Is Obama giving up on democracy in Iran?
U.S. State Department, in surprise move, cuts funding to program promoting democracy in Iran.
By Shlomo Shamir Tags: Iran Israel newsIt was recently revealed that U.S. President Barack Obama is cutting funding for a well established program that has been working to increase democracy in Iran.
The program, known as the "Iran Human Rights Documentation Center" distributes information on Iranian human rights violations and anti-democratic activities. The program has received funding from the U.S. State Department for years.
Program directors were shocked when they were told that their yearly request for a grant of $2.7 million in program funding had been rejected.
A former senior member of the State Department called the decision to cancel funding "shameful" in an interview with the website Newsmax. "This sends a clear message to Tehran that we are empowering the Iranian regime to be obstinate and fight us," he said.
"If there is one time that I expected to get funding, this was it," said Rene Redman, the group's executive director, in an interview with the Boston Globe. "I was surprised, because the world was watching human rights violations right there on television," she said.
The program has so far received $3 million in funding from the State Department. The project is under strict instructions to refrain from activity within Iran, and to avoid aiding any opposition groups in Iran.
U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman, who initiated a bill proposing increasing the budget for programs working to promote democracy, criticized the Obama administration for changing its policy regarding the funding for these groups.
Lieberman told The Boston Globe that it was worrying that "the State Department would cut off funding at precisely the moment when these brave investigations are needed most."
Joshua Muravchik, a scholar focusing on democracy promotion with the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, said in an interview with Newsmax that "the State Department cut in pro-democracy funding for Iran is part and parcel of a very deliberate policy by President Obama to diminish the role of human rights and democracy as goals of U.S. foreign policy."
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Maybe he wants to improve democracy in the USA, where a lot of people cannot vote, although they have the right to it. always good to start at home.
Spot on. Thanks for understanding the issue and articulating it so well.
here's the proof of american interference in iran, and then you wonder why everyone hates you so much.
It now appears that he is full of empty rhetoric and false promises? Obama came along with a lot of wind in his sails but it seems that it was either an ill wind or he was just breaking wind !
A few protesters and deaths and the world accusses the Iranian Govt of fraud, but hey it's okay in Afghanistan and America as long as their home boys win
They have decided that dialogue and diplomacy is better than bombs and bullets. in which it is the only way to achieve peace. Next thing is to reign in the religious fanatics in Tel Aviv
One reason for ending this program is that it isn't accomplishing anything. The other reason is that, as long as the US funds programs seen as planning the overthrow of the Iranian government, the Iranian government can accuse dissidents of being pawns of the US. The US has funded similar programs for Cuba for nearly 50 years. They have added years to the life of the present regime. The last reason is that if Joe Lieberman is for it, it's time to quit.
Is this part of a deal? With the Iranian government? What about?
The USA is tired of funding Israel and its anti-adversaries programs. Israeli Politics is in the American way to achieve friendship and cooperation with other countries in the Middle East.