http://my.nowpublic.com/world/now-public-exclusive-jose-brechner-talks-iran-elections
Welcome to a special segment of the Alvarez-Galloso News Hour dedicated to what has ocurred in Iran. I have invited Jose Brechner to be interviewed for this special segment.
Jose Brechner is a guest writer of this blog and was one of the first Jews to hold important positions in the Bolivian Government before the arrival of Evo Morales as President of Bolivia.
His resume includes being the founder of the center right party Democratic Nationalist Action Party and being part of the Commission for International Politics for the Bolivian Congress.
He has represented his country in forums, conferences, and television programmes. It was a pleasure to interview him on his position on the Middle East.
1. Why are their demonstrations against Ahmedinejad if he supposedly won 60% of the vote? Chavez won his elections with less percentage and there was no protest or at least none documented except as broadcast by Globovision [the Venezuelan TV Station under threat of closure by Chavez].
The youth of Iran including the ones that are in university are tired of, ashamed of, and bored of Ahmadinejad who they consider a mediocre and rigid personality. It is the same arrangement that exists in Venezuela under Chavez and Bolivia under Morales. In the case of Chávez and Morales, there was fraud but the people who are professionals, university and others are afraid to go out into the streets for fear of government reprisals.
He [Ahmadinejad] is the favourite of the Ayatollahs who are the true powers in Iran since he speaks their language. There has to hev been fraud otherwise their would not be any demonstrations. The subject should be whether the youth are tired of the theocracy. If this is true, the government may fall but there is no Western Support as there was when the Shah fell in 1979 courtesy of many factors including Jimmy Carter.
2. There are people who say that the Presidential Election in Iran is insignificant since the position is a figurehead one. An example has been Bani Sadr who was the first President of Iran from 1980 until 1981 until his removal by Ayatollah Khomeini. Why is all of the energy being spent on this Presidential Election?
The Iranian President [while an important figure] is nothing more than a manager while the real power is in the hands of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The powers of the President is limited and is used to be close to the people. He has to obey the Supreme Council and it is hard to imagine what were to happen if the opposite would occur. Maybe there could be a great change and that is why the people supported Mousavi. The President also has the power to deal with the military and political forces within Iran to a point.
3. In the past, Israel was subjected by the International community to make concessions including territorial and no settlements. With Iran in a state of convulsion, will there be more or less pressure on Israel?
What happens in Iran and the Arab World will not change the Anti Semitic and Anti Zionist Policies against the State of Israel. The press which is left wing is totally sold on the Islamic World. Israel occupies almost one percent of the Middle East and was always Jewish. The Muslins have nothing to do with Israel. All of the history of the Palestinians ocurred after 1967.
There exists a double standard with Israel and the Arab World. Only time will demonstrate to the world the realities of the times we live in when the Islamic World attacks the West including the Christians.Hay un doble estándar contra todo lo que hace Israel y lo que hacen los árabes. In the meantime, criticism of Israel will continue.
4. The West and International Community talk about the Iranian Nuclear Program. If there is a continuation of the demonstrations in Iran, will the danger be more, less, or the same?
The situation in Iran will not change unless the Ayatollahs leave power and are replaced by a democratic secular government. The idea of a nuclear Iran comes from the Shite Leadership.
5. Morales, Chavez, Ortega, Castro, and others based their political strategy on an alliance with Iran. How will the disturbances in Iran affect their plans?
Nothing will change since there is a struggle between the Shite and Sunni branches of Islam. The Sunni branch dominates the Middle East, Africa as well as parts of Asia and Europe. The Shites want to increase their dominance and Latin America is the only continent where there is almost little or no competition [for dominance].
6. What are the dangers for the West with regards to political and economic factors if the situation in Iran were to continue?
There will be no change. Iran will continue to sell petroleum unless the demonstrations and the possibility of armed conflict were to paralyze the country. This would be difficult since the government of Iran will [and sent notice] that they will reply with force to any demonstrations.
It appears that world opinion has been ignored while in other cases, the muslim countries have been dealt with in the same manner. It should be remembered that Iran was once the most advanced country which gave rise to great thinkers in history. They also have knowledge of Western Civilization. The Arab World never had any experience with democracy or freedom including elections. The only place that ocurred was in Lebanon because of its Christian population. Lebanon was a democracy although that system is under threat secondary to the Hezbollah Movement which has received all forms of inspiration from Iran.
7. The demonstrations in Iran are a call for democracy and freedom or is it the replacement of one leader with another?
This is the question in which I am trying to find an answer. The conclusion has to be that it is the same system with two personalities unless Mousavi is a reformist who wants to abolish the theocracy.
8. When I lived in Venezuela in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s as well as visited China in 2008, I saw Arabs and Jews mingle with each other. Why is this not possible in the Middle East? In other words, why is peace elusive in the Middle East?
It should be remembered that the majority of the Arabs in the West are Christians instead of Muslims. The Christians and Jews have always been friends. The problem is that the Muslims do not want to deal with people who are not of their religion. The Jihad or Islamic Holy War is the etiology of all of the wars and conflicts in the world.
9. The Middle East and Central Asia is dominated in the majority by the Muslims with the remaining territory being Armenia and Israel. The Islamic World had an opportunity to prove to the world what they have to offer. Why is it that the Islamic World cannot accept Israel nor Armenia?
You are right in stating that the Muslims outnumber the Christians and Jews in the Middle East and Central Asia. They cannot tolerate any other state other than their own in the Middle East and where there are large numbers, they can eliminate easily. It should be remembered that the Islamic World wants Israel and Armenia for Breakfast followed by a three course meal in Europe, South America, and North America after they become powerful via an increase in population.
10. What advice would you give to those who are unaware of what is happening in Iran and the Middle East?
We are living in dangerous and uncertain times in which the Muslims want to impose their way of life on the rest of the world in all spheres such as economy, politics, and culture. For them religion and political ideology are one and the same. Everyone should forget their differences and unite against this danger.
11. The Islamic World prohibits the “infidels” from visiting their sites and prohibit conversions. Yet they do the same thing in the Western Countries under the premise that Christians convert people as well. Can the West prohibit conversions and immigration from Islamic Countries? Why and why not?
The conversion of a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death although the convert can return to Islam by reciting a declaration of Islamic Faith called the Shahada which lasts 20 seconds. The Muslims attempt to convert a large amount of people and take advantage of class and education.
Europe is taking steps to tighten immigration policies against the excess arrivals of people from Islamic Countries. In fact, the President of France Nicholas Sarkozy has prohibited the Burqa in his country stating that it is a “symbol of slavery and incompatibility with the values of the French Republic”.
Thank you for your interview Jose Brechner
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