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Iranian Labyrinth: Author Dilip Hiro Talks About the U.S.
Threats Towards Tehran
Egyptian Feminist Nawal El Saadawi on Bush's 'Democratization'
of Middle East: "We Were Fighting For Years...They Deprive
Us of Our Struggle"
Leading Syrian Human Rights Lawyer Blasts U.S. Foreign Policy
of "Empire" in the Middle East
Iranian Labyrinth: Author Dilip Hiro Talks About
the U.S. Threats Towards Tehran
The Bush administration has adopted a hard-line stance against
Iran, repeatedly accusing President Khatami's government of
trying to develop nuclear weapons and refusing to hold direct
talks. We speak with veteran journalist Dilip Hiro, author
of the forthcoming book, "Iranian Labyrinth," about
the U.S. threats towards Tehran.
Since the January elections in Iraq, the Bush administration
has been touting what it calls its success in beginning the
process of democratizing Iraq. And officials have said that
an era of sweeping change is hitting the Middle East. Supporters
of the administration have celebrated the recent events in
Lebanon that brought down the country's government following
the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Anti-government
demonstrations have also taken place in Egypt for the first
time in years. Meanwhile, Washington continues to amplify
its rhetoric against Syria and Iran. In the coming weeks on
Democracy Now!, we will be taking a close look at the Bush
administrations claim that it is bringing democracy to the
region. Later in this program, we will be joined by the famed
Egyptian feminist Nawal al Sadaawi. We will also look at recent
developments in Syria with two leading Syrian human rights
activists. But first, we begin with Iran. The White House
has repeatedly accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons
and has so far refused to hold direct talks. European countries
on the other hand, have been engaged in dialogue with President
Khatami"s government and have stressed diplomacy. In
what seemed to be a contradiction of U.S. policy, the Russian
government agreed a few days ago to supply spent nuclear fuel
for an Iranian nuclear reactor. Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice spoke about the move in an interview on Britain"s
ITN News.
- Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State, March 1, 2005.
Throughout the process, Iran has denied it is developing
a nuclear arms program and says it is within its legal right
to pursue peaceful programs for nuclear energy. This is Sirus
Nasseri, the head of the Iranian delegation to the IAEA.
- Sirus Nasseri, head of the Iranian delegation to the
IAEA, March 2, 2005.
While the Bush administration has been urging the UN nuclear
watchdog group to refer Iran to the Security Council for possible
sanctions, the IAEA has maintained a focus on dialogue. This
is what the head of the IAEA, Mohamed El-Baradei, had to say.
- Mohamed El-Baradei, head of the International Atomic
Energy Agency, March 2, 2005.
We turn now to Dilip Hiro. He is a veteran journalist on
the Middle East. His trilogy of books on Iraq and Iran are
considered some of the most definitive histories of the wars
in the Persian Gulf. His forthcoming book is called "Iranian
Labyrinth." He joins us on the line from Britan.
Egyptian Feminist Nawal El Saadawi on Bush's 'Democratization'
of Middle East: "We Were Fighting For Years...They Deprive
Us of Our Struggle"
Amid growing street protests, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
has called on parliament to change the constitution to allow
opposition candidates to run for president. We speak with
famed Egyptian feminist, psychiatrist and author, Nawal El
Saadawi. She has been jailed, threatened with death and now
plans to run for president. [includes rush transcript]
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak called on parliament last
month to change the constitution to allow opposition candidates
to run for president. Under the current system, Egyptians
vote for president every six years, choosing "yes"
or "no" for a candidate approved by parliament.
Mubarak has ruled since 1981 and will seek a fifth six-year
term in September. If Parliament approves the political reform,
Mubarak will face opposition for the first time.
The surprise move came amid unprecedented protests in the
streets of Cairo. A coalition of political groups composed
of Islamists, Nasserists and secularists, have joined forces
to stage the public demonstrations opposing the renewal of
Mubarak's presidential term. The coalition is named the Egyptian
Movement for Change, more commonly known as the "Kifaya"
- or "enough" - movement.
A few days ago, 500 protesters gathered outside Cairo University
for what is being called the largest anti-Mubarak demonstration
ever. Egypt has been under Emergency Law for over 20 years
and public demonstrations are banned.
Among the Kifaya movement's demands are modifying the constitution
and opposing the succession of Gamal Mubartak - the president's
son - who many say is being groomed to replace his father.
They are also calling for the release of, what they say, are
20,000 illegal detainees from prison. Among those detainees
is Ayman Nour, a leader of the new opposition party El Ghad
- or "Tomorrow." He was arrested for allegedly forging
signatures to secure a license for his party.
We turn now to Nawal el Saadawi, an internationally known
feminist, human rights activist, psychologist and writer who
is planning a run for the presidency of Egypt. For decades,
El Saadawi has worked tirelessly on behalf of women in Egypt
and the Middle East. Her novels and books on the situation
of women in Egyptian and Arab society have had a deep impact
on successive generations of young women. She is the founder
and current leader of the Arab Women Solidarity Association,
which was closed by government decree in 1991.
Her writings and activism made her the target of public condemnation
and even imprisonment. Former President Sadat put her in prison
and she was not released until one month after his assassination.
El Saadawi was forced into exile in the mid-1990s after state
suppression of secular thinkers forced her abroad to work.
She is a winner of several national and international literary
prizes and has lectured all over the world. Her books have
been translated into 30 languages. She is currently teaching
at Scripps College in Claremont, California where she joins
us on the line.
Leading Syrian Human Rights Lawyer Blasts U.S. Foreign
Policy of "Empire" in the Middle East
As Washington's rhetoric towards Syria grows more hostile,
we turn to a perspective seldom heard in corporate media:
the perspective of Syrians who are not government officials.
We go to Damascus to speak with Haythem al-Maleh, one of Syria's
leading human rights lawyers.
As we turn now to Syria. Since September 11th and the launch
of the so-called war on terror, the Bush administration has
characterized the country as a supporter of terrorism and
a destabilizing factor in the Middle East. Since the occupation
of Iraq began in March 2003, Washington's rhetoric has grown
more and more hostile. Over the past two weeks, it has become
overtly belligerent following the assassination of the former
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, Syria has been accused
of being behind that assassination and large-scale demonstrations
forced the Lebanese government to resign.
The Bush administration has spoken of a velvet revolution
sweeping the region and many analysts believe the next front
will be in Syria. President Bush and his emissaries are focusing
in on demands for Syria to withdraw its more than 14,000 troops
and intelligence services from Lebanon. This week, Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice issued what many see as a series
of threats against Damascus, as she visited London. Here is
some of what she had to say.
- Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State, March 1, 2005.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice speaking earlier this
week in London. President Bush also addressed Syria during
a speech yesterday in Maryland.
- President Bush, March 2, 2005.
We turn now to a perspective seldom, if ever, heard in the
hours and hours of coverage of the threats against Syria and
that is the perspective of Syrians who are not government
officials.
- Haythem al-Maleh, one of the leading human rights lawyers
in Syria. He is on the line from Damascus.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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