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October 16, 2009
Obama Cuts Pro-Democracy Funds for Iran
Obama Cuts Pro-Democracy Funds for Iran
The Obama administration has cut funding for pro-democracy and human rights programs in Iran, reversing years of efforts during the Bush administration to help develop a civil society, congressional sources told Newsmax this week.
The move is apparently intended to please Iran’s rulers after they criticized President Obama and the State Department for allegedly seeking to fund a “velvet revolution” during the June presidential elections in Iran.
“It sounds like the Iranians complained in Geneva and we acceded to their demands,” a former senior government official familiar with the pro-democracy programs told Newsmax.
“It’s shameful,” he added. “This sends a clear message to Tehran that we are empowering the Iranian regime to be obstinate and fight us."
Word that the administration was planning to cut the pro-democracy programs leaked out in June, when the draft budget for the State Department sent to Congress zeroed out the funds.
Sen. Joseph Lieberman, who co-sponsored legislation earlier this year that greatly expands pro-democracy funding, questioned the wisdom of the Obama administration’s policy shift.
“It is disturbing that the State Department would cut off funding at precisely the moment when these brave investigations are needed most,” he said last week.
Lieberman’s bill, called the Victims of Iranian Censorship (VOICE) act, passed the Senate in July and has been incorporated into the annual defense appropriations bill, which is scheduled for a final vote this week.
The Iran democracy programs have been shrouded in secrecy, even though they are not classified. David Denehy, a former program manager at the State Department, said he had agreed not to disclose specific grantees or projects, to protect participants who were working inside Iran.
“We did good things with Internet freedom, civil society organizations, and in helping to better inform the Iranian people and better connect them to the outside world,” he told Newsmax. “I don’t see why President Obama wouldn’t support these things. The United States philosophically should always stand on the side of freedom against tyranny.”
Wild Thing's comment.........
This imposter makes me sick to my stomach.
Obamah Foreign Policy: ... HELTER SKELTER !
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at October 16, 2009 06:45 AM
Comments
Dear Chrissie, it's just one muzzy helping another.
Posted by: Jack at October 16, 2009 10:11 AM
obama the muzzie commie strikes again. A revolution in Iran would be to our benefit. It might put a halt to their nuclear advancement and possibly save American lives down the line. I bet a lot of difficult and dangerous work went into this over the years and know it is gone in a flash thanks to obama the commie muzzie.
Posted by: TomR at October 16, 2009 01:11 PM
By the time he;s done, we will have no friends, and all the enemies we don't need.
Posted by: Mark at October 16, 2009 09:55 PM
