Omid Memarian

2009-01-29T13:42:00.004-06:00

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2008-10-21T03:00:00.002-06:00

Why This Election is All About Character, Not Real Issues(this piece first published on HuffingtonPost)Sen. McCain's risky decision to run his presidential campaign based on character assassination, spreading fear and hatred and even questioning the patriotism of members of Congress, is the best indication that, come November, the Americans' decisions will be based more on the candidates'

2008-10-10T15:09:00.003-06:00

"NYT: McCain camp pushed Ayers report"You might thing it's just the economy on the edge of fall, but for many it's the mainstream media; by fueling the nasty and silly season of politics. Four weeks before the general elections, cable networks, some of the newspapers and major talk shows systematically divert the attention of people from the first issue of the United States, economy, to the

2008-10-07T01:50:00.002-06:00

"KEATING ECONOMICS: John McCain & The Making of a Financial Crisis"During the past week, Obama and McCain's campaign have been attacking each other over a variety of issues, backed by TV ads. Among what I've seen, the one that Obama campaign has released recently about Sen. McCain's involvement in Keating Scandal is well made and professionally impressive. It's not a sort of video that has made

2008-10-05T12:32:00.002-06:00

Bob Woodward: Bush Said His Iran Strategy Was "They're A**holes"When Admiral Fallen asked in a meeting with President Bush what the U.S. strategy toward Iran is, he responded; " They're assholes." There is a very famous saying that "leaders are the essence of their nations." Unlike many people around the world, I am so hesitant to agree this applies to the American people. President Bush simply

2008-10-01T01:33:00.005-06:00

Why there is no victory in Iraq ... and McCain's outdated foreign policy model!Below you see my opinions about last week's presidential elections, U.S. foriegn policy and also the issues that are missed in the mainstream media in the United States in an interview with Frontline/world, PBS:"The U.S and other countries are under the imminent threat of micro-terrorism conducted not by hostile

2008-09-26T00:45:00.001-06:00

Ahmadinejad Open to U.S. Talks, Denounces Threats(My story about President Ahmadinejad's press conference at the United Nations, New York, IPS News Agency)UNITED NATIONS, Sep 24 (IPS) - At a press conference following his speech to the U.N. General Assembly Tuesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he would welcome discussions with the U.S. presidential candidates, but added that "the

2008-09-25T00:28:00.004-06:00

When Palin Meet Ahmadinejad in Tehran?(First appeared on Huffington Post)It was a meaningful moment this morning for Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to be present in the General Assembly Hall to listen to President W. Bush's last speech to member states. But, is this a message to the United States? It certainly is. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that the mood in Tehran and Washington has

2008-09-22T00:56:00.000-06:00

Activists Spotlight Rights Abuses on Eve of U.N. MeetBy Omid Memarian(My story about the human rights activists' press conference a day before President Ahmadinejad's talk at the United Nations, New York)UNITED NATIONS, Sep 22 (IPS) - A day before Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addresses world leaders at the United Nations, human rights activists criticised his government's record and

2008-09-20T15:56:00.002-06:00

POLITICS: Iranians Hope for Temperate President at the U.N.By Omid Memarian(This piece was published in IPS News Agency and reprinted on Asia Times)BERKELEY, California, Sep18 (IPS) - When Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attends the 63rd session of the General Assembly next week in New York, many Iranian academics and political activists hope he will avoid the kinds of controversial

2008-09-09T20:19:00.002-06:00

What Do Sarah Palin and Dick Cheney have in Common?(First appeard on HuffingtonPost.com)1- Both overshadow the presidents they serve or are going to serve. It's hard to believe that during his administration, President Bush has made a single big decision without the supervision of his VP, Dick Cheney. On the other hand, in the two weeks since her nomination, Sarah Palin has effectively made Sen.

2008-09-07T20:46:00.000-06:00

Shimon Prez: The Americans are making a mistake in their foreign policyHe might be the last person you expect to criticize U.S. foreign policy. In an interview with Sunday Times President Prez, 85, says why he thinks that Iran is not Israel's enemy: “The military way will not solve the problem,” said Peres, the 85-year-old founder of the Jewish state’s nuclear programme, in an interview with The

2008-09-06T21:11:00.000-06:00

Tuesdays with RupertA good story about Rupert Rupert Murdoc in Vanity Fair October issue:"uying The Wall Street Journal was surely an exercise of pure fantasy. To think he could take over a company absolutely controlled by a family that had repeatedly said it would never sell was fantasy. To think it was worth what he was paying for it was fantasy. And yet … now it’s his, and if his shareholders

2008-09-04T20:24:00.001-06:00

Democrats' Post Palin Campaign Strategy: Ignore Her, Attack McCain?(First appeared on HUffingtonpost.com)A week after John McCain announced Alaskan governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, the Republican campaign strategy seems to have regressed to that of the 2004 elections, focusing more on the Democracrs characters rather than actual issues.Also, the Palin "phenomenon" appears to be

2008-09-02T20:29:00.000-06:00

Will Palin Cover McCain's Age Problem?One might think that McCain's extensive experience gives him the security to choose a younger, relatively inexperienced running mate. But this is not the issue. The fact of the matter is, if something happens to McCain's health (and that is a definite possibility), does Palin have the experience to lead the country?A VP must be able to successfully assume

2008-08-26T19:32:00.007-06:00

Q&A:A Holiday in IranMy interview with blogger and globe-trotter Michelle May (First appeared on IPS New Agency)OAKLAND, California, Aug 26 (IPS) - When Michelle May, an avid traveler, returned to New York's John F. Kennedy airport after a seven-week trip to Iran this summer, she says she was closely questioned and her luggage searched after officials read on her customs card that she had been to

2008-08-25T14:42:00.002-06:00

There is no win in Iraq : "Avoiding the V Word"John McCain who thinks the surge is working in Iraq and the U.S. forces are about to win this conflict has praised Gen. David Petraeus repeatedly, a man who is not sure about the level success in Iraq. Simply because beyond the political gimmicks, there is not a single fair person who thinks there would be wining in Iraq is a short time, should the

2008-08-25T12:50:00.003-06:00

" McCain vs Biden: Not All "Foreign Policy Experience" Is Created Equal"I think Arianna Huffington's piece about Biden-McCain contrast, is one of the most articulate pieces about the Democratic VP pick:"The past seven-plus years have shown us that "foreign policy experience," in and of itself, isn't all it's cracked up to be. For Exhibit A of this look no further than George Bush's most "

2008-08-24T09:50:00.002-06:00

"The New Great Game"This is really a new great game! Russia-Georgia conflict has certainly changed the power discourse in the Central Asia. It has already affected the US- Russia fragile coalition to deter Iran. Now, the U.S. has to think of a new set of policy to reframe Iran's role in the region, and also and deter Russian's endless ambitions. Surprisingly, there is one common feeling between

2008-08-23T12:24:00.003-06:00

Joe Biden, Obama's VP!Finally Barack Obama, announced his VP last night, a man who is well kwon mostly for his credentials in foreign policy. Although, Senator McCain and Senator Biden, both embrace a long time involvement in FP issues, they do have seprate and fundementaly different styles. The below video shows, for instance, how he looks at Iraq war:

2008-08-22T22:30:00.002-06:00

"No medals for the IOC"Minky Worden Minky, media director at Human Rights Watch and editor of "China's Great Leap: The Beijing Games and Olympian Human Rights Challenges," that I interviewed her weeks ago for IPS, has published an op-ed piece in the International Herald Tribune about China, Olympics and the pledges that did not come true. She says in spite of pledges of media and Internet freedom

2008-08-22T15:37:00.002-06:00

Exclusive Premiere: An Anthem For ChangeNew Obama ad featuring a number of celebrities has just come out. It's beautiful and touching, however long and repetitive. Worth watching though! Read Dave Stewart's story about this video here...

2008-08-21T11:56:00.002-06:00

Response to 9/11 Offers Outline of McCain DoctrineAn extensive review about McCain's war enthusiasm in the New York Times. This article shows what kind of president McCain would be, should he go to the office this January."Whether through ideology or instinct, though, Mr. McCain began making his case for invading Iraq to the public more than six months before the White House began to do the same

2008-08-19T17:10:00.002-06:00

My Interview With Deborah Campbell: How Hezbollah's Triumph is Blowback for U.S. Policy(First published on Huffington Post)Why after the Israel-Lebanon 34-day war two years ago, and particularly after the Doha accord in May, which restored Hezbollah to the Lebanese government and essentially gave it the veto power it demanded, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has been the most popular figure

2008-08-14T09:33:00.002-06:00

Georgia-Russia Conflict: Moscow Challenges America's Global and Regional Authority(First published on HuffingtonPost)Not the Taliban in Afghanistan, insurgents in Iraq or even Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon and Palestine; but Russia is challenging America's authority worldwide, mocking its supposed leadership in international organizations like the United Nations and revealing an unpleasant

2008-08-13T16:53:00.000-06:00

US/IRAN:Nothing Behind U.S. Allegations?Analysis by Omid Memarian (This piece was published in IPS News Agency and reprinted on Alternet.org, UNobserver.com, CASMII, Antiwar.com, Global News BlogUNITED NATIONS, Aug 13 (IPS) - While the United States has repeatedly accused Iran of providing lethal weapons to Shiite militias, last week, U.S. officials once again failed to provide solid evidence for

2008-08-12T22:26:00.002-06:00

GEORGIA: Saakashvili Asked To Step Down(My piece about the latest transformations in Russia-China conflict)UNITED NATIONS, Aug 12 (IPS) - A few hours after the 15 member U.N. Security Council discussed a draft resolution aimed to ask Russia to stop using massive force in Georgia Monday evening behind closed doors, Russia said it would stop military action. This came Tuesday, after five days of

2008-08-11T12:26:00.002-06:00

Protest Against Russia-Georgia Conflict in front of the United NationsHundreds of people protested before the United Nations in order to ask for halting the aggression in Georgia by Russia this morning. The Security Council is going to meet at 5 p.m. today. However, regarding Russia's influence in the Security Council it it very unlikely that they change their path and come to any tangible

2008-08-08T12:44:00.000-06:00

CHINA: Greening of the Games(My piece about the Olympics and the environmental concerns, appreared on IPS UNITED NATIONS, Aug 7 (IPS) - Though human rights and environmental issues -- such as censorship and pollution in Beijing -- have been the two major focuses of criticism levelled against the Chinese government during the lead up to the Olympic games, Achim Steiner, the Executive Director of

2008-08-07T09:37:00.001-06:00

6 Reasons Why I Would Vote for Paris Hilton Instead of McCain(First published on HuffingtonPost)1- I like a transparent president and damn, Paris sure is. She is eager to share information about anything that happens to her and has almost nothing to hide, as proven by her [in]famous videotape. She is accountable and accepts the consequences of her actions, as shown by her stint in jail a few

2008-08-02T16:39:00.001-06:00

Q&A:"Longing for the Past Yet Belonging to the Present"Interview with Niloufar Talebi, editor of Iranian literature, published on IPS News AgencyNEW YORK, Aug 1 (IPS) - Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, thousands of intellectuals, activists and poets have left Iran, many fleeing to Europe and the United States. A new book brings together the work of 18 Iranian poets from this diaspora to

2008-07-28T09:57:00.002-06:00

7 Tips for Brian Williams for His Interview with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad(First published on HuffingtonPost)1- Ahmadinejad is a populist politician, highly educated and obsessed with media. Unlike many other leaders, he rarely loses his control and enjoys embarrassing foreign journalists by leading the conversation in the direction he chooses, as seen in his interview with Mike Wallace two years ago

2008-07-19T15:25:00.003-06:00

Susan Sarandon's Double Standards(First published on Hiffington Post)Susan Sarandon has expressed surprising unwillingness to denounce her support for the Israeli Billionaire, Lev Leviv, who is has been criticized by a variety of NGOs for his involvement in building settlements in the Palestinian-occupied West Bank.In 2004, the ICJ declared both current Israeli settlements and the wall Israel is

2008-07-17T21:31:00.003-06:00

DEVELOPMENT: Progress on Water, Less on Sanitation(My piece about the latest report released by WHO and UNICEF on ...)UNITED NATIONS, Jul 17 (IPS) - The number of people globally who lack access to an improved drinking water source has fallen below one billion for the first time since data was compiled in 1990, according to a report released Thursday by the World Health Organisation and

2008-07-16T21:02:00.002-06:00

Q&A:"Iran Won't Wait for Obama to Talk to U.S."Interview with Hooshang Amirahmadi, President of the American Iranian CouncilMy interview with Dr. Amirahmadi published in IPS News Agency, also, is reprinted in Asia Times and CASMII.NEW YORK, Jul 16 (IPS) - Despite opposition from some hardline factions in Iran, the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has responded positively to a proposal

2008-07-13T23:53:00.003-06:00

McCain's Cigarette Gaffe: A Cold Blood Commander-In-Chief?"Maybe that's a way of killing them," responded Republican presidential candidate John McCain when was asked about an Associated Press report on the $158 million of cigarettes shipped to Iran during George W. Bush's presidency, despite restrictions on U.S. exports to that country.Senator McCain's prescription for killing Iranian people,

2008-07-09T21:49:00.001-06:00

ZIMBABWE: Fears Grow that Sanctions Could Derail Mediation(My piece on the security council meeting and the efforts behind adopting a resolution on....)UNITED NATIONS, Jul 8 (IPS) - U.S. and European efforts to achieve unanimity among the 15-member U.N. Security Council to adopt a sanctions resolution against Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his top aides has run into opposition from

2008-07-08T00:44:00.000-06:00

Iran's Positive Response and the High Possibility of a Military StrikeSeymore Hersh's recent article regarding preparations for war against Iran and John McCain's adviser's recent remark on how a national security threat "would be a big advantage to McCain," are just two examples hinting that, still, many people in Washington and Tel Aviv are planning to paralyze the Iranian government before the

2008-06-23T15:20:00.000-06:00

Q&A: "Neglecting Democracy Is More Dangerous Than Nuclear Weapons"Interview with Nobel Laureate Shirin EbadiUNITED NATIONS, Jun 20 (IPS) - While the United States and Britain are talking about tougher sanctions on Iran, including sanctions on its gas and oil industry -- Tehran's major source of revenue -- Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Noble Peace Prize laureate and international human rights defender,

2008-06-22T18:40:00.004-06:00

After the Historical Race Speech, Obama Should Address Islam and WestThis piece first appeared on Huffingto PostThe barring of two Muslim women from sitting behind Barack Obama during his Detroit rally last Monday illustrates that now more than ever, Barack Obama must address the issue of Islamophobia in the United States in an exclusive speech. Rally volunteers were concerned that the Muslim

2008-06-19T00:15:00.001-06:00

What if the Iranian Government does not accept the incentive package?Last week, in a very brief meeting with reporters after the Security Council meeting on Zimbawe, Secretary of State, Condoliza Rice responded a few questions and didn't respond a few others, including my question. " What if the Iranian government does not accept the European incentive package? What will be the United States'

2008-06-18T19:48:00.000-06:00

RIGHTS-IRAN: List Sheds Light on Death Row Children Omid Memarian UNITED NATIONS, Jun 18 (IPS) - A human rights group has published the first detailed list of juvenile offenders on Iran's death row, finding that at least 114 children under the age of 18 are awaiting the ultimate penalty.The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran says that two child offenders have already been executed

2008-06-17T19:18:00.000-06:00

Q&A:"Grand Bargain With Iran Was a Missed Opportunity"My interview with U.S. Representative Henry A. Waxman(This is first published in ISP News Agency and reprinted on Asia Times)WASHINGTON, Jun 17 (IPS) - Last week, the European Union offered Iran an incentives package to stop enriching uranium in order to initiate negotiations with the West. Mere days later, and before Tehran had responded,

2008-06-14T20:00:00.002-06:00

No Alex - Counter attack for fear mongering political ads...Another impressive political ad, by moveon.org. I think it's a kinda counter attack to messages that Republicans promote on the basis of fear and terror. This ad uses the "fear factor" in a very smart way, simply because it seem obvious that people react to fear-based ads positively, meaning that hit their unconscious and change affect

2008-06-11T13:47:00.000-06:00

IRAN: Ahmadinejad Faces Heavyweight Foe in Larijani(My piece about Iran's new speaker of the parliament and his relationship with President Ahmadinejad, publishe in the IPS News Agency)UNITED NATIONS, Jun 10 (IPS) - This week, Iran's new speaker of Parliament, Ali Larijani, proposed forming two joint committees of the legislative and judiciary branches in an effort to reconcile new legislation

2008-06-10T13:15:00.003-06:00

And now whose foreign policy is naive?My piece in the San Francisco Chronicle today Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain has repeatedly accused Barack Obama of wanting to negotiate with Iran's infamous President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, hoping to paint a picture of the likely Democratic presidential nominee as

2008-06-07T13:13:00.000-06:00

This is the most hip political ad, I've seen so far...

2008-05-28T19:15:00.002-06:00

Assassination Remark and Hillary's "Moral Authority" Problem How can Sen. Clinton expect to restore America's "moral authority", which has been damaged by a series of actions during President Bush's administration, by using negative campaign tactics and suggesting that something might happen to her rival Barack Obama as one of the reasons of staying in race? What the new president will do

2008-05-19T15:20:00.004-06:00

Why Republicans Might Attack Iran Before General Elections?(First appeared on HUffingtonPost)“Do you think that the Bush administration will attack Iran before the general elections in November?” I asked Congressman Henry A. Waxman(D-Calif.) in his office in Washington. He said this is impossible, and explained that Congress will not support the administration due to the current situation in Iraq

2008-05-16T02:10:00.002-06:00

Is this what America is all about?More than 20 percent of voters in West Virginia have acknowledged that race has been a main factor not to vote for Sen Obama. Meaning what? In practice, the number of people who believe so, is probably more that this number. 30 percent? 40? or more? It is not clear....For Many people who have lived out of the United States, and or Americans who have lived abroad,

2008-05-15T11:14:00.004-06:00

Olbermann To Bush: "This War Is Not About You...Shut The Hell Up!"Last Night, Keith Olbermann reacted to President Bush "golf remark" harshest than eve at the "Special Comment" section of his daily show....It was 12 minutes nonstop and ....watch it...

2008-05-14T12:57:00.000-06:00

Obama on Zionism and Hamas(Jeffrey Goldberg’s Exclusive Interview With Barack Obama)I found Sen. Obama's interview with the Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg very insightful on what the presumptive democratic nominee thinks about the Middle East crisis, Israel and Hamas...This interview goes beyond the media's myth toward Obama's stance toward Israel and the way he look at U.S. foreign policy in the

2008-05-13T13:04:00.005-06:00

2003 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Slams Clinton's "Obliteration" Remark: She is exception to the norm(First appeared at Huffington Post)"Occasionally we run across women who are worse warmongers than men," Ms. Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, told me in an interview. I had asked her opinion about Sen. Clinton's latest remark on the "obliteration" of Iran if it were to launch a

2008-05-13T01:34:00.004-06:00

"Bush in Israel: Standing With One Side"A few days ago, Israelis celebrated the 60th anniversary of the establishment of their state. President Bush was the exclusive quest. Sandy Tolan, the author of The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East, who used to be my professor at UC Berkeley's graduate school of journalism has talked about the other side of the story, a story

2008-05-12T11:51:00.004-06:00

"Saturday Night Live's" Message From Hillary Clinton: "I Have No Ethical Standards" (VIDEO)Just hilarious! ُTwo months ago Sen. Clinton relied on the Saturday Nights Life's comment about the media's softness toward Sen. Obama in the MSNBC debate which I do not think was not very smart. Now, here is the other side of the coin:

2008-05-11T11:42:00.000-06:00

Stephen Kinzer: A plea to quiet drums on Iran, and try talk (Chicago Tribune)"The ominous sound of war drums is once again echoing from Washington. Hardly a day goes by without new and more vivid threats against America's newest supposed enemy, Iran. It seems almost unbelievable that the United States, so bloodied and weakened by its adventure in Iraq, would contemplate an attack on another

2008-05-07T12:02:00.000-06:00

Blogging in Iran (TIME magazine's interview with me about how Iranians look at the U.S. presidential elections...) The Internet is wildly popular in Iran, and blogging has become a vital source of information and analysis due to the systematic rollbacks of press freedoms (such as they were) during the last few years. Censorship and self-censorship takes its toll, as does intimidation and

2008-05-05T11:20:00.000-06:00

Iran-US talks await new leadership eraBy Omid Memarian"BERKLEY, California - A week after Democrat Senator Hillary Clinton's harsh remarks that if hardliners in Tehran were to attack Israel, it would result in the "total obliteration" of Iran, a Republican member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, Peter Hoekstra, suggested on CNN that "engaging in a full-court diplomatic press with

2008-05-02T16:50:00.003-06:00

What is dominating the headlines these days? And what should be...

2008-05-01T20:38:00.002-06:00

Clinton's "Obliteration" remark is genocidal, requires apologyhuffington_post:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/omid-memarian/clintons-obliteration-rem_b_99754.htmlBuzz up! Senator Clinton should apologize for using a genocidal term during her campaign. Her recent remark-- stating that if Iranians were to launch a nuclear attack against Israel, the United States

2008-04-30T22:30:00.000-06:00

Kerry Rips MSNBC On Wright: 'You People Need To Let Go Of This'Kerry's criticism over fueling the Wright issue in the mainstream media is a legitimate argument. Even in the countries that are called "backward" or "third world" here in the United States, people do not punish politicians for their associations to their Imams. It is surprising for me the way CNN, MSNBC and FOX try to continue this

2008-04-30T19:49:00.000-06:00

Have You Left No Sense Of Decency?Among the pieces I read yesterday about Barack Obama's press conference and his harsh remarks on his pastor, I like this one by Bob Cezca: "If the corporate media had been as diligent about watchdogging PresidentBush as they have been about watchdogging Reverend Wright, it's very likely we wouldn't have invaded Iraq. If the corporate media had spent as much

2008-04-29T23:18:00.004-06:00

New U.S. carrier in Gulf a "reminder" to Iran: GatesThis is my theory: it can be much more serious than we even think of that. Why? Becasue any kind of attack will have an enormous impact on the U.S. Presidential elections. Who gets the most benefit? NO doubt: John McCain. Do Republicans risk to do so? I can imagine that. For a President who has the least approval in the recent history of the

2008-04-27T22:46:00.000-06:00

Syria, Nuclear Facility and the role of Photoshop in Bombing a CountryThat's a fiasco...I have been following the issue, from both side, and I can imagine what some people are saying about the images that are shown to members of congress. The coverage of this incident has been horrible. The mainstream basically swallow what the administration promote and nobody go beyond the surface....The Los

2008-04-22T01:36:00.004-06:00

Why Iranians are following the U.S. presidential elections seriously? During the last few months covering the U.S. primary elections has been the major part of blog in Farsi. The reason? It’s simple. Iranians love the U.S. Surprisingly many Iranians differentiate between U.S. politics and American people or culture. People think that their government’s animosity toward America has done more harm

2008-04-17T17:15:00.002-06:00

The one fundamental difference between Clinton and Obama (First published in Huffington Post)Despite many similarities between the two democratic presidential candidates on different issues, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton pursue two very distinct approaches toward solving U.S. foreign policy issues in the Middle East. The underlying distinction between Obama and Clinton is vital. Obama

2008-04-14T13:27:00.003-06:00

Buchanan on McLaughlin: Fifty-Fifty Chance We Bomb Iran By FallNo comment: "BUCHANAN: But I'll tell you what's coming, John. Petraeus pointed right at the special groups supported by Iran, as the main problem now. They are firing rockets into the Green Zone, they're responsible for Basra. The president said that Iran better not make the wrong choice. We're looking at 140,000 troops there by the

2008-04-10T00:16:00.002-06:00

Who can you trust reporting on a closed country? (This post first appeared here)How can journalists responsibly report on countries to which they have very little access? How can they break beyond barriers to produce good reporting? And more importantly, to what extent can we, as readers, trust stories about such sensitive nations in the news media?Last week, the International Center for

2008-04-08T20:53:00.003-06:00

Iran, Centrifuges and the future of a dead-end relationshipI believe that Iran's new announcement of installing 6000 centrifuges is another step by hardliners in Tehran to show their determination and defiance against in the international community to stop enriching uranium at the time they think nothing can threaten them-- also another step forward to produce nuclear fuel.On the other hand, they

2008-04-05T21:13:00.001-06:00

China, Olympic and Politics behind the sportsCan Olympic highlight the situation of Human Rights and freedom of speech in China? Would it be a mean to put pressure on Chinese government to bring change to their society? I believe it does. At first place Chinese authorities probably thoughts that hosting the Olympic can give them an amazing chance to promote the government and cover up their

2008-03-29T20:46:00.000-06:00

Iranian Parade in New YorkIt was my first time being in New York and watching the Iranian Parade on Madison Street. It was so exciting. Hundreds of Iranians and non-Iranians were there to celebrate the Iranian new year through embracing a variety of Iranian symbols; dance, music and architecture....(Update: I took a bunch of pictures and posted on Iranian.com. You can see them here)

2008-03-25T20:33:00.000-06:00

Reading Khamenei: The World View of Iran's MostKarim Sadjadpour, Iran's analyist at Carnegie Endowment has published a new booklet on the thoughts of Iran's Supreme Leader. Just two weeks ago I met Karim in his office in DC and talked about his thoughts on the importance of paying attention to the most important figure in Iran's politics. For many people, still, Iran's president seems the most

2008-03-23T10:40:00.002-06:00

Is Sen. McCain’s expertise in foreign policy expired?(Published on HuffingtonPosst)Senator McCain relies strongly on foreign policy experience for two significant reasons; firstly, it masks his incapability to address the most important national issues such as the economy, health care, education and immigration.Secondly, his campaign hides behind his patriotic rhetoric and focuses on his heroic

2008-03-19T21:10:00.007-06:00

POLITICS-IRAN: "The Government Suffers From Delusions" (This piece was published in IPS News Agency and reprinted in Asia Times, Antiwar.com) BERKELEY, California, Mar 17 (IPS) - If your grandfather was the founder of the first Islamic Republic of Iran, you would probably expect to have a very comfortable life in the land of Ayatollahs, where Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is president and Khomeini's

2008-03-19T00:52:00.004-06:00

A McCain Gaffe in Jordan: Iranians are training Al-Qaeda No comment on Senator McCain's remark on the relationship between Iran and Al-Qaeda! He is the man who more than everything else rely on his expertise over the national security issues, but at the same time make mistakes that seems ridiculous for people who just follow the news regularly....He should start reading "the Middle East for

2008-03-18T14:11:00.002-06:00

The beneficiary of spectacular attacks in Iraq(Published on California News Service)Despite the Republican presidential candidate's assertions, in the event of a terrorist threat of attack, the only beneficiary among the three remaining candidates is John McCain alone. On Friday, McCain said that "Al Qaeda or another extremist group might attempt spectacular attacks in Iraq to try to tilt the U.S

2008-03-13T20:28:00.000-06:00

Samantha Power, Ethical Journalism and Truth: To Quote or Not to Quote?(Published on the Huffington Post)In every journalist’s life there are moments that define him or her. These are moments of extreme temptation, selfishness and/or honesty. For The Scotsman reporter Gerry Peev , publishing an “off the record” remark made by Samantha Power — Obama’s senior foreign policy advisor — was one of

2008-03-11T02:02:00.000-06:00

"Commander Rejects Article of Praise": Why Fallon's Resignation could be importantI think the Admiral Fallon's departure could be an alarming sign in the upcoming remained months of the Bush administration. The months that could potentially bring another front of tension to the Middle East by engaging the US in a fight with Iran. It seems very unlikely, but the Iraq was very unlikely a few

2008-03-09T13:12:00.002-06:00

The Election on Blog in Farsi(This article appeared on page G - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle)(What is the story behind this remarkable surge of voters interest - especially among young people - in the 2008 election? We invited students from Susan Rasky's political-reporting class at UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism to provide their insights. Other student essays on this subject can

2008-03-06T13:16:00.004-06:00

Hillary's Judgment Was Wrong About Iraq --And It's Wrong About Iran(Published in Huffingtonpost)During the past months Senator Clinton has tried to portray herself as a most capable potential president who will be ready to spring into action on day one, somebody who can wake up at 3 a.m., pick up the red phone, and make extraordinary decisions based on her experience in dealing with national

2008-03-02T22:55:00.000-06:00

McCain Uses the Fear Factor in Earning His Votes(First Published at California News Service) During the past few months, Senator McCain has been the only presidential candidate to defend the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq, in response to fear that Iran will destabilize Iraq after their departure. But the truth is that despite all the accusations by U.S. officials of Iran's involvement in

2008-03-01T19:07:00.000-06:00

"Ahmadinejad's Trip to Baghdad"Iraq has become a battlefield for the US and Iran to show their influence in the region. Ahmadienajd who is facing wide range of criticism at home, has found the neighboring countries pretty much relaxing, where people cheer him and enthusiastically talk about him. While the U.S. Republican presidential hopeful, John McCain, has claimed that Al-Qauda existed even

2008-02-29T19:39:00.001-06:00

U.S. Intelligence: Iran Possesses Trillions of Potentilly Dangerous AtomsA friend of my mine sent a link to the below article bout Iran's nuclear program. It's quite amusing, don't miss it if you have not read it:"Vice President Dick Cheney and his staff were briefed on the atomic situation in Iran Tuesday with the aid of colorful interlocking plastic models and a short film. "The United States

2008-02-27T12:15:00.000-06:00

How nasty can the campaigns get?(Published in California New Service)I think the new round of attacks among presidential candidates started when Senator Clinton accused Baack Obama of plagiarism last week. Obama explained why he used a few lines from his friend, Deval Patrick about the value of words and called the accusation “silly.” As a result, Clinton received the longest booing in the

2008-02-25T13:35:00.000-06:00

Clinton vs. Obama: “There Will be Blood” (Published in Huffington Post) After a disappointing debate in Texas on Thursday night, and two mailing ads sent by Obama’s campaign criticizing her health care plan and failure of NAFTA, Hillary Clinton has adopted a harsh tone against her rival Barack Obama. Perhaps her top advisor’s criticized her for her friendly comments towards her rival,

2008-02-22T11:30:00.005-06:00

When a picture speaks for itselfI found the below picture very smart and ironic. The photographer, Hasan Sarbakhshian, is my friend and a former colleague in Tehran who works for AP:President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran addressed a crowd in Azadi Square in Tehran as a man held Iran's national flag during a rally to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. (Photo: Hasan

2008-02-20T18:41:00.000-06:00

Mr. President Don't forget IranFor those of you, who have not read Christopher Hitchen's latest article about Iran in the Wall Street Journal, I suggest you to take a close look at his argument:"Dear Mr. President: A few months ago, it became possible to hear members and supporters of your administration going around Washington and saying that the question of a nuclear-armed Iran "would not be

2008-02-19T14:38:00.003-06:00

Senator Clinton’s campaign’s accusation on Monday that Barack Obama has lifted language from other politicians, calling it plagiarism, shows how rhetoric is playing a vital role in this presidential election.It also shows that Clinton’s campaign has targeted Obama’ dominant factor: the way he uses simple words to inspire millions of people. But is that a big deal? Is that really “plagiarism”?

2008-02-18T01:22:00.000-06:00

Why McCain’s experience could be harmful (Published in HuffingtonPost)McCain’s emphasis on his experience with national security issues could do him more harm than good in the general elections in November. But the more important question is whether it will harm the country.While he is well respected for his heroic past, his positions on the most critical national security issues facing the

2008-02-13T14:21:00.006-06:00

David Shuster: Chelsea Clinton "pimped out" remarkThere has been enough debate about David Shuster's statement on Chelsea Clinton t. To a large extent, it seems this "statement" could be interpreted in different ways. Although, I think there was an obvious will to disregard Clintons, which seems odd and bizarre for Shuster's show. I think between Mtv and MSNB he has chosen the wrong one. I asked

2008-02-12T03:03:00.000-06:00

IRAN:Candidate Purge Smacks of a "Vendetta", Critics Say (Below is my piece that published in IPS News Agency)By Omid Memarian* Seyyed Mohammad Ali Abtahi (left) and Zahra Eshraghi (right). Credit:Arash Ashoorinia/kosoof.com BERKELEY, California, Feb 12 (IPS) - The mass disqualification of reformist parliamentary candidates by Iran's Guardian Council, which oversees the electoral rolls, has

2008-02-12T00:13:00.000-06:00

"Israel's Secret Success" and the reason Zionists should withdraw West BankDaniel Gavron, in his today's Op-Ed piece in the New York Times has argued that Israel should withdraw West Bank and go back to its 1967 borders. Among the other voices that come out from Israel, Daniel's voice is realistic and fits to what exactly should happen in order to solve the long bloody conflict in the Middle East

2008-02-11T16:14:00.000-06:00

Can endorsements send Obama to the White House? Following Tuesday's primaries, some might think that the impact of endorsements is overrated; in Massachusetts, Senator Obama had the support of the State's senators and its governor, yet still lost. But this impression might be misleading.Senator Obama has been in a tight

2008-02-09T18:22:00.000-06:00

How the world sees America: Critical of the U.S. at the Bolivarian University

2008-02-08T17:45:00.000-06:00

Iran nixes candidacy of Ayatollah Khomeini's grandsonAli Eshraghi is not an exception. He was disqualified by Iran's government to enter the parliament. He is the grandson of Ayatollah Eshraghi, Islamic Republic's founder. I am almost about to finish a story about this issue, which has received huge media coverage, and will publish it soon. I will post it here as well:TEHRAN, Iran (AP)