This photo was taken recently and released today by Iranian human rights activists:
Houshang Amir-Ahmadi (or Hooshang Amirahmadi) met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently.
Houshang Amir-Ahmadi holds a Ph.D. in planning and international development from Cornell University and is a professor of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. He is the founder and president of the American Iranian Council (AIC).
** This photo is of Ahmadinejad and one of the regime's U.S.-based brokers.
Ahmadinejad recently told a group of Basiji, as reported by the Iranian news, that he did not know this individual (Amir-Ahmadi).
...Not likely.
Iran Press News has more on this meeting (in Farsi).
Anti Mullah reported on the American-Iranian Council and its links to the Iranian regime in an earlier post:
In the 1990’s, the American-Iranian Council (AIC) (Here is a list of members of its board), with backing from multinational oil companies, was a front for the Iran’s lobbying efforts in the US.This photo released today by Iranian activists follows the news from yesterday that Trita Parsi from the American Iranian Council is thought to be an advisor to Barack Obama on Iranian foreign policy.
Houshang Amir-Ahmadi served as its president. Amirahmadi has been an active pro-Tehran player in the US since early 1980s. While residing in US, he was also a presidential candidate in Iran’s elections.
He officially collaborated with different Iranian institutions and notably the Islamic foreign ministry.
In 1999 and 2000 Trita Parsi was closely working with Amirahmadi and was well positioned in the leadership of AIC.
In 2001, the pro-Iran lobby in the United States became intensely active to prevent the renewal of the Iran Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA), and to improve the US-Iran relations.
Despite extraordinary pressure from the lobby, ILSA passed overwhelmingly.
UPDATE: Here is a report on the American Iranian Council back in 2002 that is very informative. The IAC has been campaigning for the mullas for years:
Mounting evidence that Tehran is shielding hundreds of fleeing al Qaeda terrorists and is working to destroy what's left of the Arab-Israeli peace process have made it increasingly difficult to push for "closer" U.S.-Iranian ties with a straight face. Nevertheless, a number of high-powered folks in Washington seem determined to try.
The designated vehicle for their campaign is an organization calling itself the American Iranian Council (AIC). The AIC's board of corporate "sponsors and collaborators" includes prominent oil and gas companies that have been effectively shut out of exploration in Iran as a result of U.S. economic sanctions. The board includes representatives of energy firms such as ARCO; Ashland Oil Inc.; BP; Chase Manhattan Bank; Chevron; Conoco Inc.; Exxon; Shell, as well as George Soros' Open Society Institute. Its various boards of directors include such luminaries as former Assistant Secretary of State Robert Pelletreau; former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala; Democratic Party bigwig Sargent Shriver; Under secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Pickering, now a vice president with Boeing Corp.; Judith Kipper of the Center for Strategic and International Studies; and Gary Sick, a former member of Jimmy Carter's National Security Council staff and leading purveyor of the "October Surprise" fraud — the scurrilous charge that Ronald Reagan's 1980 presidential campaign plotted to drag out the Iranian hostage crisis to embarrass Mr. Carter. The head of the AIC is a Rutgers University professor named Hooshang Amirahmadi, who suggests that President Bush's characterization of the current Iranian government as part of an "axis of evil" could result in "colossal death and destruction."
Gallup poll shows overwhelming support for an American President to meet with our enemies 67% http://www.gallup.com/poll/107617/Americans-Favor-President-Meeting-US-Enemies.aspx
ReplyDeleteIn fact nearly 50% of polled REPUBLICANS think talking with our enemies is a good idea.
It is being on the wrong sides of issues like this that cost the Republicans votes
America is already holding talks with our enemies but Bush isn't.
ReplyDeleteAs I remember this whole "Not Talking to the Iranians" policy was started by Jimmy Carter in the late 70s. Then one George Bush supposedly talked with the Iranians and all the Democrats went ape. Or are the Democrats now implying that the "Arms for Hostages/Contra thing" never really happened?
ReplyDelete++
ReplyDeleteOpen Letter To Dr Amirahmadi of AIC [12/23/05]
excerpt:
[It was brought to my attention today that my name is in your list amongst the Young Iranian Leaders Council for AIC. The news for me was both a shock that my name is still associated with your organization as well as a reminder of the time when I did associate with you and your organization.
Dr Amir-Ahmadi, I like to make a few points clear about my past and present viewpoints and your organization.
[snip]
As we are all well aware, those in Iran who took a leadership role in bringing about this reform movement, did not support the students, journalists and others who supported them. Mr Khatami turned his back on us students in the events of July 8th, 1998 and shortly later, he allowed the mass closure of 70 newspapers which were the voice of some up until then. My views changed at that time, and like millions of others, I was in a state of despair for my country. I did not see a way out, but the events of September 11th, made one thing more certain for me: That this regime must go.
[snip]
I ask you to remove my name from your website. Your intentions, interests, and goals have been under question by me for the last number years and it was to my utmost surprise to see my name associated with your organization. We will all have to answer history for our activities during these darkest hours. I cannot judge myself or others harshly for our views for those uncertain times after 1997, but I will judge harshly those who continue to support the same lines of thought and method without a clear reflection of whose interests they are supporting.]
hmm, wonder why we never hear about the opposition?? ah never mind, we already know who owns the MSM (same people who own Obama).. gah!!
==
Amir Ahmadi used to be the finance chair for John Kerry and I think he may be on Clinton team..check him out
ReplyDeleteanonymous,
ReplyDeleteProves how uninformed some of the public can be. Especially on the left due to biased media influence and dumbed down education. Where most people simply do not understand the realities or art of negotiation.
I trust gallup polls on such subjects about as well as I trust their exit polls showing Kerry to win in 2004. Gallup has lost credibility since 2004.
The arthur was Lydia Saad on that poll. She does not list the each demographic by numbers. How many were democrats, republicans and independents? Of course the poll is in favor of Obama's choice with the numbers skewed by Democrats large appeasement numbers in the overall polling.
This does not translate to American people favoring it in Novemeber, nor Obama's appeasement views.
How many are voters? Supporters of Obama, Clinton, McCain, Paul or Barr? Libertarians are often Independent.
Since Gallup refuses to break down these numbers they are utterly useless. The one truth Saad does admit to is that McCain has yet to be fully in front of large audiences speaking about his opinion on negotiations with radical nutjobs. So far it has been Obama, morning, noon and night on all the liberal MSM stations spewing forth his inexperienced "rev" Wright-like oratory.
This poll is meaningless drivel. What will count is November. I pesonally cannot stand a candidate led by the nose thru pollsters feedback. Ultimately many pollsters are more about shaping public opinion than insight.