Shortwave Radio Can Help Free Iran

by: Arash Irandoost
8/24/2009

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/9006

http://www.rightsidenews.com/200908015770/world/terrorism/short-wave-radio-vs-the-iranian-nuclear-bomb.html

In reaction to the Islamic Republic's media crackdown, I have been discussing the merits of establishing shortwave radio broadcasting with media experts and those interested in over throwing the Islamic dictatorship of Iran. The idea has received wide acceptance as a viable tool. I have decided to share it with the people of the world and ask for input and financial support, as they have been most generous and supportive allies of this pro-
Establishing reliable communications between Iran and the people of the world is essential.
democracy movement. Many world leaders and international organizations, on the other hand, have been absent and silent.

The Islamic Republic has systematically attempted to cut off communication links, in order to accomplish its inhumane and bloody massacre of the peaceful demonstrators who, within the confines of the ever-restrictive Islamic Republic's laws, rose up and demanded an accurate vote count. Thus, establishing reliable communications between Iran and the people of the world is essential and of utmost urgency. 

I applaud Senators McCain, Graham, Liebermann, McCotter, and many others, for taking the leadership and speaking up in support of the Iranian people in their determination to establish Internet communication between the pro-democracy demonstrators and the people of the world. A discussion of the prevailing communications situation in Iran will help us focus our energies and resources where it is most effective and does the most good. 

International reporters being absent, the majority of Iranians get their news from the state-run media, which is directly controlled by the Ahmadinejad camp. Doctored pictures of missiles, fighter jets and exaggerated crowds during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speeches should give the reader an idea of the type and quality of manipulated information Iranians are exposed to by the mullahs every day. 

Internet communications is under the ultimate control of the Islamic Republic as well, no thanks to companies like Nokia. The regime can easily cut it off, limit access, decrease bandwidth, and use it as a spying and surveillance tool to identify and arrest pro-democracy youth activists. Compared to the United States and many other developed countries, access to the Internet is in its early stages, and the majority use dial-up modems to access news and information. Not to mention that many Iranians do not speak the English language or other foreign languages, and cannot realize the full benefits the Internet offers. 

Twenty or so Farsi satellite television stations broadcast to Iran from the United States (Los Angeles and Washington), Canada and Europe. Many of these stations are directly or indirectly funded by the regime. Only a handful of the publicly supported opposition television stations are actively fighting the regime, but with major obstacles. The regime has successfully been able to shut down, jam or interrupt their programming and broadcasts to Iran at critical times such as these. Statistics are not readily available or reliable, however, very few Iranians own satellite receivers due to the expense and illegality of ownership - it is a crime and thus subject to severe punishment. Reports and pictures from Iran show that the regime is using helicopters to locate satellite dishes on the rooftops, and is actively engaged in collecting and destroying them; again, to limit access to information and news. 

Much to the dislike of the ayatollahs, another mode of communication that Iranians have successfully utilized to receive information and send their messages, along with horrible pictures of killings, beatings and mass demonstrations, has been cellular phones. Here again, telecommunications is state run and, as mentioned earlier, thanks to companies such as Nokia and Siemens the regime has had the upper hand. 

Realizing the limitations of the aforementioned telecommunication technologies, we might have overlooked the efficacy of the shortwave radio broadcast. It has merit and deserves a closer look.

Shortwave possesses a number of advantages over newer technologies:

• The difficulty in censoring programming by authorities and arresting listeners: unlike the Internet and cell phones, mullahs cannot monitor which stations (sites) are being listened to (accessed).
• Low-cost shortwave radios are widely available in Iran.
• Many newer shortwave receivers are portable and can be battery operated, making them useful in difficult circumstances. Newer technology includes hand-cranked radios which provide power for a short time.
• Shortwave radios can be used in situations where Internet or satellite technology is unavailable, unaffordable or illegal.
• Shortwave radio travels much farther than broadcast FM (88-108 MHz). Shortwave broadcasts can be easily transmitted over a distance of several thousand kilometers; i.e., from one continent to another, especially at night.  

Despite its vast natural resources, Iran is still a Third World country. However, almost all Iranians own radios and use them regularly to get their news and entertainment. Radios are not illegal and almost all automobiles are equipped with a shortwave band. Shopkeepers, housewives, taxi drivers, street vendors and factory workers listen to the radio on a regular basis. The radios are also very cheap, thanks to Chinese and Korean imports. It is
Khomeini successfully used shortwave broadcasts from France.
noteworthy that Khomeini successfully used shortwave broadcasts from France for almost a year, broadcasting his propaganda against the Shah and preparing the people for uprising prior to the revolution of 1979. 

By establishing a reliable shortwave broadcast, the opposition groups outside of Iran will gain a formidable tool to transmit their information and messages of support, encouragement all over Iran. They will more effectively mobilize the entire nation, not just the Tehran residents, to rise up against this tyrannical and brutal regime. 

The estimated cost for such a system varies, but I am informed by many experts that a functional system for a two-hour daily broadcast, with an editing and sound room, can be set up for around $500,000. This is a small price to pay to free a peace- and freedom-loving nation that has been held hostage by a ruthless, medieval and barbaric regime.

Will you help this civilized nation rise up from the ashes and the darkest period in its 7,000-year history, to join the ranks of democratic, civilized and freedom-loving states?

UN -The Shameless, Deadly Silence

by Arash Irandoost

8/16/2009

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/8987

Many of you have been busy circulating numerous petitions to the United Nations regarding the brutality of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Please do not waste your precious time any longer, hoping for a miracle to happen from this incompetent, corrupt, anti-Semitic and pro-Islamic organization. Since June 12, 2009, despite numerous
The Iranian people are simply hopeless and helpless, and the United Nations does not come to their rescue.
petitions signed by Iranians and submitted to the UN, there has not been any strong condemnation from this pro-Islamist organization regarding the criminal conduct of the medieval Islamist regime against its own citizens.

Don't just take my word for it, please do your own research on this organization and how it functions. The UN is an organization rife with incompetence, corruption and mismanagement.

The Iranian people are simply hopeless and helpless, and the United Nations does not come to their rescue. Mass public hangings, as well as secret executions in prisons, are routine in the tyrannical Islamic Republic of Iran. From its past performance, or rather its absence of performance, we know that the UN watchdog is a true disgrace to dogs, since all it does is eat, sleep and look the other way. Furthermore, the dog has no teeth. The vet had to pull all its teeth before the dog became acceptable to the crafty cats that constitute the UN itself.

The founding purpose of the UN was to "bring peace and prosperity to the people of the world." In the age of terror and blatant human rights violations by many countries, such as Burma, China and Iran, the UN has failed miserably to meet its obligation and its purpose. The UN programs which were set up to help the Palestinians over the past half-century, have not only failed to produce decent lives, but have helped create a culture of hate and violence - fueled in large part by the UN's own anti-Israel agenda. It is not uncommon to hear anti-Israeli rhetoric in the hallways of the United Nations.

You have heard frequent complaining and condemnation from the UN that the self-admitted terrorist prisoners at Guantanamo are being denied their human rights, or defenseless Palestinians are killed by Israeli soldiers; yet, the UN has no time to speak out against documented human-rights-violating thugs in Iran. The UN has ignored the alarming surge in assassinations, rapes, killings, torture and the massive crackdown that the Islamic Republic has launched against pro-democracy activists.

The UN's never-ending silence on the crimes committed by the agents of terror in Iran is abhorrent. The UN has conveniently ignored the men and women being beaten, brutalized, raped and shot in the streets of Tehran and other Iranian cities. The Security Council is silent; the Human Rights Council is silent; and no member state or any UN official has bothered to call for an emergency session to address these issues.

Why is the UN abandoning Iran's thousands of brutalized victims? Would Neda, Sohrab and Taraneh, and numerous other peaceful demonstrators, have been arrested, tortured, raped and killed if the UN had put the mullahs on notice, and expressed the world's outrage?

Pro democracy demonstrators are being killed daily by the paramilitary group, the Basijis and Hamas militias in Iran. Where is the UN? The UN was created and is committed in its charter to promote peace, freedom and "reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights."

The Islamic Republic also has started a nuclear program, not for peaceful purposes, as they claim, but only to prolong their unwanted existence long enough to get their hands on the bomb. Then they can feel invincible and continue their control over the armless Iranian people, and ultimately export their version of Shi'a Islam and terrorism around the globe.

Iran's regime is already in gross violation of a series of UN sanctions over a nuclear program the UN Security Council deems a threat to international peace. The same regime has now unleashed its security apparatus of
The UN is too cozy with Hamas terrorists and loathsome mullahs.
trained thugs and snipers on Iranian youth who have been, in huge numbers, demanding their basic rights. Surely, top UN officials such as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon should be leading the charge for liberty and justice, with the strongest possible condemnation and other measures against the mullahs.

But that's not happening. While Iranian protesters have been risking their lives to try to rid their country of immoral Islamic dictators, Ban Ki-moon congratulates Ahmadinejad, invites him to the UN General Assembly, and asks him to continue cooperating closely with the UN in addressing regional and global issues.
Do not waste your time with your petitions. The UN is too cozy with Hamas terrorists and loathsome mullahs. Do not expect any help from the UN; they are in cahoots with extremists and have deviated from their original human rights charter of treating the world as one human family.

The United Nation’s Deadly Silence on Iran

The New Media Journal

August 15, 2009


Many of you have been busy circulating numerous petitions to the United Nations regarding the brutality of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Please do not waste your precious time any longer, hoping for a miracle to happen from this incompetent, corrupt, anti-Semitic and pro-Islamic organization. Since June 12, 2009, despite numerous petitions signed by Iranians and submitted to the UN, there has not been any strong condemnation from this pro-Islamist organization regarding the criminal conduct of this medieval regime against its own citizens.

Don’t just take my word for it, please do your own research on this organization and how it functions. The UN is an organization rife with incompetence, corruption, and mismanagement.

The Iranian people are simply hopeless and helpless and the United Nations does not come to their rescue. Mass public hanging, as well as secret executions in prisons, are routine in the tyrannical Islamic Republic of Iran. From its past performance, rather its absence of performance, we know that the UN watchdog is a true disgrace to dogs, since all it does is eat, sleep and look the other way. Furthermore, the dog has no teeth. The vet had to pull all its teeth before the dog became acceptable to the crafty cats that constitute the UN itself.

The founding purpose of the UN was to “bring peace and prosperity to the people of the world,” The UN in the age of terror and blatant human rights violations by many countries such as Burma, China and Iran, has failed miserably to meet its obligation and its purpose. The UN programs which was set up to help the Palestinians over the past half-century, have not only failed to produce decent lives, but have helped create a culture of hate and violence–fueled in large part by the UN's own anti-Israel agenda. It is not uncommon to hear anti-Israeli rhetoric in the hallways of the United Nations.

You have heard frequent complaining and condemnation from the UN that the self-admitted terrorist prisoners at Guantanamo are being denied their human rights, or defenseless Palestinians are killed by Israeli soldiers, yet the UN has no time to speak out against documented human rights violating thugs in Iran. The UN has ignored the alarming surge in assassinations, rapes, killings, torture and the massive crackdown that the Islamic Republic has launched against pro-democracy activists.

The UN’s never ending silence on the crimes committed by the agents of terror in Iran is abhorrent. The UN has conveniently ignored the men and women being beaten, brutalized, raped and shot in the streets of Tehran and other Iranian cities. The Security Council is silent; the Human Rights Council is silent, and no member state or any UN official has bothered to call for an emergency session to address these issues.

Why is the UN abandoning Iran’s hundreds and thousands of brutalized victims? Would Neda, Sohrab and Taraneh and numerous other peaceful demonstrators have been arrested, tortured, raped and killed if the UN had put the Mullahs on notice, and expressed the world’s outrage?

Pro democracy demonstrators are being killed daily by the paramilitary group, the Basijis and Hamas militias in Iran. Where is the UN? The UN was created and is committed in its charter to promote peace, freedom and "reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights."

The Islamic Republic also has started a nuclear program, not for peaceful purposes, as they claim, but only to prolong their unwanted existence long enough to get their hands on the bomb so that they can feel invincible and continue their control over the armless Iranian people and ultimately export their version of Shi’a Islam and terrorism around the globe.

Iran's regime is already in gross violation of a series of UN sanctions over a nuclear program the UN Security Council deems a threat to international peace. The same regime has now unleashed its security apparatus of trained thugs and snipers on Iranian youth who have been, in huge numbers, demanding their basic rights. Surely top UN officials such as Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon should be leading the charge for liberty and justice, with the strongest possible condemnation and other measures against the mullahs.

But that's not happening. While Iranian protesters have been risking their lives to try to rid their country of immoral Islamic dictators, Ban Ki Moon congratulates Ahmadinejad, invites him to UN assembly, and asks him to continue cooperating closely with the UN in addressing regional and global issues. Do not waste your time with your petitions. The UN is too cozy with Hamas terrorists and loathsome mullahs. Do not expect any help from the UN, they are in cahoots with extremists and have deviated from their original human rights charter of treating the world as one human family!

No Room for Public in the Islamic Republic

The New Media Journal 

Dr. Arash Irandoost

August 8, 2009 http://www.newmediajournal.us/staff/irandoost/2009/08082009.htm
 

The Iranian political map consists of three major factions. To the "left" there are the moderate conservatives who were represented in the election by Mousavi. In the “centre”, there are the conventional conservatives led by certain figures from the clerical hierarchy as well as prominent businessmen. Finally, there is the “radical right” as embodied in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Council (IRGC), to which Ahmadinejad belongs. Above all these three factions, sits the supreme leader, manipulating the strings that control the equilibrium between them.

With the tacit support of the Islamic Republic, a number of organizations have been cultivated to expound the Islamic regime’s policy abroad. These pro-Islamic regime lobby organizations such as CAIR, CASMII, AIC, NIAC, IAPAC, CFR and PAAIA are attempting to manipulate, influence and pressure, both the U.S policy makers as well as the European Union’s, in favor of the Islamic Republic. In reality, these groups main objective has been to prolong diplomacy long enough until the IRI is beyond the point of return with its nuclear program.

Realizing the doomsday of the hardliners getting closer with each passing day, the lobbyists have changed course and have started supporting Mousavi, yet playing the devil’s advocate. With slogans such as “the Unites States should negotiate with Iran,” or “Mullahs are pragmatic bunch when it comes to foreign policy,” they were successful at convincing the Clinton administration, to some degree the Bush administration, but to a much greater extent, the Obama administration that they should consider negotiating with the mullahs without any pre-conditions regarding the nuclear and other issues.

Lobbyists directly were behind the President Obama “Nowruz” message to the Islamic Republic and thereafter, his famous Cairo’s message to the Muslim world. This was seen as legitimizing the Islamic Republic by many Iranians. With incessant overtures from Obama to appease the mullahs and invite them to the negotiation table, Iranians became very frustrated and angry. Whether they supported Mousavi or Ahmadinejad, Obama was willing to talk to either camp. They were hoping Obama to make human rights a priority, while Obama focused on the nuclear issue. The Islamic Republic leads all other nations on human rights violations except for China.

Even though the Islamic Republic, as a member of the United Nations, gives pretence of democratic processes and adherence to human rights principles, the harsh reality is that the Islamic Republic has never had the intention of being a democracy. There is no room for Public in the Islamic Republic. A closer read of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic reveals that all real power lies with the Supreme Leader and safeguards a pure Muhammadan Shi’a Islamic principle.

Iranian presidents do not have a say in major decisions within the power structure which favors a Caliphate style government (a form of government inspired by interpretations of the religion of Islam). But having a president gives a pretense of a democratic system for outside consumption and propaganda.

In order for the regime to cloak the iniquitous tilt towards the theocratic supremacy over the people, mullahs have resorted to all sorts of contrived tactics to justify their actions. The Islamic Republic pretends that people actually have a voice in Iran’s affairs. It holds sham elections. But even though, it is called elections, the constitution’s hegemony is present. The supreme leader approves peoples’ elected choice and can dismiss the president at anytime he deems it necessary.

Iran is not a monolithic society. It is a country of various religious and ethnic minorities. However, only candidates from the Shi’a sect are eligible to become president. Even though women attempt to participate, it is abundantly clear they are not invited. Only candidates with proven track record of murder, arrests, rapes and torture and with allegiance to the revolution are allowed to run. Yet, out of this select group of criminals, only a few head-picked criminals like Karoobi, Mousavi, Rezaei and Ahmadinejad were authorized to run this year. The Iranian people, in reality, were given an option to choose the best of the worst to run the affairs of their country. Obviously, people have eschewed such rigged elections and inevitably the government has resorted to various tricks to lure them back in.

Iranians are very proud of their glorious pre-Islamic Iran and its rich history and culture, a country where Cyrus the Great once ruled. Prior to 7^th Century Arab conquest, the Iranian empire stretched from India to Greece. The Persian literature is filled with romance, nightingale, rose gardens, music, poetry, wine and enjoying what life has to offer. Iranians do not see themselves as part of the Middle East and do not identify with their Arab neighbors.

The Arabs who sallied out of the Arabian deserts did not fan out to the outside world with the Quran in one hand and flowers in the other, preaching love and peace from street corner to street corner, thereby capturing the hearts and minds of the people. Islam was forced upon the invaded at the point of the sword and the imposition of backbreaking jazyyeh (special taxes) levied on those who were spared death and allowed to retain their religious beliefs. In spite of paying heavy Jazyyeh, the non-Muslims were treated, at best, as second class citizens in their own homelands.

As a nation with more advanced sciences, architecture, literature and culture, Iranians not only resisted the Arab influence at every opportunity but attempted to mutate the invaders customs to suit their purpose. They even branched out Sunni Islam to include the Shi’a version.

It is noteworthy that Zoroastrianism was the official religion of all Persian kings, yet it was never forced onto the non-Zoroastrian subjects of the Persian Empire. Of all the great Aryan Kings of Iran (Iran means "Land of the Aryans"), Cyrus the Great, more than 2500 years ago, represented the true embodiment of Zoroastrian beliefs. Cyrus attributed his conquests to Ahuramazda, the Creator of Life and Wisdom, the One and only God of the Universe. This Zoroastrian King and his descendants, who called themselves Aryans (not to be associated with the false and negative connotations during WWII), which literally means "Nobles," freed the Jews from the captivity in Babylon (present-day Iraq) and assisted them in re-building their Temple in Jerusalem. For his noble act, Cyrus is praised in the Hebrew Old Testament as the "Anointed of the Lord", a title never before given to any gentile, past or present. "Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden" (Isaiah 45:1). Thus Cyrus, an Iranian of Persian lineage and a follower of Zoroastrianism was immortalized in history.

Contrary to what mullahs might make you believe, Iranians have always had a fascination with the west and love America and the American ideals. Immediately after the news of September 11 attacks reached Iran, they poured onto the streets with candle light vigils to show solidarity with the American people in time of their grief, in contrast to the Palestinians who were cheering and dancing on the streets when they heard of the tragic event which killed more than 3,000 innocent people.

In adherence to Sharia laws, during the thirty years of the Islamic Republic, many basic liberties were taken away from the people. In general, Sharia law favor men and treats women as second class citizens. Music was banned in public. Happy colors were replaced by black in memory of Shi’a Martyrs. Consumption of alcoholic beverages was forbidden. However, Iranians have resisted the Sharia’s influence at every opportunity. More alcoholic beverages are consumed in Iran than prior to revolution. There are more singers and more songs are written now than before the revolution. Despite the strict Islamic dress code, Iranian women have defied it at every opportunity.

Having a person of Ahmadinejad’s caliber, often with spur-of-the-moment remarks on the world stage, has been rather embarrassing and humiliating to most educated Iranians. Disillusioned by the Islamic Republic’s broken promises year after year, they had opted to boycott the elections to send a message to the rest of world in this past election. Mullahs realizing the danger; contrived something new: for the first time in its history, they allowed open debates where candidates could challenge each other on the state-run television which was viewed by millions of Iranians. The Iranians heard from candidates’ own mouths the level of arrogance, ineptitude, and corruption which further infuriated them. The majority is claimed to have voted for Mousavi. Those who voted for him did so out of frustration and unfulfilled promises of the revolution. One might argue that their vote was NO to the entire establishment.

Anticipating a not so favorable election outcome, but determined to inflict the world with the light of Islam, Ahmadinejad in collaboration with the IRGC and the Supreme Leader saw no choice but a coup d’état. Soon after the elections, Ahmadinejad met with Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi (a powerful leading clergy and spiritual advisor to Ahmadinejad) and several other religious leaders in Qom and assured them of his plan and its successful implementation. Later, he met with Putin to secure his support. All was going according to the plan, until few missteps during and right after the elections led to the uprising.

Disillusioned by the Supreme Leader who supported Ahmadinejad in a rigged election, brave Iranians decided to take matters into their own hands. They poured onto the streets of Tehran and large provinces en masse. Their peaceful demonstrations within the restrictive confines of the regime, to demand a fair vote count, received a cruel and lethal reaction from Khamenei and his plain-clothed Basij militia and Hamas and Hizbollah hired thugs. They demonstrated in millions, chanting “Where is my vote?” and “God is great!” (Not necessarily a religious slogan) but an astute defiance of a religious regime. Slogans soon were changed to “Death to the dictator” meaning Ahmadinejad.

The exiled opposition groups and Iranians living abroad, witnessing the courageous and brave acts of the Iranian youths, supported them by massive demonstrations and elevated their chants to “Down with the Islamic Republic.”

Emboldened by massive demonstrations and expressions of support by the exiled oppositions groups and the world reaction to unjust and brutal treatment of youths who simply wanted their votes counted, the slogans matured to cross the red line, something unimaginable: “Death to the dictator”, this time Khamenei being the target. What is even more interesting is that Iranian youths for the first time decided not to follow the regime’s customary slogans of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” when directed by the Basij on Friday prayers following Rafsanjani’s speech. They defied the status quo and chanted their own slogans: “Death to Russia.” When a Basij directed them from his loudspeaker to chant “Death to Israel,” the brave youths chanted back “Death to Putin.”

Most Iranians have a passion for America and what it has symbolized for them. They do not see Israel as their enemy but rather as a natural ally in the Middle East. The slogan that was recently chanted echoed the ultimate intentions of the Iranian people: “Independence, Freedom, and Iranian Republic.”

As for the claim that CIA meddling plays into mullahs hands, the Iranian regime will claim that regardless. The mullahs have already blamed demonstrations on the CIA, Israel and MEK to suit their purposes. Lobbyists have been at work and have tried to portray demonstrators as Mousavi supporters. However, in reality, demonstrations and slogans are simply cries of frustrated freedom loving youths yearning for a more modern and better life style and opportunities that an Islamic form of a government is not willing to offer. In truth the Iranian people have already judged the regime and found it wanting.

It is anticipated that demonstration will continue and gain strengths if history provides any clues. Pro- democracy demonstrators have been very clever and have outmaneuvered highly trained Hamas and Hizbollah militias who have shown no sympathy for Iranians. Various civil disobedience techniques are being employed. Hamas and Hezbollah militias should be concerned, as tolerant as most Iranians are, they are sensitive about Arabs beating their brothers and arresting and raping their sisters in their own country. The crisis is far from over. Ahmadinejad government is faced with serious legitimacy crisis that will only worsen as hardliners continue their repressive policies.