF not for the inhumane attitude of Obama (and his merry band of third world loyalists towards freedom loving people) Israel would not be left alone to handle what should have been a concerted western effort, with the US in the forefront.
But then again, who cares about the human rights of Jews/Israelis and those pesky Iranian reformists!
This mutilation of the prisoners reminds me of the horrible Emmett Till slaying by the Ku Klux Klan, here in the US back in the 1950s.
Soon I hope they can shake off these mullah thugs.
Michael,
The moment that it is too dangerous for the Bazari Merchantile Class to conduct business in Iran and with their European accomplices, the regime will fall.
The backbone of Iran has obviously been found in their women. At this point as pretty and elegant as they are I would not turn my back on any of them, if I supported the Islamic regime.
As for the communist in The White House, America should not be surprized that the Saul Alinsky ‘Rules for Radicals’ enforcer seeks acceptance of his peers, the Iranian Mullahs, and more power over America.
The growing ground swell against the Obama regime is now out in the open. Like the Iranian Mullahs regime, without the support of the American people Obama is a premature lame duck.
Regards.
Well, we are also protesting a government takeover of our lives. We understand the Iranian opposition better then most. There are still 16 people on a hunger strike outside the White House protesting the Gov handling of Iran. I hope Obama has to see them every day.
Since I was a little kid I loved the United States of America.My father told me how many american died to save us from nazi fascism during the sencond world war,how generous they were after it to rescue us from hunger with Marshal plan and I remember personaly that thanks to american people we did not become a soviet colony like Poland or Hungary.The USA that once opposed fiercely the dictatorships now are appeasing the most fanatic and brutal governments lowering the flag of freedom. The above article is paradigmatic.Is this the change that the duo Obama Clinton promised!?!Condoleeza where are you?
“The moment that it is too dangerous for the Bazari Merchantile Class to conduct business in Iran and with their European accomplices”
So I guess that you have some sources to prove it !
Now Iran wasn’t, isn’t, will not be one of our political concerns, it has always been of the anglo-american’ssince one Brit discovered oil in ME in 19th century
it is really really sad that the American people voted into the highest office a radical racist marxist elitist goof-ball.
I hope there are enough sensible people to un-elect him i 2012. and his moronic comrades in congress and the senate in 2010.
it is no surprise that these jerks don’t support the people of Iran. in their silence the support the mullahs.
“Is this the change that the duo Obama Clinton promised!?!”
Unfortunately, yes, Riccardo.
Disgusting, isn’t it?
You should send your message to President Obama. And send one to Hillary Clinton, too.
“Condoleeza where are you?”
Why not “George Bush, where are you?”
Go along to get along, it’s a prerequisite skill for “professional” diplomats, it’s terminal for Commanders in combat. Whether it’s Hillary (a possessor of a spine unlike her Boss) who bites down and utters untruths, or the consumate political animals like our Negusa-Nagast who appears to be all things to all people, and is really nothing for anyone (save himself). The one characteristic all these political animals adhere to is this, politics always trumps truth, mission and lives. Remember for “our betters” in government it’s always “do as I say, not as I do” which makes them what they are, self absorbed political animals. Our betters have been strikingly silent during the events occurring in Iran, better to observe their lack of character and abject cowardice.
Who says you need a spine to be successful in politics?
Its obvious enough why the Obama Administration is saying what it is. They don’t want to alienate the dictators of Iran so the might have some ‘Peace Summit’ later on as a way to gain positive publicity.
That’s one of the things our nation is missing now. Any moral clarity or will to make the distinction between right and wrong.
In some ways this is worse than the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. At least the US position was clear (though we didn’t do much). Speaking of which, I think we all need to look up what the current status is in Darfur.
Omigod! The right is getting worked up over torture! About time.
There’s a big difference between interrogation techniques used on individuals whose entire lives center around slaughtering infidels and the situation in Iran, journalists, students, all kinds of citizens, getting tossed into cells & summarily tortured by rogue bullies.
You don’t recognize the difference ?
Amir Taheri has called the Iranian Majlis “ersatz”. Anything even vaguely related to just process in Iran these days is ersatz.
Yet another terrible series of events that the Obama administration has radically mishandled.
Which should come as no surprise.
Hillary isn’t qualified to be secretary of state. At most she should be a secretary taking notes for Obama, who at most should be an organizer of midnight basketball games in South Chicago.
It’s like common senseless, precocious, spoiled little children in way over their heads playing big stakes grown up global games pitting the free world against the world enslaved.
The present administration in Washington, incredibly, being on the enemy side.
Hillary and Barack should both be sent to their rooms to try to figure out why they’re bent on destroying America.
That millions will suffer, some horribly, like so many of the fixed election protesters in Iran seems to not ruffle a Clintonian or Obama feather.
When will this country wake up and discover the evil that we elected to lead us? And pull the “undo” lever starting in the 2010 election.
Is the Obama administrations’ deep ineptitude of no consequence if one harbors some pathological socialist/progressive/Marxist/totalitarian mentality?
Have we lost the younger generation in a sea of secular Godlessness?
Has the free press truly become media slaves to Obama?
That these creatures of freedomless hell could be elected makes real America’s worst nightmares.
To see our country, like a Navy Hellcat, go down in flames because of friendly fire makes my heart sick during every waking hour.
My abiding wish is that I live long enough to see this country free again.
Why don’t people see the moral difference between torturing to punish and “torturing” (even we grant you folks that it IS torture) for information to save lives? Is it intellectual dishonesty or just ignorance?
By the way, I meant to ask Mr. Ledeen for your input on this piece I did for Pajamas on the CIA’s analysis of the Saddam, al Qaeda question where I interviewed Paul Pillar and Bruce Tefft. I know you’ve looked at this topic in the past and I’d really like to hear your thoughts.
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/revisiting-the-saddam-husseinal-qaeda-relationship/
How dare you apologize for America.
Iranian torturers are Iran’s dishonor. Islam and the mayhem, murder, genocidal hatreds, totalitarian regimes, and global terror that Islam instills are the Muslims’ dishonor. I for one am extremely tired of the hackneyed formulation (which the title of this article employs) of blaming America for the vileness of her enemies.
Wow, and to think how the left displayed such engineered hysteria over abu grab!! To think of the terrible torture that went on in that prison, yet I hear or read nothing about the behavior in Iran. Does anyone take the left seriously any more? I would not know how any one could in such hypocrisy. Shame on them.
And who expected anyone in this White House to act with honor and integrity? They are frauds, liars and thieves who would wish for Americans to be under the same repression. . .Don’t Tread On Me. . .
#17: “There’s a big difference between interrogation techniques used on individuals whose entire lives center around slaughtering infidels and the situation in Iran, journalists, students, all kinds of citizens, getting tossed into cells & summarily tortured by rogue bullies.”
There were plenty of “citizens” rounded up and falsely accused of terrorism. In Afghanistan, the warlords were offered a bounty for each “Taliban” fighter they turned over to the US and — guess what — they were turned over by the truck-full. And as for our “interrogation techniques,” didja ever hear of … rendition?
Obama is waiting to “See how this thing plays out”: it is imperative to be on the winning side, otherwise his image as the great world unifier might be tarnished. Besides, maybe he can talk the sadists into offering the former students and demonstrators a “Pain Pill” to ease their suffering. After all, that is the humanitarian thing to do, if you are a Liberal Marxist.
Obama’s version of Progressive Socialism and Liberal Marxism has nothing in common with Moore’s vision of Utopia: like every application in the world, it is about power and control. Vague ideas of humanism and benevolent dictatotrship are so much flatulence in a hurricane. The Elites must have the power and control, after all they know how you should be living your life, ask a Progressive Socialist, they are always anxious to point out your failings and how you should be conducting your life: freedom only exists as far as the freedom to follow the party line and how to conduct your life. The house you live in, the car you drive, the lifestyle you lead, the education of your children, your job, your health, your energy consumption, and your death are all matters that should be directed by the state.
Orwell described this evil in his novel 1984, he observed the implementation of this political order by “Uncle Joe” (Stalin) FDR’s hero, and Chairman Mao. He figured it would only take 35 years before the Progressive Socialists and the Liberal Marxists would be in control of the US and Britain. His chronology was off by a few years. They are making their first successful move now, 60 years after Orwell published.
If the rest of you are willing to submit to this Marxist Dystopia, you will do so without me. I refuse to submit to the yoke of Communism. I was born free, two years before Orwell published his book in 1949, and I guarantee you, I will die a free man.
Obama and his handlers did not anticipate the outspoken opposition to a Marxist takeover of the United States: he and the Union Henchmen, and the Acorn Thugs figured it would be a walkover since he had played his campaign so well and the American Public seemed to be either Brain Dead Lemmings or Fanatic Useful Idiots; but it was the realization that the Obama way was a code word for Communism that helped America to regain her senses.
So is it no surprise that Obama isn’t worried about unarmed people struggling for Freedom? Hell No! The regime is employing the same thug tactics to maintain control that he would love to employ here. It is only a matter of time before resistance will be met with these same heavy handed Thug Tactics, if we let him advance his Marxist Agenda. We are not only fighting for our country and freedom, but for our very lives. We are only voters to Obama, voters that must be swayed in order to consolidate control: once control and power has been institutionalized, we as voters and human beings are irrelevant to the Marxist.
A Marxist has no remorse over killing a hundred million people to create his version of Utopia. It is history, check out Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, or Castro; they were all murderous perverts who practiced population control by killing a 100,000 at a time. These are the International Heroes of our Progressive Socialists and Liberal Marxists. Do you really think he is concerned over 10,000 students being tortured, raped, and murdered?
And as for our “interrogation techniques,” didja ever hear of … rendition?
Yes, I’ve heard of rendition, though I avoided seeing the cinematic version.
Many of the questionable pick-ups in Afghanistan have been released and were not tortured during their tenure at Club Gitmo.
I’ve forgotten the statistics, but the recidivism rate for those released is uncomfortably high.
Waterboarding was used on only the “highest value” guys at Guantanamo.
I hope your shorts are in a knot over the horror of Iran, the horror of Taliban duping naive 13 YO’s to blow themselves up, the Palestinians who also brainwash/use their children and live to kill a Jew, the cretins blowing stuff up wherever they get the chance (see recently Indonesia & Pakistan), the Russians willfully assassinating their critics…as much as the fashionable, self-righteous “torture” meme you’ve adopted from your Leftist brothers.
I won’t hold my breath.
Obie kisses Chavez on the cheek, Abdullah on the hand, and A’jad, on the . . . mouth?
Clotilde Reiss is free.
The Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei appointed Sadegh Ardeshir-Larijani as the new head of the judiciary.
Rafsanjani, the Regime political boss, dedicated a particular task for this designed “pawn” he had, according to rumors, demanded that his arrival at the head of the judiciary would be accompanied by an abandonment of charges against the “children of the revolution” in the current trial, which was officially launched by the Conservatives. The regime wants to close a file that starts to become unmanageable
References to the role of foreign powers have also disappeared in the indictment of the prosecutor. Direct consequence of this pragmatic reorientation, Clotilde Reiss was released and we can consider her definitive release, which will calm the Europeans who had suggested they might consider a tightening of sanctions in September by reducing access Iran to import gasoline. It is an honorable exit for the regime.
cf Iran/Resist
“They intend to defeat us and eventually dominate us. We have yet to fight back effectively, and Hillary’s misrepresentations prove we have no intention of doing so.”
I sent the following letter to Time reporter Robin Wright, who compares the Larijani family in Iran to Kennedy’s!
Dear Robin Wright,
I find the title of your article “Will Iran’s ‘Kennedy’s Challenge Ahmadinejad?” very offensive and insulting first to Kennedy family and then to Iranians fighting against this regime. So I sense somewhat of deep hidden animosity you are emitting by using such titles and comparison.
With your above average education and experience, it is troubling your inability to find some other family names that truly equate the Larijani’s family. I hope you take it back.
Yet, I think such titles and articles are, in a way, kissing up to this regime. I mean you didn’t spare anything to imagination. My guess is that you might be looking to get a visa to visit Iran or somehow showing your worthiness to the dictators in Tehran for something that help your career and possibly financial gains. Otherwise, no balanced reporters, without being drunk would dare to make such a comparison.
God forbid, next time we might read another story by you dragging the name of Gandhi from his grave and matching it to Mousavi!!
In some ways, you remind me of Judith Miller that became the sucker in the Iraq story, about WMD. Most possibly you are falsely relying on your Iranian buddy(ies) that gives you first-hand info. and you just let go of your common sense and make such wacky statement!
I hope you show some class in the future articles and make minor efforts to come up with more fair family comparison. Although, I assure you this damage might stay with you, similar to the famous “Axis of Evil” label that Bush could not wash it away. At least I know Iranians will have fun with it, on your expense.
Good Luck.
Alireza
Why would they want to insult people they will need to hire as consultants,when they turn The US into a people’s republic ?Obama,and the demtards will need to create and staff a secret police force,and concentration camps for disidents. Besides, the Iranians are whites,and therefore inconsequential to our affirmative action prince.
Dear Dr Ledeen, I kindly invite you to see the documentary video made by the well known Iranian director at the following address:
http://reza.malakut.org/2009/08/post_462.html
“The same goes for Iran, and it will take time
for those who carry on with the Green revolution to see more than words come across the border into that land.”
If there are more then words, it isn’t a green revolution, but a red one. The Red kind are the only ones that work.
Changes from a green revolution are always ephemeral. A revolution that isn’t paid for in blood has no real value.
Sort of like buying a son his first car. He’ll wreck it, sure as the sun comes up. Because he didn’t work for it, he has no buy in on it.
Look at all the soft/green revolutions of the last few decades. So far, about half worked. The rest have fallen prey to “men on white horses”. Tyrants and despots that ARE willing to spill blood to gain power.
Like Chairman Mao said “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun”.
This is a fact of life. As powerful and as immutable as Gravity. For those of you that point to India and Gandhi, The Independence of India was worked out way before Gandhi showed up. If he has chosen to be a drunk instead of a mystic, it would have made no difference. The British Parliament decided that India should be an independent nation and took action to make it so. Gandhi just took advantage of those acts by the British government.
One mans torture is another mans amusement.
Water boarding wouldn’t botherme. I would just go ahead and die. Then they could either re-start my heart or not. Nothing I could do about it, so I wouldn’t be worried about it.
Now strap me down and force me to watch Rosie O’donnel re-runs and I would be telling them everything I know, everything my dad knows and everything my grandpa knew.
Or make me sit thru A showing of X-Men. That is the worst Movie Dolly_wood ever cranked out. It is so bad that not even Hallie in Leather could save it. After about 30 seconds of Charrr…les I would be begging for the Waterboard.
Yet there are people that actually liked it.
An extraordinary video.
I understand it isn’t just Iranian thugs in prisons forcing themselves on 17 YO girls who use the phony Islamic device of “temporary marriage” to legitimize their filth & barbarity.
Azadandish:
Thanks for posting above video link. This is shocking and yet an important documentary that must be kept for near future to prosecute torturers like Mr. Safaei in the court of law.
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