July 1996, p. 3

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor are selected, edited and abridged on the basis of relevance, accuracy, taste and available space. The editors do not have facilities to respond to individual letters, or to clear in advance published letters, as edited, with the writers.

Congratulations to Rep. James Moran

Thank you for your interest in providing me information on needed charities for the Palestinian people. I’ll be looking for it in the following issues of your Report.

It was an unexpected surprise to read the comments from Representative James P. Moran since, for quite a while, I had been totally and sadly convinced that almost all members of our Congress had sold their votes and, some of them, even their souls, to the agents of Israel. And that the few who had not done so were incapable of expressing anything but praise for the state of Israel and its policies.

I wrote to Representative Moran to congratulate him for his courage and to express my hope that he will be re-elected in spite of it.

I’m sending with this letter a contribution to AET that you may utilize as you see fit. It seems to me that your efforts are producing more fruits month by month. Congratulations!

René Espinosa, Sr., Bogotà, Colombia

Representative Moran, like a lot of other members of Congress, has large numbers of Arab Americans and Muslim Americans in his Northern Virginia constituency and, perhaps because many are government workers, lawyers, scientists, professors and students in the area’s first-rate universities, they’ve made their interest in justice in Bosnia and justice in the Middle East known to him and, we assume, stand by him when he needs support. He’s an honest and sincere representative of all his constituents in a highly educated, generally affluent district. As for all those other congressmembers you mentioned, don’t give up too soon. Remember, you can’t buy a congressman. You can only rent him. Frankly, most would be much happier if they felt they dared jettison their support from the Israel lobby, which requires them to raise foreign aid for Israel and Egypt, which their constituents hate, overlook Israeli violations of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, and also overlook the proven abuses of U.S. military aid, which Israel is not limiting to defensive uses as required by U.S. law. Most representatives and senators would be much more comfortable with support from Muslim Americans, Arab Americans and all the rest of us who don’t ask special favors for anyone in the Middle East, but instead ask only that the U.S. pursue policies in its own best interests, consistent with traditional U.S. support for self-determination, human rights and fair play.

Why Arab Americans Lack Power

The latest atrocities committed by Israel during its “Grapes of Wrath” operation in south Lebanon have underscored the lack of clout and power amongst Arab-Americans in the American political arena. Most of us were shocked to see Israel bomb ambulances, residential buildings, and even U.N. compounds at will and with impunity. Many of us reacted in the typical Arab emotional way by taking to the street and vowing to punish the Jews. Arabs the world over were stunned by America’s sympathy and solidarity with Israel even as Israel massacred civilians. Chants of “Death to Israel” reverberated throughout the Arab streets. Cries for revenge against the Great Satan and Israel were echoed in mosques. Now that the victims have been buried and the dust has settled, it’s back to business as usual for most Arab Americans and Qana has entered the Arab lexicon as yet another one of our many sufferings and humiliations.

As tragic as the situation in Lebanon was, we Arab Americans must hold ourselves accountable for those who died in Lebanon. Because of our political impotence, Israel knew it could commit mass murder and simply get away with it. In the eyes of Israel and America, Arab Americans are a weak and incoherent entity and thus Arab blood is cheap. For too long, Arab Americans have been reactive and not proactive in their political activities and maneuverings. We tend to react to the symptoms of our misery and never question what conditions brought about this misery. We always invoke the Western conspiracy theory whenever tragedy strikes us without examining how to change Western minds and public opinion. It is quite clear that we are still amateurs on the American political scene more than a hundred years after our first representatives emigrated to America!

It is high time that Arab Americans start understanding the dynamics of the American political system. Publications such as the Washington Report provide a great starting point to get acquainted with American politics. In issue after issue, WRMEA tabulates the funding that presidents and congressmen receive from the almighty Jewish lobby. President Clinton alone received more than $150 million in his 1992 presidential campaign. That is why he will never condemn Israel! WRMEA also provides us with addresses and telephone numbers of congressmen and informs us of upcoming political events and gatherings. The underlying message that WRMEA attempts to impress upon Arab Americans is involvement, involvement and involvement. Jewish supporters of Israel are able to dictate American foreign policy and influence public opinion through their continuous involvement in every aspect of politics by contributing to elected officials, controlling the major newspapers and television networks in America, and through the manipulative skills that they have mastered through the years.

Let Qana be a rallying cry for all Arab Americans so that a future Qana can be prevented. Some of us have attained high positions in American society, yet our voices are never heard. Notables such as John Sununu, George Mitchell, Donna Shalala are all of Arab descent. Yet they were all quiet during Israel’s barbaric actions in Lebanon. The reason for their silence is the lack of support and funding that these politicians receive from Arab Americans. We can’t expect others to show compassion for our civilians when we ourselves show indifference by not participating in the political process. Let us unite and put aside our ethnic, tribal and religious affiliations and let us support one of the candidates for president in November and actually vote for him. If six million Jews are able and capable of putting their self-appointed candidate in the White House, then six million Arab and Moslem Americans should be able to do the same. Our perennial struggle with Zionist Jews will last many years to come, and the road to victory passes through Washington, DC.

Aed M. Dudar, Royal Oak, MI

Amen! We have two quibbles, however, with your blunt message to your fellow Arab Americans and to the hundreds of thousands of us who have lost our hyphens but know a just cause (yours) from an unjust one (theirs) in Israel-Palestine. We don’t know where you got the $150 million figure for the Clinton campaign. It’s not from us. We certainly agree, however, that he’s not about to condemn anything Israel does. We also contest your estimate of “six million Arab and Muslim Americans.” We suspect it’s six to eight Muslim Americans alone, with at least another two million Christian Arab Americans. It’s enough to roll right over members of Congress working for the Israel lobby in all but a few urban constituencies if everyone gets aboard and starts rowing in the same direction. How about a trial run in November 1996?

Don’t Question Lebanon’s Legitimacy

A letter in the January 1996 issue of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs written by Curtis F. Jones displays a shocking ignorance of Lebanese culture, history, politics and identity. Mr. Jones speaks of “the political benefits of Syrian intervention” in Lebanon “which terminated a decade of civil war.” In challenging a statement so riddled with error and euphemistic language, one hardly knows where to begin. First off, unless the Nazi actions in Poland, the Russian actions in Afghanistan, and the Iraqi actions in Kuwait can also be called “interventions,” then the word “intervention” is hardly an appropriate word to describe the Syrian actions in Lebanon. Plain and simple, Syria invaded Lebanon. They did not intervene; they sneaked in uninvited and assaulted, attacked, murdered, raped, pillaged and plundered. The Syrian presence in Lebanon is an aggression. Euphemistic language cannot be allowed to sugar-coat the true nature of Syria’s brutal expansionist intentions in Lebanon. We must recognize this evil and call it by its proper name.

Mr. Jones also wrongly states that the Syrians “terminated a decade of civil war.” The truth is that from the moment Syria’s army trespassed upon sovereign Lebanese territory, the Assad regime did everything in its power to prolong the Lebanese war and turn Lebanese factions against one another. Assad accomplished this goal through a series of carefully planned and systematically executed assassinations, bombings, hostage-takings, massacres and military campaigns, all funded by a lucrative drug trade. Then, after brutalizing the Lebanese people for 14 years, and after finally conquering not only 90 percent of Lebanese territory but also 100 percent of its institutions, the Syrians declared the Lebanese “civil war” ended. A true democracy had been destroyed by an absolute dictatorship. And now, shockingly, instead of expressing sorrow for the loss of democracy, instead of expressing anger at the West’s cowardice in the face of this aggression, Mr. Jones praises the Syrians and is thankful for their benevolent protection.

Mr. Jones’ letter then puts forth the ludicrous proposition that “It’s not necessary to take a position among the various political factions in Syria and Lebanon to accept the thesis…that the state of Lebanon is an ephemeral phenomenon, born of colonialism…” Indeed, to accept such a proposition is not to take a position among political factions—it is much worse. To accept such a statement is to take a Syrian position against a Lebanese one, to prefer oppression over freedom, aggression over amity. Worst of all, to accept the proposal that Lebanon’s existence is in any way “ephemeral” is to accept a revisionist history, a history that has been revised and propagated to meet the converging present political needs of Syria, Israel and the United States, a history totally devoid of any evidentiary or logical foundation. Mr. Jones speaks of the “geographic, economic and cultural unity” of Lebanon and Syria, and says that Lebanon was somehow artificially “separated” from Syria by France. But the fact is that Lebanon, with its current borders, has a very deep historical legitimacy and has never, at any time in history, been part of a state called Syria. Lebanon, since the times of the seafaring Phoenicians, has always been either independent or relatively autonomous and fighting for independence, and Syria has always been part of someone else’s kingdom. Thus, if we are to accept Mr. Jones’ statements, we are acquiescing to the triumph of autocracy over democracy in the form of Syria’s attempt to extend its control over Lebanon for the first time in history.

That Lebanon’s legitimacy is attacked when its existence stems from the dawn of history is perplexing, especially when compared to the precarious historical foundation for the existence of Syria. Perhaps the source of this trend is Assad’s recognition that freedom and openness are powerful weapons against tyranny; hence, tiny, peaceful Lebanon was a threat to his own despotic power. In any case, Syria can only look with envy upon Lebanon’s rich history, and so should Mr. Jones.

Professor Edward T. Saadi, Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC

If you ever feel really strongly about anything you read in the Washington Report, don’t hesitate to speak out. Meanwhile, we suspect you’ll agree with the letter by Mr. Jones, a retired U.S. foreign service officer, on page 52 of this issue’s “Other People’s Mail.”

Tell Us More About Mr. Flores

Since Eugene Bird has asked your readers to contribute to the campaign of John Flores, a Republican candidate for Congress from Southern California, he should tell us more about Mr. Flores than that he opposes foreign aid, including aid to Israel. Would he cut off humanitarian assistance to needy countries such as Haiti, Nicaragua and El Salvador? Would he have the U.S. turn its back on Liberia, whose natural resources have profited Americans, or on North Korea, which is suffering from famine but which agreed to freeze its nuclear weapons program? Would Mr. Flores, like some Republicans, try to end U.S. aid for family planning abroad?

A major question Mr. Bird left unanswered is where Mr. Flores stands on the current Republican agenda. Newt Gingrich, Dick Armey, and Bob Dole—all passionate, if recent, supporters of Israel—support sending $6 billion a year to Israel but at the same time are bent on ending Medicaid as an entitlement, cutting funds for food stamps and Head Start, closing down job programs for inner city youth, and ending legal services for the poor. They talk about balancing the budget but vote for $12 billion worth of new weapons the Pentagon didn’t ask for and doesn’t need.

We surely don’t need another member of Congress who will kowtow to corporate lobbyists and vote to dismantle programs that help the disadvantaged. Mr. Flores is praiseworthy for wanting to end aid to Israel, but there are many other critical issues to be decided. It would be helpful if Mr. Bird told us what else Mr. Flores would do if he goes to Washington.

Rachelle Marshall, Stanford, CA

Hey, this is the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, not Current Biography. There probably aren’t more than a dozen people running for Congress in 1996 who have had the guts to speak out against foreign aid to Israel,and those we know of are both Republicans and Democrats. If every subscriber to this magazine is going to judge them on a check list as long as yours, well, why bother to read the magazine? Just mindlessly vote for candidates according to party and get another set of crooks like the ones we have now. We doubt that any candidate who dares to speak out against the Israel lobby is dishonest, and that’s something to treasure in a country where only 20 percent of the electorate would like their kids to grow up to be like the current president or his wife. We’ve sent our second check to John Flores, who won the Republican primary. This one is to help him in the general election. And, just to keep the record straight, you’re right about Newt Gingrich, whose wife’s paycheck comes from a company deeply involved in Israel and probably funded by its government, and possibly about Dick Armey. Not so about Bob Dole, who despite his 1995 pander on the resolution to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem has had a pretty good prior record on Middle East matters. He wanted to cut aid to Israel by 5 percent, something unique in congressional history, and we can’t seem to remember him getting any support for that, although we expect Robert Byrd (D-WV) and Mark Hatfield (R-OR) and no one else in the Senate would have supported him. Dole also was the principal Senate supporter of “Lift and Strike,” the proposal to lift the U.N. arms embargo on Bosnia and mount air strikes against the Serbs if they tried to move in before the Muslim-led Bosnian government soldiers had acquired the arms to defend themselves. That, in turn, embarrassed the Clinton administration into the U.S. policies that ended the war there, at least temporarily. We hope U.S. Muslims don’t get so hung up on party loyalty that they forget which individuals from both parties have come to the aid of Muslims overseas, and which have not. That’s a prescription for continued political impotence.

“Where There is No Vision…”

Enclosed is my check for your use toward gift subscriptions to the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, which I have received for several years in my capacity as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Business Council of Dubai.

The newspaper of my youth, Long Island’s Newsday, the child of Captain Harry Guggenheim, had as its motto the Old Testament quotation: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

Americans have a number of significant blind spots. One of these is certainly the Middle East. The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs makes an important contribution toward restoring our vision.

Gary R. Feulner, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Many thanks and welcome to the baritones’ bench in the 1996 Angels’ Choir. We need exactly 99 more contributions just like your $1,000 to get from here to December. Meanwhile, readers may want to see who are the early birds in the 1996 Choir of Angels on page 137.

Too Sensible to be in Print

When I first saw a copy of your periodical at the library, it was difficult to believe such common sense could actually appear in print. It confirms a reality that became apparent to me on visits to the Middle East over a generation ago, when most of Jerusalem was a part of Jordan.

Upon reflection, of course, the truth emerges that exposure to such common sense is restricted to that small percentage of the population who have the time to frequent libraries or have other intellectual interests and so, by omission, is effectively concealed by the mass media from the majority of the American people, the source of all power under our Constitution.

For about 15 years, I have been trying to initiate a National Referendum on Foreign Policy. With the exception of encouragement from Norman Cousins and John Kenneth Galbraith, the idea has fallen on deaf ears, including those at the Center for Defense Information in Washington, with whose public information programs I agree with entirely.

Perhaps your foundation, or some similar one you may know of, would be interested in sponsoring such a project, even if only from the standpoint of our policy in the Mideast.

A retired USAID officer, I have enclosed my article titled, “The Lingering Tragedy of the ‘Only’ Immoral War.”

If some reputable organization such as yours could sponsor the scientific nation-wide public opinion poll described in the article, and publicize the results during this crucial election year, it could help bring closer to reality the world of peace envisioned by those who founded the League of Nations and the United Nations.

Hugh Fincher, 3215 Brockton Lane, Sarasota, FL 34239

We don’t do forums, and if we could afford to do public opinion polls, they would be limited to U.S. opinion on Middle East subjects. But we’re leaving your full address on your letter in case some of our readers want to contact you directly with ideas on how to help.

You’re Unfair to Revisionists!

At the outset I want you to know that I love the Washington Report! I read at least 13 different scientific and political journals and I think that yours is one of the very best. So please do not think that the following is “hostile criticism from an enemy.”

As a Holocaust Revisionist I believe that the Washington Report is very unfair to us Revisionists. You continually allow people to insult us and then never let us give a reply. I know, because I sent in responses that were never published.

It is appropriate for you to allow us time to present our viewpoint. Your refusal to allow us space in the Washington Report shows that you have internalized and bowed to the Jewish-Zionist power elite’s “rules” on “what is allowed to be discussed and what is not.” I will send you a packet of Revisionist writings.

Paul Grubach, via Internet

No, we’re the only kids on the block who make our own rules and then don’t back off. And we happen to be convinced that the European Holocaust happened. If your point is that a lot of the missing Jews of Europe were worked to death, died of typhus and other diseases in the camps, or were taken outside of their Eastern European towns and villages and shot, rather than all of them being gassed in death camps, then you’re free to say it. And if the point is that perhaps six million is a made-up number and that no one really knows how many, say so. Or if your point is that the Holocaust was not uniquely Jewish because homosexuals, mental incompetents, Gypsies, Poles, Russian prisoners of war and other non-Jews also were systematically slaughtered, say that too. But, whether through your own carelessness, pigheadedness, or even the work of clever enemies, Holocaust revisionism has come to be identified in most people’s minds with denial that the Nazi “ethnic cleansing” of its time took place. But it did, and it was focused on Europe’s Jews. At the end of World War II there were only about half as many Jews still in Europe as there were at the beginning. Whatever they died of made little difference to them. They were rounded up by German Nazis or their collaborators and then they were dead. That’s a Holocaust and, unfortunately, it can’t be reversed or revised. So keep your package of writings, unless they can bring back the millions of dead Jewish victims of man’s inhumanity to man before and throughout World War II.

Book Burner Types in Libraries

Enclosed is my annual remittance to AET. We appreciated the reminder on page 137 of the April 1996 Washington Report. Another reminder in the next issue would be helpful for some busy people.

Your comments, “Speaking of Libraries,” on pp. 137 and 138 of the April issue are most interesting to me, as I have had a number of sad experiences. At the John Powers Library, Offitt AFB, Omaha, NE, I learned that I had to request WRMEA at the desk. There was no notice at the shelf to call at the desk.

The Norfolk Public Library has removed WRMEA from the public shelf. “Characters” would frequently hide it.

In the large library of The Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Carlisle, PA, WRMEA was not on the shelves. Have you tried to get a copy on the library shelf there? It is such a large internationally influential library.

Ralph D. Barner, Randolph, NE

We can lead the horse to water (publish the magazine to which libraries can subscribe), but we can’t make it drink (subscribe), although 4,600 U.S. public and school libraries do. However, where a librarian is reluctant for the usual reason, taxpaying (or tuition-paying) patrons can be persuasive, sometimes by going up one notch to the head librarian, the library board, or the county board of supervisors. We hope our readers will, wherever and whenever it’s necessary.

Charley Reese Does It Again

I am a friend of the survivors of the USS Liberty attack by Israel back in 1967. I was once assigned to duty aboard the USS Liberty , and I lost 34 friends and shipmates in the attack. I have maintained contact with Jim Ennes, who was on the bridge during the attack, and who has written a book about it, Assault on the Liberty.

A few days ago, there appeared an article in the Orlando Sentinel, written by Charley Reese, dealing with the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon. It was so well written and seemed so in tune with my own philosophy that I scanned the item and sent it to Jim via computer e-mail.

Jim responded with approving comments, and asked me to send a copy of the article to you. Accordingly, I phoned Charley Reese, the author of the article, and asked him if he had any objections. He had none, so you will find enclosed a copy of his newspaper article.

John Gidusko, Lt. USN (Ret.), Fern Park, FL

Unfortunately, though Charley Reese has no objections to anyone reading his excellent articles on the Middle East, his syndicate objects strongly to anyone reprinting them without paying an exorbitant amount—far more than we pay for an original article. He long ago “saw the light” on things Middle Eastern thanks to a Palestinian reader who challenged him to read up on the subject before mouthing off. He did, and he’s been writing undiluted truth and wisdom on the Middle East ever since.

When 100 more syndicated columnists like him wise up as well, perhaps our government will start putting some strings on our aid to Israel and the killing in the Middle East will stop.

Israel Is Always the Victim

I don’t know what all the fuss is about concerning the final solution to a lasting peace in the Middle East.

America’s outdated secretary of state, Warren Christopher, runs around like a chicken with his head cut off, jumping between Hafez Al-Assad of Syria and the government of Israel—but a solution to the problem eludes them all! Why?

The whole world seems to bow to Israel’s claim to being the victim in all these acts of terrorism! The truth lies in the fact that Israel refuses to cooperate with the world!

She ignores her responsibility as a member of the United Nations. She continually ignores Security Council resolutions relative to the illegality of remaining within the boundaries of conquered territories—the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights, not to mention her stripping of Jerusalem!

Israel’s self-elected occupation of southern Lebanon is also reprehensible; Security Council Resolution 425 fully clarifies that point!

Israel refuses to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and continually prohibits inspection of her state-of-the-art nuclear plant at Dimona!

Couple all this with her blatant invasion of Lebanon in June 1982, killing 20,000 Lebanese and wounding another 60,000 before it was all over—while reflecting on her current brazen attitude toward the civilians of southern Lebanon in these latest acts of terrorism, and it becomes quite clear who is indeed the real cause of the problems in the Middle East.

How can intelligent minds continue to support Israel’s actions and complete disregard for human rights violations?

And I haven’t begun to list Israel’s long record of right-wing terrorist acts—like the Ami Popper incident (May 20, 1990), the holocaust at Temple Mount (Oct. 8, 1990), the Hebron mosque killings (Feb. 25, 1994) and the general persecution of the hundreds of thousands still to be found in Palestinian refugee camps. Why are there such camps after almost 50 years? It must be Israeli discrimination.

And Elie Weisel dares to state, “Never again!” He certainly does not apply it to Arabs!

The answer to the problem is to censure Israel in all possible ways. This must include a trade embargo and most assuredly a total withdrawal of U.S. foreign aid funds. President Eisenhower used this tactic some 40 years ago, and Israel came around quite quickly.

Israel must learn to live in peace with her Arab neighbors. After all, who was it that simply came along and took over Arab lands? Expansionism by Israel must be stopped before it becomes a reality that peace over there is unattainable!

Walter H. Koehler, Littlefield, TX

Can You Respond to Cal Thomas?

Enclosed is a column that appeared in our newspaper, the Arizona Republic, recently. I am not qualified to respond to this but I thought that possibly someone on your editorial staff might be able to do so.

I realize your staff may be too busy to respond to every article that comes your way but I thought I would at least bring it to your attention.

Your magazine is excellent and I am doing my best to spread the word about it.

John C. Doumani, Phoenix, AZ

Thanks for the kind words. The syndicated column you sent by Cal Thomas is the typical ranting of an extremist, opposing the peace process by tearing down its principal protagonists, Yasser Arafat and Shimon Peres. If memory serves us correctly (and if it doesn’t we expect we’ll soon hear about it), Cal Thomas sneaked into the mainstream media from the religious right where he was spokesman for the Moral Majority of Jerry Falwell, one of whose memorable quotes was that “God doesn’t hear the prayers of a Jew.” Falwell, Pat Robertson and televangelists Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart, before the latter two went to jail, masked their domestic anti-Jewish agenda by aggressive pro-Israel preaching. That also fits their peculiar 20th century A.D. interpretation of 5th century B.C. biblical prophecy that the establishment of Israel is accomplishing the “ingathering of Jews” in Jerusalem, a necessary prelude to Armageddon, the “rapturing” of their followers (and Jews who convert to Christianity) into heaven, and the destruction of all of the rest among the world’s six billion people. It’s a get-rich-quick formula for the preachers who convince their followers to send in their money, which the followers won’t be needing any longer. (Why the televangelists so desperately need this soon-to-be obsolete currency has never been clear to us.) In any case, Cal Thomas is a cum laude graduate of this college of quackery, yet he’s a darling of the Israel lobby which thinks it is “using” this collection of authentic American anti-Semites to further its own racist and bigoted goals.

Americans Should Be Outraged

The Washington Report is the only publication that tells the truth about Israel. Americans should be outraged at how the Israelis are treating the Palestinians. The Oslo agreement hasn’t changed anything. It is 100 percent for the Israelis. The Israelis still have full control of the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem and they will continue to retain it. The Palestinians haven’t gotten their freedom.

Enclosed is one of my letters to an editor that was printed. I get most of my information about the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and the Arab world from the Washington Report. Keep telling the truth.

Ray F. Dively, Baden, PA

And you obviously put the information to good use. The “as submitted” version of your letter to the Pittsburgh, PA News Recordis printed in this issue’s “Other People’s Mail” on p. 53.

A Remarkable Photograph

I’m enclosing a xerox of a most remarkable photo of Jerusalem that was published in full color in Al-Quds together with my column in the Jewish Journal of South Florida on how it came to my notice.

If you wish to publish this photo along with excerpts from my column, I can supply you with a color print.

Jesse Zel Lurie, Delray Beach, FL

We’ll try to do better than that. We hope to print your Feb. 13 column from the Palm Beach Jewish Journal in full in a future issue of “Other Voices,” and also hope to use the photo showing thousands of Muslims at prayer at the Haram al Sharif when space permits.

Congratulations on Your Iran Issue

Please, can you tell me how I can get an extra copy of your fantastic “Iran” issue to send to my parents in England? I was born in Tehran in 1971, and have been very interested in learning more about this beautiful, historic country. Sadly, most news coverage is governed by how “evil” the government of Iran is, and rarely have I seen anyone address the beauty of the land and the generosity and strength of her people.

My family left Iran in ’74, and I would love to be able to send my folks some up-to-date news, but I’m too mean to send them my own copy! Do write or call me to let me know how to do this. Thank you in advance for your help.

E. Robinson, San Francisco, CA

Your spare copy went into the mail the day we received your letter.

Your Iran Issue Was Too One-Sided

Your April special issue on Iran was surprisingly one-sided in its coverage of political and social issues in today’s Iran. Nowhere in the 20-some pages dedicated to Iran was there a mention of human rights violations, state-sponsored terrorism, Iranian refugees or Iranian resistance. Instead, articles advocating normalizing relations with the Iranian regime and the presence of the so-called “reformists” within the ruling mullahs (each of which requires a lengthy response) had a dominant place in the coverage.

What happened to coverage of the plight of millions of Iranian refugees around the world? And what about more than 100 acts of terrorism against Iranian exiles, most of which happened after Khomeini’s death? Similarly, have you not heard of tens of thousands of executions and of medieval torture of political prisoners in Iranian prisons? And have you forgotten about the Iranian resistance which has been struggling against this repressive and murderous regime for the past 16 years?

In my opinion as an Iranian, your coverage of Iran was grossly incomplete and, to some extent, subjective and has only served to please the “tiny and overworked” staff of the Iran interests section in Washington, DC and their master thugs in Tehran. I request my name be withheld for obvious reasons.

Name Withheld, Minneapolis, MN

We have a feeling you haven’t been a regular reader, since we’re frequently criticized for paying too much attention to Iranian opposition groups. Anyway, there was a photo and report about Iranian government assassinations of critics abroad on page 62 of the April issue and there is more on the same subject starting on the inside front cover of this issue.

“Iran Again at a Crossroads”

In his article “After Two Disastrous Decisions, Revolutionary Iran Again at a Crossroad” in your April issue, Mr. Amir Ganjbakhsh seems to have a handle on the problem, which makes his lack of insight into the solution all the more surprising.

The author succinctly, and I would say more or less accurately, points to the processes and policies which have gotten Iran into the mess we see today. Indeed, as Ganjbakhsh reports, “given the current trend, Iran…will soon join the ranks of those poverty-stricken nations of the world whose contribution to the world economy is little more than cheap labor and raw materials.”

It is ludicrous, however, to suggest that this situation is going to change because “democratic forces have insisted on holding free elections and freedom for the press and political parties.” The author himself admits that “today, Iranians are suffering from widespread political suppression” and “all normal legal and judicial safeguards for civil freedoms” have been usurped by the supreme jurist (velayat-e faqih). The author seems not to understand, however, that velayat-e faqih is by definition an absolute dictatorship, meaning it is incompatible not only with all civil and individual rights, but modern civilization as well. It is velayat-e faqih which justifies the clerical regime and its detested officials. The mullahs cannot agree to “abide by the legitimate demands of the Iranian people." To do so would mean dismantling the very system which provides their raison d’être.

Mr. Ganjibakhsh’s espousal of “democratic yet peaceful” reforms is simplistic. He finds it “ironic” that the “advocates of toleration and moderation…have themselves been targets of violent attacks.” I see not irony but logic. The clerical regime inherited from Khomeini cannot, by nature, tolerate tolerance; it is incapable of reform. The only answer for Iran’s people is to get rid of the velayat-e faqih regime in its entirety, the basic premise of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. The NCR advocates democracy, tolerance, progress and prosperity, but realistically declares that none of these aspirations is feasible unless a total change is brought about. Those who call for anything less are turning a blind eye to the harsh realities of a regime which has executed 100,000 political dissidents.

Dr. M.G. Panah, Bowie, MD

Eid Mubarak From Oppressed Kashmir

The people of Kashmir wish a happy Eid and Allah’s blessings to the Muslim ummah [community] all over the world. The people of Kashmir are oppressed, occupied, and enslaved by over 600,000 Indian troops. The people of Kashmir have been struggling, suffering and sacrificing for the last five decades. Please remember us in your Eid and hajj prayers. May Allah bless you, your family, staff, institution, people and country. My people need all your prayers, help and support. With love, peace and yearning for freedom.

Shabir Ahmed Shah, 150 Rawal Pora Colony, Sanat Nagar, Kashmir, J & K [Indian-held Kashmir] Tel. 011-91-194-3825