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LOST l BEHIND THE SCENES IN ARIZONA l we’re ON THE ROAD TO ZIMBABWE! l INSIDE OCCUPIED IN THE WASHINGTON DC l AMERICA: THE GRIM TRUTH USA l THE DREAM THAT BECAME A NIGHTMARE ColdType TheWRITING WORTHREADE READING l ISSUE 46 l MARY 2010 B ru C E GI FF IN DETROIT CHASING THE VULtures awaY By Ron Williams. Photographs by Bruce Giffin PLUS l THE LIES OF LIBERATION l THE UNSHAKABLE TRUTH OF HAITI ColdType TheREADER Issue 46 May 2010 LOST IN THE USA 3. CHASING THE VUTURES AWAY FROM DETROIT Ron Williams 9. BEHIND THE SCENES IN ARIZONA Greg Palast 11. MY AMERICAN NIGHTMARE Stacey Warde Editor: Tony Sutton 14. we’re on THE ROAD TO ZIMBABWE David Michael Green ([email protected]) 17. AMERICA: THE GRIM TRUTH Lance Freeman To subscribe, 22 INSIDE OCCUPIED WASHINGTON DC Stephanie Westbrook send an email to: [email protected] (Write subscribe in the subject line) Opinions expressed in The ColdType Reader are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher 24. THE UNSHAKABLE TRUTH IN HAITI Jesse Hagopian Cover Photo by Bruce 29. LIBERAtion’s lieS Felicity Arbuthnot Giffin: Houses slated 34. TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE PLUNDER AND THE CRIME Danny Schechter for demolition in Detroit 37. ZERO TOLERANCE ON WORKPLACE SLAUGHTER Sam Pizzigati 39. THE PENTAGON PAPERS ARE PUBLIC THIS TIME David Swanson 41. WARMONGERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE John Pilger 43. PUTTING THE POPE ON TRIAL George Monbiot 45. ANDERSON COOPER AND CLASS SOLIDARITY Joe Bageant 48. A GRAND ADVENTURE Fred Reed 50. FACING THE THREAT FROM THE FAR RIGHT Chris Hedges 53. SHELL AND THE IRISH FISHERMEN Miriam Cotton 56. COLLATERAL DAMAGE OF SMART SANCTIONS Ali Fathollah-Nejad 58. IS IRAN REALLY A THREAT TO WORLD PEACE? Ray McGovern 2 TheREADER | May 2010 Iran And The West Collateral damage of smart sanctions The prospects for democracy, socio-economic development, and conflict resolution will suffer if the West continues to rely on punitive measures, writes Ali Fathollah-Nejad As the history of the his time, the warmongers’ silly sea- structure. The much neglected difficulty here West–Iran conflict son found its apogée in U.S. neo- – though it is widely acknowledged that the proves, sanctions conservative Daniel Pipes’ advice to bulk of Iranian economy is now in the hands of have rather kept the Obama to “bomb Iran,” shortly after the Guardians – is that millions of civilians con- state of crisis alive TTony Blair, having outlined why he helped in- nected to these wide-ranging sectors thought than contributed to vade Iraq, remarked ominously, “We face the to be controlled by the Guardians will be af- its resolution same problem about Iran today.” The UK’s fected. Seen in this light, the gigantic dimen- Chilcot Inquiry into the launching of the Iraq sion of these alleged “smart sanctions” comes War ironically coincided with a considerable to the fore. military build-up in the Persian Gulf region. All Moreover, so-called “crippling sanctions” this occurred amidst the continued struggle of that target the petrol supply to Iran are still en Iran’s civil rights movement and proclamations route. In anticipation of those U.S. unilateral of Western leaders to be in support of the lat- sanctions, the world’s largest insurance com- ter’s efforts. But is there any evidence for this? panies have announced their retreat from Iran. Sanctions are widely portrayed as necessary, This concerns both the financial and shipping almost healthy medicine to bring about change sectors, and affects petrol supplies to Iran which in the opponent’s policies. However, as the imports 40 percent of its needs. Also three gi- history of the West–Iran conflict proves, sanc- ant oil traders ended supplies to Iran, which tions have rather kept the state of crisis alive amounted to half of Tehran’s imports. Needless than contributed to its resolution. Nonetheless, to say, such sanctions ultimately harm the pop- Western governments do not seem to have lost ulation. To add, a complete implementation their dubious fascination for them. thereof – i.e. preventing Asian competitors to “Smart sanctions”, it is claimed, are a magic step in – would require a naval blockade which wand with which to decapitate evil. In the Irani- amounts to an act of war. an case, evil is identified with the Islamic Revo- As stressed by civil society figures and lutionary Guards Corps. Originally a defense economists, the price of sanctions is being organization to counter Iraqi aggression in the paid by the Iranian population. The Iranian 1980s, the Guardians have developed into an economy – manufacturing, agriculture, bank expansive socio-politico-economic conglomer- and financial sectors etc. – has been hurt from ate believed to possess great economic and po- almost three decades of sanctions. Even today, litical power in today’s Islamic Republic. businesses cannot easily obtain much needed As we are told, “smart sanctions” shall tar- goods on the international market to continue get the Guardians’ grip on the Iranian power production and must often pay above-standard 56 TheREADER | May 2010 Iran And The West prices. Moreover, the scientific community a fig leaf for other agendas. For, in contrast to The only way has faced discrimination in areas of research Western proclamations, sanctions do harm civil forward would be and Iran’s technological advances been slowed society while cementing the position of hard- to adopt a set of down. Reflecting the dangers sanctions pose liners. Iran’s middle class, as a result, will be af- policies that would to the Green Movement, last fall Mir-Hossein fected by this further isolation of the country disarm hardliners Mousavi said, “We are opposed to any types of as sanctions punish honest traders and reward of all sides whose sanctions against our nation.” The same was corrupt ones. The Guardians with their as- business flourishes recently uttered by his fellow opposition leader sumed 60 harbors in the Persian Gulf control in the vicious cycle Mehdi Karroubi in an interview with Corriere the bulk of imports and sanctions will only bol- of enmity della Serra. ster the trend of flourishing “black channels”. Meanwhile a more fundamental problem One might indeed argue that the not-so-un- remains, one that is hardly acknowledged by conscious “collateral damage” of never-ending many proponents who succumb to the adven- sanctions is any meaningful transition to more turous illusion of having a say in the design and democracy in Iran – a prospect which would set implementation of sanctions: They are mainly an uncomfortable precedent for the West’s au- designed by the American Israeli Public Affairs thoritarian friends in the region. Committee (AIPAC), introduced to the U.S. At the very least, the unending story of Congress and finally implemented by the Trea- sanctions bears testimony to Western leaders’ sury Department’s Under Secretary for Terror- commitment to uphold “credibility” in the face ism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey of adverse conditions as much as to imposing – an AIPAC confidant. Along this process, the their will on Iran. A futile exercise – even a dan- Ali Fathollah- potential suffering by Iran’s civil society hardly gerous one – if one begins to contemplate the Nejad is a plays a role. aftermath of “smart sanctions” being imposed: German–Iranian Sanctions – either “crippling” or “smart” – Will the next desperate move entail “surgical political scientist; ultimately harm ordinary citizens. “Smart sanc- strikes”? Ph.D. researcher tions” is as much of an oxymoron as “smart Instead of going on believing that sanctions in International weapons” which supposedly through “surgical will one day develop their desired effects, it is Relations at the strikes” only take out evil components. Indeed, high time to put the brakes. Hence, the only universities of much as in the case of their militaristic broth- way forward would be to adopt a set of poli- Münster (Germany) ers-in-sprit, in the end the “collateral damages” cies that would disarm hardliners of all sides and London (School of “smart sanctions” remain dominant. whose business flourishes in the vicious cycle of Oriental and More generally, in an increasingly multi- of enmity. It is only by détente that grist to the African Studies). polar globalized world, sanctions imposed mills of radicalism can be removed – and a sus- The author of upon energy-rich countries are basically futile tainable de-securitization of Iranian politics at- the German as an effective policy tool. Too numerous are tained. Revoking existing sanctions on goods language book, business-driven actors that are only too happy for civilian use could work wonders that would The Iran Conflict to jump in. Thus, Chinese, Russian, and even shake the very fundaments of confrontational and the Obama U.S. companies (acting via Dubai) have hugely postures. Administration: benefitted from the European, U.S.-pressured Despite all frivolous claims, the diplomatic Old Wine in withdrawal from the Iranian market. route has not been exhausted. Indeed, we are New Skins? he Thus, sanctions – a medicine with which far from it. Since the core problem remains the is currently a Western policy-circles are so obsessed with – “security dilemma” in the region, it would be Visiting Lecturer are not a cure but a slow poison applied to the wise for the West to call upon Israel to join the in globalization civil society. Sanctions as prototype of econom- Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The and development ic warfare in concert with the seasonal flaring- transatlantic “coercive strategy” vis-à-vis Iran at the University up of war-mongering are a dangerous mix. The – as it is accurately described in Diplomatic of Westminster, deafening “drums of war” continue to bang Studies – must be suspended for it undermines London.