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Did Oprah Pick Another Fibber? Truth and Fiction in Elie Wiesel's Night In his special report Alexander Cockburn interviews former Wiesel colleague and Holocaust survivor Eli Pfefferkorn. What Raul Hilberg, the Holocaust's greatest historian, really thinks about Wiesel's "Night". Also in this special issue: Is Hugo Chavez Hitler or Father Christmas? Larry Lack tells the full story of Venezuela's hand-outs to Uncle Sam's Shivering Poor. Plus, Jeffrey St Clair profiles the Endangered Visigoth and traces the rise and possible fall of Rick Pombo, destroyer of nature. CounterPunch Online is read by millions of viewers each month! But remember, we are funded solely by the subscribers to the print edition of CounterPunch. Please support this website by buying a subscription to our newsletter, which contains fresh material you won't find anywhere else, or by making a donation for the online edition. Remember contributions are tax-deductible. Click here to make a donation. If you find our site useful please: Subscribe Now! |
Today's Stories March 11 / 12, 2006 Ralph
Nader March 10, 2006 Ben
Rosenfeld Lila
Rajiva Saree
Makdisi Elena
Shore Joshua
Frank Dave
Zirin Aura
Bogado
March 9, 2006 John
Walsh Annie
Zirin Brian
McKenna Chris
Floyd Rachard
Itani Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Wylie
Harris Alexander
Cockburn Website
of the Day
March 8, 2006 Patrick
Bond Brian
Concannon, Jr. Pat
Williams Lance
Selfa Mokhiber
/ Weissman Walter
Brasch Vijay
Prashad Website
of the Day
March 7, 2006 Werther John
Blair Dave
Lindorff Mike
Whitney Warren
Guykema Sen.
Russell Feingold Robert
Jensen Norman
Solomon Bernie
Dwyer Website
of the Day
Ralph
Nader Dave
Zirin Vanessa
Redgrave Walter
A. Davis Joshua
Frank Nate
Mezmer Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Day
Alexander
Cockburn Jennifer
Van Bergen Steven
Higgs Winslow
T. Wheeler Ron
Jacobs Rev.
William E. Alberts Colin
Asher Fred
Gardner "Pariah" John
Scagliotti Seth
Sandronsky Joan
Roelofs Arjun
Makhijani Ardeshr
Ommani Diana
Barahona Ben
Tripp St.
Clair / Socialist Worker Staff Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend March 3, 2006 Laura
Carlsen John
V. Whitbeck Chris
Floyd Mohamed
Hakki Pratyush
Chandra John
Scagliotti Website
of the Day
March 2, 2006 Paul
Craig Roberts Dave
Lindorff Ramzy
Baroud Saul
Landau Joe
Allen Steve
Shore Denise
Boggs Norman
Finkelstein Website
of the Day
March 1, 2006 Mairead
Corrigan Maguire Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Faheem
Hussain Antony
Loewenstein Elizabeth
Schulte Mike
Whitney John
Ryan Michael
Donnelly Tom
Reeves Website
of the Day
February 28, 2006 Sen.
Russ Feingold Ralph
Nader Joshua
Frank Aziz
Haniffa Benjamin Dangl Norman Solomon Mike
Ferner Sharon
Smith Website
of the Day
February 27, 2006 Buncombe
/ Cockburn Paul
Craig Roberts Ingmar
Lee Ron
Jacobs Dave
Lindorff Pat
Wolff Lila
Rajiva Website
of the Day
February 25 / 26, 2006 Alexander
Cockburn Lila
Rajiva Lee
Sustar Jennifer
Van Bergen / Madis Senner Justin
E.H. Smith Paul
Craig Roberts Jason
Leopold Gilad
Atzmon Zahid
Shariff Fred
Gardner Dick
J. Reavis David
Stocker John
Bomar Mike
Marqusee Pratyush
Chandra Ben
Tripp Dr.
Susan Block Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
February 24, 2006 Alan
Maass William
S. Lind Dave
Lindorff Pierre
Tristam Meg
Bannerji Robert
Jensen Mark
Engler Jennifer
Loewenstein Website
of the Day
February 23, 2006 Chet
Richards Jonathan
Feldman Joshua
Frank Ron
Jacobs Amira
Hass Samah
Sabawi Norman
Solomon Christopher
Reed Website
of the Day
February 22, 2006 Robert
Pollin Phil
Doe Pirouz
Azadi Saul
Landau Brian
McKinlay Sam
Smith Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Diane
Farsetta Website
of the Day
February 21, 2006 Paul
Craig Roberts Franklin
Spinney Dave
Lindorff Alevtina
Rea Bruce
K. Gagnon Dave
Zirin Bill
Quigley Website
of the Day
February 20, 2006 Jennifer
Van Bergen Rachard
Itani Gideon
Levy Joshua
Frank Newton
Garver Pratyush
Chandra Seth
Sandronsky Cockburn
/ St. Clair Website
of the Day
February 18 / 19, 2006 Werther Uzma
Aslam Khan Joe
DeRaymond Edward
F. Mooney Paul
Craig Roberts Elaine
Cassel P.
Sainath Thomas
P. Healy Brian
Concannon, Jr. Fred
Gardner Rep.
Cynthia McKinney Brian
Tokar Chan
Chee Khoon Andrew
Freedman St.
Clair / Walker Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
February 17, 2006 Floyd
Rudmin Gervasio
Rodríguez Gary
Leupp Ramzy
Baroud Amira
Hass Matthew
Koehler Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Debbie
Nathan Website
of the Day
Febrauary 16, 2006 Lila
Rajiva Norman
Solomon Ron
Jacobs Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Day
February 15, 2006 Brian
Conacnnon, Jr. Dave
Lindorff Saree
Makdisi Joshua
Frank Amira
Hass CounterPunch
Wire Robert
Bryce Website
of the Day February 14, 2006 John
Sugg Don
Santina William
A. Cook Ray
McGovern John
Ross Website
of the Day
Lila
Rajiva Christopher
Brauchli Dave
Lindorff Ron
Jacobs Mike
Whitney Michael
Neumann Website
of the Day
February 11 / 12, 2006 Alexander
Cockburn Ralph
Nader Paul Craig
Roberts Pat Williams Fred Gardner Saul Landau John Chuckman Roger Burbach Seth Sandronsky Website of
the Weekend
February 10, 2006 Carl
G. Estabrook Sen.
Russell Feingold Roxanne
Dunbar----Ortiz Saree Makdisi Website of
the Day
February 9, 2006 Dave Lindorff Mike Marqusee Paul Craig Roberts Peter Phillips William S. Lind Christine Tomlinson Innocent Targets in the "Long War": False Positives and Bush's Eavesdropping Program Will Youmans Robert Robideau Richard Neville Peter Rost Website of the Day
February 8, 2006 Ron Jacobs Stan Cox Sen. Russ Feingold Robert Jensen Rep. Cynthia McKinney Niranjan Ramakrishnan Don Monkerud David Swanson C.L. Cook Christopher
Fons Jeffrey Ballinger Website of
the Day
February 7, 2006 Edward Lucie-Smith Robert Fisk Paul Craig Roberts Neve Gordon Joshua Frank Peter Montague Jackie Corr Jeffrey St.
Clair Website of the Day
February 6, 2006 Christopher
Brauchli Robert Fisk John Chuckman Jenna Orkin Paul Craig
Roberts
February 4 / 5, 2006 Alexander Cockburn Mike Ferner James Petras Alan Maass Fred Gardner Ralph Nader Bill Glahn Saul Landau Laura Carlsen James Brooks Mike Roselle John Holt Sarah Ferguson William S.
Lind Niranjan Ramakrishnan Seth Sandronsky Derrick O'Keefe Michael Donnelly Ron Jacobs Elisa Salasin St. Clair / Vest Stew Albert Poets' Basement Website of
the Weekend
February 3, 2006 Toufic Haddad Heather Gray Tim Wise Conn Hallinan Eva Golinger Daniel Ellsberg Dave Zirin Robert Bryce Website of
the Day
February 2, 2006 Winslow T.
Wheeler Stan Cox Rachard Itani Mike Whitney Amira Hass Norman Solomon Michael Simmons Christopher
Reed Website of the Day
February 1, 2006 Sharon Smith Jason Leopold Cindy Sheehan Joseph Grosso Earl Ofari Hutchinson Steven Higgs Robert Robideau R. Siddharth Jim Retherford Rep. Cynthia
McKinney Paul Craig
Roberts Website of
the Day
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Weekend
Edition Folly, Tragedy and FarceCondi and IranBy RON JACOBS Although the strategy is older than the mean sheriff and his less sadistic deputy in the Old West, we need to only go back a few years here. If one recalls prior to the US/UK invasion on Iraq in 2003, there were several initiatives to "promote democracy" in that country. Usually it was the State Department that played the good cop to the Defense Department's bad cop. Give money to dissident groups and others opposed to the regime of Saddam Hussein--that was the good guy approach. (If there was no organized opposition then the US would create one). Let's go in now and blow them to bits with "shock and awe" was the "bad guy" approach, more or less. Of course, on March 20, 2003, there was no difference between the two departments as their leaders watched FoxNews and cheered on the impending mass murder being perpetrated per their intentions. So, here we go again. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has formally asked the Congress to provide at least $75 billion to "promote democracy" in Iran. Already, the bad guys over in Defense have been ramping up the call to arms, including nuclear ones, in their desire to eliminate the regime in Tehran once and for all. So, the stage is slowly being set for a re-run of the same ol' carrot and stick. The question is, exactly what groups does Condi gave in mind? State Department officials have made it fairly clear that the most well-known groups opposed to the regime of the mullahs, the People's Mujahedin) PMOI and National Council for Resistance in Iran (NCRI), will not be receiving any of these funds. Furthermore, contacts aligned with these groups tell me that their leadership has no interest in monies from foreign governments, believing that any change in the Iranian government must come from within the Iranian popular will. The only other Iranian exile groups that exist (and aren't Maoist or some other leftist formation) are groups linked to the son of the former Shah, Reza Pahlavi. A quick history lesson reminds us that the Shah was installed in 1953 after a coup against the populist government of Mohammed Mossadegh. That coup was organized, funded and directed by Kermit Roosevelt and the CIA. The impetus for the coup was Mossadegh's decision to nationalize Iranian oil. After the Shah was installed on the Peacock Throne, he began a campaign of industrial modernization and secularization in Iran. At the same time, his government made oil deals favorable to US oil companies and used a large percentage of the profits from those deals to enrich his family and friends. Although the middle class grew during his reign, so did impoverishment among the rural and urban poor. In addition, the nature of capitalist progress forced many Iranians off of their small plots of land and into the cities, where life was considerably harsher. From the beginning of his rule, the Shah had many enemies. In order to maintain control and keep his enemies down, the Shah imprisoned thousands of students, workers and others that opposed his rule. In addition, his secret police-the SAVAK-were known for their brutal methods of torture and their wanton executions. The repression increased the opposition until, finally in 1979, the groundswell became so vast that he was forced into exile. Out of what seemed to be nowhere to the western observer, the Ayatollah Khomeini appeared in the capital of Tehran, ready to take over the reins of the revolutionary government. Khomeini, who spoke the words of the revolution, won the day in the struggle for power that ensued after the Shah's government disappeared, and proceeded to methodically destroy all opposition to his socially reactionary and economically stagnant program. After ten years of rule, Khomein died and was given a martyr's funeral, with millions of Iranians mourning in the streets. Since his death in 1989, the Iranian government has continued to repress its opponents, despite some liberalization of its Khomeini era laws. Constantly rife with rumors of corruption, the economy has prospered although many Iranians continue to struggle. The election of the fundamentalist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the presidency in 2005 was seen by many observers as a reaction from the rural and urban poor to the government's corruption and the failure of that government to provide basic needs to the poor. The current crisis over Iran's nuclear energy program is a crisis contrived by Washington in its drive to return Iran back to Washington's fold--a drive that began even before the Shah was overthrown back in 1979. For whatever reason, Ahmadinejad has played into Washington's hands nicely by making bellicose statements and by appearing to be hiding the program's true intentions. Whether or not Iran's nuclear program is intended purely for energy production, the perception is that it isn't. Therefore, there is little Iran can do at this point in terms of changing world opinion except back down from. So, there is a possibility that some of the monies earmarked for Condi Rice's Iranian democracy project will go to the Shah's son. Indeed, at least one other group --Kenneth Timmerman's Foundation for Democracy in Iran--that is rumored to be at least tangentially connected to Pahlavi's small organization have already received funds from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). Pahlavi is also on record encouraging foreign governments to aid the Iranian resistance, especially his group. Another aspect to this scenario is a repeat of the game plan Washington used against Saddam Hussein's Iraqi government. In other words, the State Department will work with willing exiles and form a so-called national congress. The intention of this group will be to make contacts with potential allies inside Iran who will help them distribute propaganda and organize dissent. Other exiles will work with the CIA and Pentagon, conducting military surveillance operations on the ground and staging small scale terror attacks and instigating local insurrections. Meanwhile, the bombardment of the US public with truths and half-truths about Iranian nuclear plans and human rights abuses will continue, perhaps even culminating with another grand televised act at the United Nations where Condi Rice repeats Colin Powell's Great Lie, complete with fuzzy photographs, anthrax vials, descriptions of underground WMD sites, and expressed fears that the end of the world is at hand unless Iran is attacked. According to an article by Farah Stockman in the Boston Globe, the US is prepared for "a long struggle" against Iran. An Office of Iranian Affairs was recently opened inside the State Department and an "embassy-in-exile" was just opened in Dubai. The main purpose of the Dubai installation will be to broadcast propaganda into Iran and to help coordinate US-sponsored exile groups and black ops against Iran. (3/7/2006) As for the possibility of other countries like Russia or China heading off any showdown between Iran and DC, the very fact that the US is now inisiting that the Iranian nuclear issue be brought to the UN Security Council without delay seems to indicate that Washington is once again only interested in making demands and ultimatums, not in genuine negotiations. Of course, all of this could quickly become irrelevant, given a number of statements by Israeli government officials, the most recent being from the ultra-hawk Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, who told the media on March 8, 2006, " My answer to this question is that the state of Israel has the right to give all the security that is needed to the people in Israel. We have to defend ourselves" (AP) If Israel jumps in, all bets are off. Ron Jacobs is author of The Way the Wind Blew: a history of the Weather Underground, which is just republished by Verso. Jacobs' essay on Big Bill Broonzy is featured in CounterPunch's new collection on music, art and sex, Serpents in the Garden. He can be reached at: rjacobs3625@charter.net
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from CounterPunch Books! The Case Against Israel By Michael Neumann Grand Theft Pentagon: Tales of Greed and Profiteering in the War on Terror by Jeffrey St. Clair Sick of sit-on-the-Fence speakers, tongue-tied and timid? CounterPunch Editors Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St Clair are available to speak forcefully on ALL the burning issues, as are other CounterPunchers seasoned in stump oratory. Call CounterPunch Speakers Bureau, 1-800-840-3683. Or email beckyg@counterpunch.org. |