{news} Fw: USGP-INT Iranian university chancellors askColumbiapresident 10questions (Fars News Agency)

[Robert Vogel]

I don't know if I can post to this list. I have been thinking of 
unsubscribing for that reason. Anyway, here's a few comments:

- - - - -

In the run up to the war on Iraq, US media were cheerleaders for war. 
Although a large percentage of people opposed it, a small group of Neocons 
managed to 'sell' the war. It was a disaster.

It appears that the same techniques are again being used to make a case for 
war with Iran. The GP should oppose that. Justine is right.

See some of the press and commentaries at 
http://www.seconnecticut.com/iran.htm.

How would you answer the Iranian academics ?

Bob

The events at Columbia raise a lot of questions: Has US higher education 
been politicized ? Are US media acting in complicity with the Bush 
administration to make a case for war with Iran ? Is the US building an 
empire ? Wouldn't it be better for the UN to be the world's policeman 
instead of the US ? Will military expense bankrupt us ? Will there be 
resources for anything else...such as healthcare, infrastructure, eldercare, 
education....?

and about Israel: http://www.lrb.co.uk/v28/n06/mear01_.html


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Amy Vas Nunes" <amyvasnunes at hotmail.com>
To: <ctgp-news at ml.greens.org>
Sent: Friday, September 28, 2007 8:08 PM
Subject: RE: {news} Fw: USGP-INT Iranian university chancellors 
askColumbiapresident 10questions (Fars News Agency)


> Connecticut Green Party - Part of the GPUS
> http://www.ctgreens.org/ - http://www.greenpartyus.org/
>
> to unsubscribe click here
> mailto:ctgp-news-unsubscribe at ml.greens.org
> Do International criminals have freedom of speech? How many have been 
> killed, disappeared or jailed in Iran? This dictator says the Holocost did 
> not happen and has held conferences on this idea : if so who killed over 
> 200 members of my family in Holland during WW II? He also belives Israel 
> should not exist: if so where do Jews fleeing antisemitism from all over 
> the world go, to Iran,thats where they fled from!   This opinion is being 
> forwarded by a CTGP International vice chair who needs to go... after over 
> 2yrs with no contact,and some one who has personally greatly changed the 
> USGP Platform to pro Palestinian so now USGP and CTGP are on ADL watch 
> list mainly due to her activities.   Amy
>
>
>>From: "Justine McCabe" <justinemccabe at earthlink.net>
>>To: "CTGP Women's Caucus" <gpcwc at lists.riseup.net>,"CTGP-NEWS" 
>><ctgp-news at ml.greens.org>
>>Subject: {news} Fw: USGP-INT Iranian university chancellors ask 
>>Columbiapresident 10questions (Fars News Agency)
>>Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:06:30 -0400
>>
>>Connecticut Green Party - Part of the GPUS
>>http://www.ctgreens.org/ - http://www.greenpartyus.org/
>>
>>to unsubscribe click here
>>mailto:ctgp-news-unsubscribe at ml.greens.org
>>
>>>Iranian University Chancellors Ask Bollinger 10
>>>Questions
>>>
>>>Fars News Agency, September 25, 2007
>>>http://www.farsnews.com/English/newstext.php?nn=8606300370
>>>http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=6888
>>>
>>>
>>>Seven chancellors and presidents of Iranian
>>>universities and research centers, in a letter
>>>addressed to their counterpart in the US,
>>>Colombia University, denounced Lee Bollinger's
>>>insulting words against the Iranian nation and
>>>president and invited him to provide responses to
>>>10 questions by Iranian academics and
>>>intellectuals.
>>>
>>>The following is the full text of the letter:
>>>
>>>
>>>Mr. Lee Bollinger
>>>Columbia University President
>>>
>>>We, the professors and heads of universities and
>>>research institutions in Tehran, hereby announce
>>>our displeasure and protest at your impolite
>>>remarks prior to Iranian President Mahmoud
>>>Ahmadinejad's recent speech at Columbia
>>>University.
>>>
>>>We would like to inform you that President
>>>Ahmadinejad was elected directly by the Iranian
>>>people through an enthusiastic two-round poll in
>>>which almost all of the country's political
>>>parties and groups participated. To assess the
>>>quality and nature of these elections you may
>>>refer to US news reports on the poll dated June
>>>2005.
>>>
>>>Your insult, in a scholarly atmosphere, to the
>>>president of a country with a population of 72
>>>million and a recorded history of 7,000 years of
>>>civilization and culture is deeply shameful.
>>>
>>>Your comments, filled with hate and disgust, may
>>>well have been influenced by extreme pressure
>>>from the media, but it is regrettable that media
>>>policy-makers can determine the stance a
>>>university president adopts in his speech.
>>>
>>>Your remarks about our country included
>>>unsubstantiated accusations that were the product
>>>of guesswork as well as media propaganda. Some of
>>>your claims result from misunderstandings that
>>>can be clarified through dialogue and further
>>>research.
>>>
>>>During his speech, Mr. Ahmadinejad answered a
>>>number of your questions and those of students.
>>>We are prepared to answer any remaining questions
>>>in a scientific, open and direct debate.
>>>
>>>You asked the president approximately ten
>>>questions. Allow us to ask you ten of our own
>>>questions in the hope that your response will
>>>help clear the atmosphere of misunderstanding and
>>>distrust between our two countries and reveal the
>>>truth.
>>>
>>>1- Why did the US media put you under so much
>>>pressure to prevent Mr. Ahmadinejad from
>>>delivering his speech at Columbia University? And
>>>why have American TV networks been broadcasting
>>>hours of news reports insulting our president
>>>while refusing to allow him the opportunity to
>>>respond? Is this not against the principle of
>>>freedom of speech?
>>>
>>>2- Why, in 1953, did the US administration
>>>overthrow Iran's national government under Dr
>>>Mohammad Mosaddegh and go on to support the
>>>Shah's dictatorship?
>>>
>>>3- Why did the US support the blood-thirsty
>>>dictator Saddam Hussein during the 1980-88
>>>Iraqi-imposed war on Iran, considering his
>>>reckless use of chemical weapons against Iranian
>>>soldiers defending their land and even against
>>>his own people?
>>>
>>>4- Why is the US putting pressure on the
>>>government elected by the majority of
>>>Palestinians in Gaza instead of officially
>>>recognizing it? And why does it oppose Iran's
>>>proposal to resolve the 60-year-old Palestinian
>>>issue through a general referendum?
>>>
>>>5- Why has the US military failed to find
>>>Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden even with all its
>>>advanced equipment? How do you justify the old
>>>friendship between the Bush and Bin Laden
>>>families and their cooperation on oil deals? How
>>>can you justify the Bush administration's efforts
>>>to disrupt investigations concerning the
>>>September 11 attacks?
>>>
>>>6- Why does the US administration support the
>>>Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) despite the
>>>fact that the group has officially and openly
>>>accepted the responsibility for numerous deadly
>>>bombings and massacres in Iran and Iraq? Why does
>>>the US refuse to allow Iran's current government
>>>to act against the MKO's main base in Iraq?
>>>
>>>7- Was the US invasion of Iraq based on
>>>international consensus and did international
>>>institutions support it? What was the real
>>>purpose behind the invasion which has claimed
>>>hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives? Where are
>>>the weapons of mass destruction that the US
>>>claimed were being stockpiled in Iraq?
>>>
>>>8- Why do America's closest allies in the Middle
>>>East come from extremely undemocratic governments
>>>with absolutist monarchical regimes?
>>>
>>>9- Why did the US oppose the plan for a Middle
>>>East free of unconventional weapons in the recent
>>>session of the International Atomic Energy Agency
>>>Board of Governors despite the fact the move won
>>>the support of all members other than Israel?
>>>
>>>10- Why is the US displeased with Iran's
>>>agreement with the IAEA and why does it openly
>>>oppose any progress in talks between Iran and the
>>>agency to resolve the nuclear issue under
>>>international law?
>>>
>>>Finally, we would like to express our readiness
>>>to invite you and other scientific delegations to
>>>our country. A trip to Iran would allow you and
>>>your colleagues to speak directly with Iranians
>>>from all walks of life including intellectuals
>>>and university scholars. You could then assess
>>>the realities of Iranian society without media
>>>censorship before making judgments about the
>>>Iranian nation and government.
>>>
>>>You can be assured that Iranians are very polite
>>>and hospitable toward their guests.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>____________________________________________________________________________________
>>>Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search
>>>that gives answers, not web links.
>>>http://mobile.yahoo.com/mobileweb/onesearch?refer=1ONXIC
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>usgp-int mailing list
>>>usgp-int at gp-us.org
>>>http://forum.greens.org/mailman/listinfo/usgp-int
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>No virus found in this incoming message.
>>>Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>>>Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.13.32/1032 - Release Date: 
>>>9/26/2007 8:20 PM
>>>
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