[Marxism] IAC: No to demonization of Pres. Ahmadinejad

["Greg Butterfield" <gregb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Joint news release of the International Action Center and 
the Stop War on Iran
Contact: Sara Flounders at 212-633-6646

Stop the war drive against Iran
No to the demonization of President Ahmadinejad

We denounce the campaign of demonization against Iranian 
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that has preceded his visit 
to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York. 
We call on the anti-war movement, progressive 
organizations, students, workers and community groups to 
stand up to this racist campaign and say loudly and 
clearly: No war against Iran!

What is the aim of this carefully crafted campaign by 
local, state and federal officials, the Republican and 
Democratic leadership, and the corporate media? To beat 
the drums for a new U.S.-led war against a sovereign, 
oil-rich Middle Eastern country, while diverting attention 
from the intractable crisis of the genocidal U.S. 
occupation of Iraq, which by the most recent estimate has 
cost 1.2 million Iraqi lives, and the growing economic 
crisis for poor and working people here at home.

Whatever the intentions of some progressive student 
organizations who plan to join a protest planned against 
President Ahmadinejad?s Sept. 24 speaking engagement at 
Columbia University, their participation feeds into this 
pro-war campaign. The reactionary media and right-wing 
groups have taken complete ownership of the protest and 
will use it to feed the war hysteria. We agree with the 
Columbia Coalition Against the War, which says, ?We call 
on those who do not support a war with Iran to be wary of 
the vilification of Ahmadinejad, to avoid Monday?s rally 
and to express vocally their opposition to military 
intervention.?

The conduct of the New York City administration, including 
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council head Christine 
Quinn, has been nothing short of criminal. The NYPD 
refused President Ahmadinejad?s request to lay a wreath at 
Ground Zero, citing so-called ?security concerns.? At the 
same time, every statement by the Bloomberg administration 
has been calculated to stir up racist forces and threaten 
the safety of a visiting head of state, while implying 
that the NYPD will not provide him with the required 
protection. The Bush administration has been complicit in 
these threats, as have both Democratic and Republican 
presidential candidates.

To his credit, President Ahmadinejad has refused to be 
intimidated by these threats and plans to go ahead with 
his scheduled public appearance at Columbia University.

Media have reported on Pentagon plans to strike against 
10,000 targets in the first hours of a military attack on 
Iran. The targets are not only alleged nuclear power and 
military sites, but the very infrastructure of this 
country of 71 million people, including roads, bridges, 
the electrical grid and water supplies. Two U.S. aircraft 
carriers are perpetually stationed off Iran?s coast, and 
U.S. military bases throughout the Middle East are 
targeting Iran with missiles and bombers. Covert U.S. 
military incursions in Iranian territory have been 
reported. The unprovoked Israeli attack on Syria Sept. 6, 
which had White House approval, has also been reported as 
a dry-run for that U.S.-sponsored, nuclear-armed settler 
state?s participation in a war of terror against Iran.

Before the 1979 revolution, Iran was a virtual U.S. colony 
ruled by the brutal Shah. The nationalization of Iran?s 
oil industry since 1979 has meant social programs, 
education and literacy for both women and men, health care 
and other social benefits. The Iranian people, whether or 
not they support the Islamic establishment or the current 
government in Tehran, are determined to protect the gains 
of their anti-colonial revolution. Like the resisting 
Iraqi population, they will not return quietly to the days 
of Pentagon and Wall Street domination.

We stand with the President Ahmadinejad and the Iranian 
people to say: Stop the war drive against Iran!

Initiated by the International Action Center and Stop War 
on Iran
www.iacenter.org www.stopwaroniran.org

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