Coalition for Democracy in Iran:
Whats New at Right Web
Exposing the Architecture of Power that's Changing Our World
http://rightweb.irc-online.org
October 19, 2004
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Introducing new articles from IRCs Right Web initiative
Coalition for Democracy in Iran
By Tom Barry
The Coalition for Democracy in Iran (CDI) is one of numerous pressure groups created by neoconservatives that focus on changing U.S. foreign policy. These include the U.S. NATO Committee, Committee for Liberation of Iraq, and U.S. Committee for a Free Lebanon. In late 2002 Michael Leeden and Morris Amitay spearheaded the creation of the Coalition for Democracy in Iran. Other members include Frank Gaffney, Jack Kemp, Bruce McColm, Joshua Muravhik, Danielle Pletka, Rob Sobhani, Raymond Tanter, and James Woolsey. (1)
CDI represents just one thrust in a phalanx of neoconservative initiatives and organizations that aim to set the U.S. foreign policy agenda for Iran. Other groups include the Middle East Forum, Project for the New American Century, Hudson Institute, Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, Committee on the Present Danger, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, and especially the American Enterprise Institute, which serves as the flagship neocon think tank.
CDI states it was formed to mobilize the efforts of groups and individuals across the United States, including Iranian-Americans, who support the aspirations of the Iranian people for democracy and respect for human rights in Iran. In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, there is an even greater urgency to focus the attention of the U.S. public opinion and the policy makers on the real agenda of the Iranian regime. If judged by actions rather than by words, the battle between the reformers and the hardliners appears only to be a myth, albeit one that has resulted in conflicting signals from Washington. On the vital issues of support for terrorism and for development of weapons of mass destruction, the Islamic Republic tolerates no dissention. Nor has the theocracy been able to deliver economic and political reforms for the people of Iran. Promoting democracy in Iran will build a more peaceful and prosperous Iran, advancing the common interests of both Americans and Iranians.
Tom Barry is Policy Director for the Interhemispheric Resource Center (online at http://www.irc-online.org).
See new Right Web analysis at:
http://rightweb.irc-online.org/analysis/2004/0410cdi.php
With printer-friendly .pdf version:
http://rightweb.irc-online.org/pdf/0410cdi.pdf
Is Iran Next?
The Pentagon Neocons Who Brought You the War in Iraq Have a New Target
By Tom Barry
(Originally printed in the October 25, 2004 edition of In These Times, http://www.inthesetimes.com)
Shortly after 9/11, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith began coordinating Pentagon planning for an invasion of Iraq. The challenge facing Feith, the No. 3 civilian in the Defense Department, was to establish a policy rationale for the attack. At the same time, Feiths ideological cohorts in the Pentagon began planning to take the administrations global war on terrorism, not only to Baghdad, but also to Damascus and Tehran.
In August it was revealed that one of Feiths Middle East policy wonks, Lawrence Franklin, shared classified documentsincluding a draft National Security Presidential Directive formulated in Feiths office that outlines a more aggressive U.S. national security strategy regarding Iranwith the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and Israeli officials. The FBI is investigating the document transfer as a case of espionage.
This spy scandal raises two concerns for U.S. diplomats and foreign policy experts from across the political spectrum. One, that U.S. Middle East policy is being directed by neoconservative ideologues variously employed, coordinated or sanctioned by Feiths Pentagon office. And two, that U.S. Middle East policy is too closely aligned with that of Israeli hardliners close to U.S. neoconservatives.
See new Right Web analysis at:
http://rightweb.irc-online.org/analysis/2004/0410isirannext.php
With printer-friendly version at:
http://rightweb.irc-online.org/pdf/0410isirannext.pdf
Also see:
Douglas Feith: Portrait of a Neoconservative.
See profile online at: http://rightweb.irc-online.org/ind/feith/feith.php
Morris J. Amitay
Co-founder of the Coalition for Democracy in IranSee profile online at: http://rightweb.irc-online.org/ind/amitay/amitay.php
Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA)
See profile online at: http://rightweb.irc-online.org/org/jinsa.php
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Exposing the Architecture of Power that's Changing Our World
http://rightweb.irc-online.org
October 19, 2004
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Introducing new articles from IRCs Right Web initiative
Coalition for Democracy in Iran
By Tom Barry
The Coalition for Democracy in Iran (CDI) is one of numerous pressure groups created by neoconservatives that focus on changing U.S. foreign policy. These include the U.S. NATO Committee, Committee for Liberation of Iraq, and U.S. Committee for a Free Lebanon. In late 2002 Michael Leeden and Morris Amitay spearheaded the creation of the Coalition for Democracy in Iran. Other members include Frank Gaffney, Jack Kemp, Bruce McColm, Joshua Muravhik, Danielle Pletka, Rob Sobhani, Raymond Tanter, and James Woolsey. (1)
CDI represents just one thrust in a phalanx of neoconservative initiatives and organizations that aim to set the U.S. foreign policy agenda for Iran. Other groups include the Middle East Forum, Project for the New American Century, Hudson Institute, Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, Committee on the Present Danger, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, and especially the American Enterprise Institute, which serves as the flagship neocon think tank.
CDI states it was formed to mobilize the efforts of groups and individuals across the United States, including Iranian-Americans, who support the aspirations of the Iranian people for democracy and respect for human rights in Iran. In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, there is an even greater urgency to focus the attention of the U.S. public opinion and the policy makers on the real agenda of the Iranian regime. If judged by actions rather than by words, the battle between the reformers and the hardliners appears only to be a myth, albeit one that has resulted in conflicting signals from Washington. On the vital issues of support for terrorism and for development of weapons of mass destruction, the Islamic Republic tolerates no dissention. Nor has the theocracy been able to deliver economic and political reforms for the people of Iran. Promoting democracy in Iran will build a more peaceful and prosperous Iran, advancing the common interests of both Americans and Iranians.
Tom Barry is Policy Director for the Interhemispheric Resource Center (online at http://www.irc-online.org).
See new Right Web analysis at:
http://rightweb.irc-online.org/analysis/2004/0410cdi.php
With printer-friendly .pdf version:
http://rightweb.irc-online.org/pdf/0410cdi.pdf
Is Iran Next?
The Pentagon Neocons Who Brought You the War in Iraq Have a New Target
By Tom Barry
(Originally printed in the October 25, 2004 edition of In These Times, http://www.inthesetimes.com)
Shortly after 9/11, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith began coordinating Pentagon planning for an invasion of Iraq. The challenge facing Feith, the No. 3 civilian in the Defense Department, was to establish a policy rationale for the attack. At the same time, Feiths ideological cohorts in the Pentagon began planning to take the administrations global war on terrorism, not only to Baghdad, but also to Damascus and Tehran.
In August it was revealed that one of Feiths Middle East policy wonks, Lawrence Franklin, shared classified documentsincluding a draft National Security Presidential Directive formulated in Feiths office that outlines a more aggressive U.S. national security strategy regarding Iranwith the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and Israeli officials. The FBI is investigating the document transfer as a case of espionage.
This spy scandal raises two concerns for U.S. diplomats and foreign policy experts from across the political spectrum. One, that U.S. Middle East policy is being directed by neoconservative ideologues variously employed, coordinated or sanctioned by Feiths Pentagon office. And two, that U.S. Middle East policy is too closely aligned with that of Israeli hardliners close to U.S. neoconservatives.
See new Right Web analysis at:
http://rightweb.irc-online.org/analysis/2004/0410isirannext.php
With printer-friendly version at:
http://rightweb.irc-online.org/pdf/0410isirannext.pdf
Also see:
Douglas Feith: Portrait of a Neoconservative.
See profile online at: http://rightweb.irc-online.org/ind/feith/feith.php
Morris J. Amitay
Co-founder of the Coalition for Democracy in IranSee profile online at: http://rightweb.irc-online.org/ind/amitay/amitay.php
Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA)
See profile online at: http://rightweb.irc-online.org/org/jinsa.php
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