President Ahmadinejad Interview Sept 08 with Democracy Now - Part 2 -...
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an...
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities.
The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue.
The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran.
AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran.
Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more.
Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president.
AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic.
Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs.
We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place.
A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another.
But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number.
So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that?
AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now.
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed.
AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it.
Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that.
But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy.
AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see.
Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here.
I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end.
It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward.
I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie.
AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran.
Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion.
Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad.
But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue.
AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad.
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president
7m:52s
48747
President Ahmadinejad Interview Sept 08 with Democracy Now - Part 1 -...
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an...
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities.
The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue.
The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran.
AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran.
Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more.
Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president.
AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic.
Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs.
We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place.
A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another.
But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number.
So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that?
AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now.
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed.
AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it.
Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that.
But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy.
AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see.
Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here.
I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end.
It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward.
I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie.
AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran.
Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion.
Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad.
But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue.
AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad.
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president
President Ahmadinejad was interviewed recently in New York by Democracy Now
8m:17s
19069
President Ahmadinejad Interview Sept 08 with Democracy Now - Part 3 -...
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an...
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities.
The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue.
The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran.
AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran.
Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more.
Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president.
AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic.
Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs.
We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place.
A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another.
But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number.
So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that?
AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now.
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed.
AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it.
Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that.
But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy.
AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see.
Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here.
I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end.
It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward.
I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie.
AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran.
Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion.
Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad.
But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue.
AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad.
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president
8m:36s
18438
Sahifa Kamilah - Dua for Friday - Urdu
In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلاوَّلِ قَبْلَ...
In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلاوَّلِ قَبْلَ ٱلإِنْشَاءِ وَٱلإِحْيَاءِ
al¦amdu lill¡hi al-awwali qabla al-insh¡\\\'i wal-i¦y¡\\\'i
All praise be to Allah, the First before the bringing forth and the giving of life,
وَٱلآخِرِ بَعْدَ فَنَاءِ ٱلاشْيَاءِ
wal-¡khiri ba`da fan¡\\\'i al-ashy¡\\\'i
and the Last after the annihilation of all things,
ٱلْعَلِيمِ ٱلَّذِي لاَ يَنْسَىٰ مَنْ ذَكَرَهُ
al`al¢mi alladh¢ l¡ yans¡ man dhakarah£
the All-knowing Who forgets not him who remembers Him,
وَلاَ يَنْقُصُ مَنْ شَكَرَهُ
wa l¡ yanqu¥u man shakarah£
decreases not him who thanks Him,
وَلاَ يُخَيِّبُ مَنْ دَعَاهُ
wa l¡ yukhayyibu man da`¡hu
disappoints not him who supplicates Him,
وَلاَ يَقْطَعُ رَجَاءَ مَنْ رَجَاهُ
wa l¡ yaq§a`u raj¡\\\'a man raj¡hu
and cuts not off the hope of him who hopes in Him!
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي اشْهِدُكَ
all¡humma inn¢ ush-hiduka
O Allah, I call You to witness
وَكَفَىٰ بِكَ شَهيداً
wa kaf¡ bika shah¢dan
and You are sufficient Witness
وَاشْهِدُ جَمِيعَ مَلائِكَتِكَ
wa ush-hidu jam¢`a mal¡\\\'ikatika
and I call to witness all Your angels,
وَسُكَّانَ سَموَاتِكَ
wa sukk¡na sam¡w¡tika
the inhabitants of Your heavens,
وَحَمَلَةَ عَرْشِكَ
wa ¦amalata `arshika
the bearers of Your Throne,
وَمَنْ بَعَثْتَ مِنْ انْبيَائِكَ وَرُسُلِكَ
wa man ba`athta min anbiy¡\\\'ika wa rusulika
Your prophets and Your messengers whom You have sent out,
وَ انْشَاْتَ مِنْ اصْنَافِ خَلْقِكَ
wa ansha\\\'ta min a¥n¡fi khalqika
and the various kinds of creatures You have brought forth,
انِّي اشْهَدُ انَّكَ انْتَ ٱللَّهُ
ann¢ ash-hadu annaka anta all¡hu
that I bear witness that You are Allah;
لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ انْتَ وَحْدَكَ
l¡ il¡ha ill¡ anta wa¦daka
there is no god but You, You alone,
لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ وَلاَ عَدِيلَ
l¡ shar¢ka laka wa l¡ `ad¢la
Who have no associate nor any equal,
وَلاَ خُلْفَ لِقَوْلِكَ وَلاَ تَبْدِيلَ
wa l¡ khulfa liqawlika wa l¡ tabd¢la
and Your word has no failing, nor any change;
وَ انَّ مُحَمَّداً صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَرَسُولُكَ
wa anna mu¦ammadan ¥all¡ all¡hu `alayhi wa ¡lih¢ `abduka wa ras£luka
and that Mu¦ammad, Allah bless him and his Household, is Your servant and Your messenger;
ادَّىٰ مَا حَمَّلْتَهُ إِلَىٰ ٱلْعِبَادِ
add¡ m¡ ¦ammaltah£ il¡ al`ib¡di
he delivered to the servants that with which You charged him,
وَجَاهَدَ فِي ٱللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَقَّ ٱلْجِهَادِ
wa j¡hada f¢ all¡hi `azza wa jalla ¦aqqa aljih¡di
struggled for Allah as is His due,
وَ انَّهُ بَشَّرَ بِما هُوَ حَقُّ مِنَ ٱلثَّوابِ
wa annah£ bashshara bim¡ huwa ¦aqqun min alththaw¡bi
gave the good news of the truth of reward,
وَ انْذَرَ بِما هُوَ صِدْقٌ مِنَ ٱلعِقَابِ
wa andhara bim¡ huwa ¥idqun min al`iq¡bi
and warned of the veracity of punishment.
اَللَّهُمَّ ثَبِّتْنِي عَلَىٰ دِينِكَ مَا احْيَيْتَنِي
all¡humma thabbitn¢ `al¡ d¢nika m¡ a¦yaytan¢
O Allah, make me firm in Your religion as long as You keep me alive,
وَلاَ تُزِغْ قَلْبِي بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنِي
wa l¡ tuzigh qalb¢ ba`da idh hadaytan¢
make not my heart swerve after You have guided me,
وَهَبْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً
wa hab l¢ min ladunka ra¦matan
and give me mercy from You,
إِنَّكَ انْتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ
innaka anta alwahh¡bu
surely, You are the All-bestower.
صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
¥alli `al¡ mu¦ammadin wa ¡li mu¦ammadin
Bless Mu¦ammad and the Household of Mu¦ammad,
وَٱجْعَلْنِي مِنْ اتْبَاعِهِ وَشِيعَتِهِ
waj`aln¢ min atb¡`ih¢ wa sh¢`atih¢
make me one of his followers and his partisans,
وَٱحْشُرْنِي فِي زُمْرَتِهِ
wa¦shurn¢ f¢ zumratih¢
muster me in his band,
وَوَفِّقْنِي لادَاءِ فَرْضِ ٱلْجُمُعَاتِ
wa waffiqn¢ li-ad¡\\\'i far¤i aljumu`¡ti
and give me the success of accomplishing the obligatory observance of Fridays,
وَمَا اوْجَبْتَ عَلَيَّ فِيهَا مِنَ ٱلطَّاعَاتِ
wa m¡ awjabta `alayya f¢h¡ min a§§¡`¡ti
performing the acts of obedience which You have made incumbent upon me within it,
وَقَسَمْتَ لاهْلِهَا مِنَ ٱلعَطَاءِ
wa qasamta li-ahlih¡ min al`a§¡\\\'i
and receiving the bestowal which You have apportioned for its people
فِي يَوْمِ ٱلْجزَاءِ
f¢ yawmi aljaz¡\\\'i
on the Day of Recompense!
إِنَّكَ انْتَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
innaka anta al`az¢zu al¦ak¢mu
Surely, You are the Almighty, the All-wise!
2m:27s
9582
How To Make Rainbow Fudge - with Yoyomax - English
Here is my rainbow playlist for more colourful goodness!
Originallysaw this on Pinterest. Here is the website I used to find the recipe:
This...
Here is my rainbow playlist for more colourful goodness!
Originallysaw this on Pinterest. Here is the website I used to find the recipe:
This is an expensive recipe to make, here in my area the Baker\'s brand white chocolate costs $4 a six ounce package and the milk is about $3 a can.
My cost (excluding vanilla and food colour) was about $35.
Recipe:
36 oz white chocolate or candy melts (6 oz per colour)
24 oz of sweetened condensed milk (you will need two 14 oz cans, with bit left over.
In my area of the world it is only available in 10 oz cans, so I used 2 and a bit of of a third can.
1 1/2 tsp flavouring (I used vanilla extract)
Food colour (liquid or paste).
Chop up the white chocolate into small pieces place them in a medium sized bowl and add 1/2 cup (125ml) of sweetened condensed milk.
There are recipes online where you can learn how to make your own sweetened condensed milk if you don\'t have any in the stores where you live.
Microwave on high for 50-60 seconds until chocolate is melted. Stir until smooth and add desired amount of food colour and 1/4 tsp of flavouring (I used vanilla extract)
Line a large loaf pan with aluminum foil and pour the first layer into the bottom of the pan.
Tap gently on counter top to spread mixture out and to remove air bubbles.
Place in freezer for 15 minutes or until surface of the layer is set and dry to the touch (it will still be soft)
Continue with the next 5 layers. After adding the very top layer place the pan in the refrigerator (not freezer this time) and chill for at least 12 hours.
Remove from pan and slice into portions with a sharp knife.
Store this in the refrigerator as it gets very soft and sticky at room temperature.
5m:18s
7328
[25 July 2012] Iran Parliament holds joint session with government on...
[25 July 2012] Iran Parliament holds joint session with government on soaring prices - English
Iran's parliament says that it hosts the ministers...
[25 July 2012] Iran Parliament holds joint session with government on soaring prices - English
Iran's parliament says that it hosts the ministers of economy, commerce and industries, agriculture and head of the central bank in a private session to talk about spending cuts and finding ways to tame the recent price jump on basic commodities.
2m:36s
7058
[03 Nov 2013] US to give another $488mn in military aid to Israel - English
In the US, the House Armed Services Committee has approved an additional funding in military aid to Israel. The committee has approved that nearly...
In the US, the House Armed Services Committee has approved an additional funding in military aid to Israel. The committee has approved that nearly half a billion dollars be given to Israel this year. The approval has not yet been finalized but, it\'s expected to get the final okay by the House Appropriations Committee and Senate. The money is in addition to over three billion dollars in military aid that Washington is already planning to send to Tel Aviv in the coming fiscal year. This comes as the US government has made cuts in food assistance program. The cuts have forced nearly forty-eight million Americans to see their food stamps slashed.
3m:42s
6520
[Rally for Respect] Thousands march in Toronto against Cuts - April 9,...
OFL Pres Sid Ryan, Municipal Woker Brian Demareski, and York Federation of Students Krisna Saravanamuttu talk about the Rally for Respect
On...
OFL Pres Sid Ryan, Municipal Woker Brian Demareski, and York Federation of Students Krisna Saravanamuttu talk about the Rally for Respect
On Saturday, April 9, 2011, thousands came out and rallied at Dundas Square then marched down Yonge Street and across Queen Street to rally at Toronto City Hall. People came out to help defend good jobs, public services and greener cities throughout Ontario. Together, we are challenging the conservative agenda that is threatening our jobs, our livelihoods and our neighbourhoods.
1m:44s
6457
[March for the Alternative] Protesters break into bank, clash with cops...
Tens of thousands of mostly peaceful demonstrators streamed into central London on Saturday to march against government budget cuts, with a small...
Tens of thousands of mostly peaceful demonstrators streamed into central London on Saturday to march against government budget cuts, with a small breakaway group smashing its way into a bank, breaking windows and spray painting logos on the walls. Another group of black-clad protesters hurled paint bombs and ammonia-filled light bulbs at police. Organisers of the march estimated that at least 250,000 people from across the country were peacefully joining in the demonstration, the biggest protest in London since a series of rallies against the Iraq war in 2003. Police said they were not giving out crowd estimates.
1m:18s
6350
[26 Nov 2013] Peugeot Citroen labor unions welcome ease of sanctions on...
Peugeot-Citroen was the worst affected French company when the U-S and its allies imposed sanctions against Iran in 2012. Until then, the car-maker...
Peugeot-Citroen was the worst affected French company when the U-S and its allies imposed sanctions against Iran in 2012. Until then, the car-maker had been sending spare parts to its former partner Iran-Khodro. When it stopped doing so, it entered a period of deep crisis which led to thousands of job cuts in the company. In a country facing record high unemployment, this was a shock.
With the new deal between Iran and five permanent members of the U-N Security Council plus Germany, the sanctions on Tehran are eased, bringing a mix of respite and caution to labor unions.
Peugeot Citroen\'s share prices rose just a day after the ease on sanctions was announced.
Before the sanctions, the company was the biggest player on Iranian roads.
Peugeot has recently announced it is hiring a new chairman in 2014.
But labor unions are skeptical if Carlos Tavares can really turn around the car-maker\'s fortunes.
In the coming days, Tehran will host the first international car makers\' conference on Iranian auto-industry. And that is where French car brands will find out, if they will dominate Iranian roads as they once did.
2m:6s
6215
Palestinian village sues Canadian companies - English
Palestinians in a West Bank village are taking two Canadian companies to court for allegedly breaking international law. The companies are building...
Palestinians in a West Bank village are taking two Canadian companies to court for allegedly breaking international law. The companies are building a neighbourhood on property that Zinist regime seized after the 1967 war an action that is contrary to the Geneva Convention. The new construction apparently cuts local Palestinians off from nearly half the village.
2m:29s
6209
Tory Service Cuts - Salma Yaqoob at Progressive London Conference 2011 -...
City Counciller from Birmingham Salma Yaqoob speaking at the Progressive London Conference 2011. Salma is also a leader of The Respect Party UK.
City Counciller from Birmingham Salma Yaqoob speaking at the Progressive London Conference 2011. Salma is also a leader of The Respect Party UK.
6m:54s
6126
[March for the Alternative] Video of thousands in London protest march...
Tens of thousands of protesters crowded central London on Saturday to protest government cuts to public services, streaming in from around the...
Tens of thousands of protesters crowded central London on Saturday to protest government cuts to public services, streaming in from around the country with banners, balloons and whistles. Organisers of the march estimated that at least 100,000 people were joining in the demonstration, what the Trade Union Council called the largest civil society demonstration in years. Police say some protesters have thrown paint bombs and light bulbs filled with ammonia at officers. A group of black-clad demonstrators also threw paint bombs at shops and banks on the main shopping streets of Oxford Street and New Bond Street. The group had broken away from the larger march organized by the TUC to protest against government cuts to public services.
1m:51s
6103
"Inside Job" directed by Charles Ferguson - 26 Feb. 2011 -...
In this edition of Cine Politics, the documentary movie "Inside Job" directed by the Oscar-nominated filmmaker Charles Ferguson is...
In this edition of Cine Politics, the documentary movie "Inside Job" directed by the Oscar-nominated filmmaker Charles Ferguson is reviewed.
The movie focuses on the devastating global financial crisis of 2008. It also traces the deregulation, speculation and corruption that led to the worst financial crisis since the great depression.
25m:11s
6009
What Petraeus Didnt Tell You - MIR - English
General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker came to Capitol Hill to answer questions about the Iraq war last tuesday - april 8. They talked about...
General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker came to Capitol Hill to answer questions about the Iraq war last tuesday - april 8. They talked about security troop cuts among other things but one item was missing from their agenda. MIR - Link TV is a useful resource - with mixed quality at times though - to get a sense of events in the Middle East.
4m:47s
5970
Trial of AIDS vaccine cuts infection rates -24Sep09- English
A new AIDS vaccine tested on volunteers in Thailand protected a significant proportion of volunteers against infection - US and Thai researchers...
A new AIDS vaccine tested on volunteers in Thailand protected a significant proportion of volunteers against infection - US and Thai researchers revealed Thursday in the first case of any vaccine even partly succeeding against the deadly disease.
1m:31s
5867
Israeli soldiers attacks a news correspondent - 04Sep09 - English
Israeli soldiers have fired tear gas on Palestinians protesting against the Israeli separation barrier which cuts through their West Bank village....
Israeli soldiers have fired tear gas on Palestinians protesting against the Israeli separation barrier which cuts through their West Bank village.
The soldiers also fired tear gas at Jacky Rowland, Al Jazeera's correspondent who was covering the event live from near the village of Bilin.
4m:37s
5839
(Documentary) Gaza Suffering 7 - English
Years has passed since the Israeli military launched missile and ground attacks on Gaza, which Israel called Operation Cast Lead. According to the...
Years has passed since the Israeli military launched missile and ground attacks on Gaza, which Israel called Operation Cast Lead. According to the UN, 1,383 Palestinians died as a result, including 333 children.
And what of the survivors? For the 1.7 million living in the tiny Gaza Strip, life has become increasingly desperate because of Israel\'s continuing blockade, backed by Egypt and with no effective challenge from governments around the world. The blockade has brought electricity cuts of 16 hours a day, The electricity shortages have severely affected almost all essential services, including health, water, sanitation and schooling. Many houses have been burnt in blazes caused by unattended candles or circuited house electric generators. Solid waste disposal is severely disrupted due to fuel shortages and with waste plants and water refineries not operational, people have to drink highly toxic water either salinated or mixed with sewage.
Amidst all the limitations, Gazans struggle to survive and thus innovation has become their answer to imposed embargo.
27m:13s
5740
[March for the Alternative] 300000 protest in London, Intvw with John...
100 to 300 thousand people are expected to take part in what's set to be the UK's biggest political demonstration for a decade. Mass protests are...
100 to 300 thousand people are expected to take part in what's set to be the UK's biggest political demonstration for a decade. Mass protests are planned across the British capital to oppose the government's 80 billion pound spending cuts. The austerity measures are part of a treasury initiative to eliminate the country's huge budget deficit in just four years.
5m:49s
5613
[28 May 13] israel lobby: Money interests behind the Wailing Wall - English
AIPAC is one of the most powerful lobby groups in Washington and is the most powerful pro-Israel lobby group in the country, as evidenced by the...
AIPAC is one of the most powerful lobby groups in Washington and is the most powerful pro-Israel lobby group in the country, as evidenced by the array of high profile politicians, both Republicans and Democrats, who speak at its conference each year.
The Pentagon\\\'s new chief held talks with Israeli Minister for Military Affairs Ehud Barak, on March 5 and pledged to ensure US budget cuts have no effect on funding for military assistance to Israel.
Pro-Israel interests have contributed $56.8 million in individual, group, and soft money donations to federal candidates and party committees since 1990, according to the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics.
Between the 2000 and the 2004 elections, the 50 members of AIPAC\\\'s board donated an average of $72,000 each to campaigns and political action committees. AIPAC claims it \\\"has a stranglehold on Congress.\\\" With a $47 million a year budget and more than 100 full-time staffers, it is no doubt a formidable advocate for Israel\\\'s interests.
25m:12s
5412
[08 Dec 2013] Gazan children blame Palestinian Authority for power...
Schoolchildren in Gaza protest long hours of electricity cuts in the Palestinian enclave. The students gathered in front of the house of Acting...
Schoolchildren in Gaza protest long hours of electricity cuts in the Palestinian enclave. The students gathered in front of the house of Acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmud Abbas as they blamed him for the power shortage.
1m:54s
5378
[15 Dec 2013] Thousands of Gazans evacuated as flood hits - English
Thousands of people have been evacuated from flood-damaged homes in northern Gaza. The United Nations and Gazan officials are talking of a...
Thousands of people have been evacuated from flood-damaged homes in northern Gaza. The United Nations and Gazan officials are talking of a humanitarian crisis.
The flooding, caused by days of torrential rains, has been so severe that many homes could only be accessed by rowing boat. The Gaza Health Ministry says one person has been killed and score of others injured as flood waters damaged poorly-built homes in the coastal territory. The government also says schools and other centers have turned into temporary shelters for thousands of homeless Palestinians. The deadly deluge has added to the woes of Palestinians in the coastal enclave, which continues to suffer from electricity cuts, a sewage crisis, and drinking water shortages-- all under a crippling Israeli blockade.
2m:11s
5365
(Documentary) Gaza Suffering 3 - English
Years has passed since the Israeli military launched missile and ground attacks on Gaza, which Israel called Operation Cast Lead. According to the...
Years has passed since the Israeli military launched missile and ground attacks on Gaza, which Israel called Operation Cast Lead. According to the UN, 1,383 Palestinians died as a result, including 333 children.
And what of the survivors? For the 1.7 million living in the tiny Gaza Strip, life has become increasingly desperate because of Israel\'s continuing blockade, backed by Egypt and with no effective challenge from governments around the world. The blockade has brought electricity cuts of 16 hours a day, The electricity shortages have severely affected almost all essential services, including health, water, sanitation and schooling. Many houses have been burnt in blazes caused by unattended candles or circuited house electric generators. Solid waste disposal is severely disrupted due to fuel shortages and with waste plants and water refineries not operational, people have to drink highly toxic water either salinated or mixed with sewage.
Amidst all the limitations, Gazans struggle to survive and thus innovation has become their answer to imposed embargo.
27m:13s
5287
(Documentary) Gaza Suffering 5 - English
Years has passed since the Israeli military launched missile and ground attacks on Gaza, which Israel called Operation Cast Lead. According to the...
Years has passed since the Israeli military launched missile and ground attacks on Gaza, which Israel called Operation Cast Lead. According to the UN, 1,383 Palestinians died as a result, including 333 children.
And what of the survivors? For the 1.7 million living in the tiny Gaza Strip, life has become increasingly desperate because of Israel\'s continuing blockade, backed by Egypt and with no effective challenge from governments around the world. The blockade has brought electricity cuts of 16 hours a day, The electricity shortages have severely affected almost all essential services, including health, water, sanitation and schooling. Many houses have been burnt in blazes caused by unattended candles or circuited house electric generators. Solid waste disposal is severely disrupted due to fuel shortages and with waste plants and water refineries not operational, people have to drink highly toxic water either salinated or mixed with sewage.
Amidst all the limitations, Gazans struggle to survive and thus innovation has become their answer to imposed embargo.
27m:18s
5274