Tag: iran

Freeh Became ‘Defense Lawyer’ for Saudis on Khobar Attack

In early November 1998, Louis Freeh sent an FBI team off to observe Saudi secret police officials interviewing eight Shi’a detainees from behind a one-way mirror at the Riyadh detention center. He planned to use the Shi’a testimony to show that Iran was behind the bombing. As expected, the stories told by the detainees recapitulated … Continue reading “Freeh Became ‘Defense Lawyer’ for Saudis on Khobar Attack”

Misreading the Protests in Tehran

After 30 years of enmity that closed off most lines of communication, the recent crisis in Iran has suddenly engendered a boom of U.S. interest in the Islamic Republic. But much of the attention in Washington and elsewhere in the U.S. is often misplaced, misguided, or completely detached from the realities currently embroiling Iran in … Continue reading “Misreading the Protests in Tehran”

Iran: Harsh Crackdown Extends to Leading Opposition Figures

TEHRAN – Eleven days after Iran’s disputed June 12 president election, the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appears determined to round up key members of the opposition, journalists, and human rights activists who could play a key role in rallying public support for opposition demands. The streets of the Iranian capital and other provincial cities … Continue reading “Iran: Harsh Crackdown Extends to Leading Opposition Figures”

Neocons Paint Obama as Weak on ‘Rogues’

In what appears increasingly to be an orchestrated campaign, right-wing Republicans and Israel-centered neoconservatives are pulling out all the stops in depicting President Barack Obama as "weak" on national security and promoting democracy abroad. While they have been pressing that charge on Obama since even before he defeated Sen. John McCain in last November’s elections, … Continue reading “Neocons Paint Obama as Weak on ‘Rogues’”

The Chickenhawks Are Back

Much has been said and written in recent days about the way the demonstrators in Tehran have been utilizing new kinds of "social media" to challenge the Iranian theocratic regime. Protesters blog, post to Facebook, and most intriguingly, coordinate their protests on Twitter, the messaging service. On Twitter, young Iranians and their supporters post reports … Continue reading “The Chickenhawks Are Back”