Comments on: A Hidden Agenda: John McCain and the IRI http://www.coha.org/a-hidden-agenda-john-mccain-and-the-iri/ COHA is an NGO specialized in monitoring Latin American and Canadian Relations for more than 30 years... Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:22:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Mr.Obvious http://www.coha.org/a-hidden-agenda-john-mccain-and-the-iri/comment-page-1/#comment-39765 Mr.Obvious Sun, 19 Dec 2010 03:18:24 +0000 http://www.coha.org/2008/06/a-hidden-agenda-john-mccain-and-the-iri/#comment-39765 USAID and IRI are part and parcel of the same: USAID could not find IRI guilty of wrong doing any more than the UN find MINUSTAH reponsible for introducing cholera into Haiti. even when facts, widely know, prove complicity. The very fact that IRI involves itself in funding opposition parties in other countries is tantamount to corruption, and is more wdidely known for what it is: destabilization of legal democracies through covert actions and impunity. USAID and IRI are part and parcel of the same: USAID could not find IRI guilty of wrong doing any more than the UN find MINUSTAH reponsible for introducing cholera into Haiti. even when facts, widely know, prove complicity.

The very fact that IRI involves itself in funding opposition parties in other countries is tantamount to corruption, and is more wdidely known for what it is: destabilization of legal democracies through covert actions and impunity.

]]> By: MvGuy http://www.coha.org/a-hidden-agenda-john-mccain-and-the-iri/comment-page-1/#comment-26527 MvGuy Wed, 02 Jul 2008 02:39:48 +0000 http://www.coha.org/2008/06/a-hidden-agenda-john-mccain-and-the-iri/#comment-26527 Odd, I don't think McCains agenda is well HIDDEN at all.......Does he lie and obfuscate?? well DUH, Yeah!!! This Cabal that has gotten into power in Washington are all to open about their plans, hopes & dreams......They want to "TRANSFORM" the Middle East...They want to "TRANSFORM" the world.... With their FREEDOM AGENDA.....With bases all over the word, They are FREE to kill anyone anywhere at anytime 24/7/365 Remember the "Salvador Solution" has already been tried in Colombia. In l985 the insurgent Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) made an agreement with the government of then-President Romulo Betancur to lay down their arms and form the Patriotic Union Party (UP). UP candidates enjoyed spectacular success in the ensuing elections, winning thousands of local and regional posts with a progressive political platform. The victorious candidates were systematically hunted down and murdered in the following years by army and paramilitary death squads, to the point where today almost 5,000 have lost their lives. Among those killed are the party's most viable presidential candidates. The neoEmpire NEEDs to close down those OLD OUTDATED IDEAS of FREEDOM, like PRIVACY, Trial by JURY of your peers, Habeas Corpus, bail, and the bill of rights and that "just a damn piece of paper" the constitution. Their FREEDOM is to be able to exercise their power anywhere anytime [UNCHECKED BY ANY LAW} to stifle dissent or take the RESOURCES they want or think they need to rule the world, and they are leaving no stone unturned to accomplish that end; and they are open about it.....You only need GOOGLE "Project for the New American Century" to see their plans....Listen to their offhand remarks to hear.....100..years in Iraq..till the oil is gone.... And then there is Iran......... China...... AND Russia....They want it ALL!! ALL TYRANTS WANT TOTAL POWER & CONTROL and ABHOR the LAWS of the LAND.........Its called tyranny........ Odd, I don’t think McCains agenda is well HIDDEN at all…….Does he lie and obfuscate?? well DUH, Yeah!!! This Cabal that has gotten into power in Washington are all to open about their plans, hopes & dreams……They want to “TRANSFORM” the Middle East…They want to “TRANSFORM” the world…. With their FREEDOM AGENDA…..With bases all over the word, They are FREE to kill anyone anywhere at anytime 24/7/365 Remember the “Salvador Solution” has already been tried in Colombia. In l985 the insurgent Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) made an agreement with the government of then-President Romulo Betancur to lay down their arms and form the Patriotic Union Party (UP). UP candidates enjoyed spectacular success in the ensuing elections, winning thousands of local and regional posts with a progressive political platform.
The victorious candidates were systematically hunted down and murdered in the following years by army and paramilitary death squads, to the point where today almost 5,000 have lost their lives. Among those killed are the party’s most viable presidential candidates. The neoEmpire NEEDs to close down those OLD OUTDATED IDEAS of FREEDOM, like PRIVACY, Trial by JURY of your peers, Habeas Corpus, bail, and the bill of rights and that “just a damn piece of paper” the constitution. Their FREEDOM is to be able to exercise their power anywhere anytime [UNCHECKED BY ANY LAW} to stifle dissent or take the RESOURCES they want or think they need to rule the world, and they are leaving no stone unturned to accomplish that end; and they are open about it…..You only need GOOGLE “Project for the New American Century” to see their plans….Listen to their offhand remarks to hear…..100..years in Iraq..till the oil is gone…. And then there is Iran……… China…… AND Russia….They want it ALL!! ALL TYRANTS WANT TOTAL POWER & CONTROL and ABHOR the LAWS of the LAND………Its called tyranny……..

]]> By: Hartford http://www.coha.org/a-hidden-agenda-john-mccain-and-the-iri/comment-page-1/#comment-26513 Hartford Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:12:37 +0000 http://www.coha.org/2008/06/a-hidden-agenda-john-mccain-and-the-iri/#comment-26513 I enjoyed reading this essay. I feel like it presented very valuable information that must be considered when discussing the presidential race. Thanks for the great research and analysis. I enjoyed reading this essay. I feel like it presented very valuable information that must be considered when discussing the presidential race. Thanks for the great research and analysis.

]]> By: Democracy Activist http://www.coha.org/a-hidden-agenda-john-mccain-and-the-iri/comment-page-1/#comment-26512 Democracy Activist Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:11:25 +0000 http://www.coha.org/2008/06/a-hidden-agenda-john-mccain-and-the-iri/#comment-26512 COHA fails to tell readers that the work of IRI is identical to the work of the National Democratic Institute and both have been funded by Democratic and Republican administrations. COHA quotes Ghassan Atiyyah as saying he parted ways with the IRI over his criticism of the Bush administration’s handling of the Iraq war. If COHA had asked IRI they would have learned that IRI staff in Iraq were also critical of U.S. government efforts. This also fails to explain that after Mr. Atiyyah completed work for the grant, IRI recommended him to the National Endowment for Democracy for further funding. Without offering any evidence COHA claims IRI is “skewing public opinion in order to yield a desired outcome.” This is a complete fabrication. COHA’s infatuation with a former employee of IRI, Stanley Lucas, conveniently overlooks key pieces of the story which would essentially reverse COHA’s conclusions: two separate full-scale USAID Inspector General investigations found no evidence that IRI’s Haiti programs were responsible for the “overthrow of the country’s democratically-elected President.” Regarding the April 2002 Venezuela episode, COHA tries to paint a negative picture of the IRI’s work, all of which is baseless. The only mistake that was made was the statement by Mr. Folsom and IRI has said that for years. The general assertion that John McCain’s foreign policy views are shaped by IRI suggests how little COHA knows about broader global policy-making. The Senator hardly needs IRI to shape and extend his foreign policy knowledge. COHA fails to tell readers that the work of IRI is identical to the work of the National Democratic Institute and both have been funded by Democratic and Republican administrations.

COHA quotes Ghassan Atiyyah as saying he parted ways with the IRI over his criticism of the Bush administration’s handling of the Iraq war. If COHA had asked IRI they would have learned that IRI staff in Iraq were also critical of U.S. government efforts. This also fails to explain that after Mr. Atiyyah completed work for the grant, IRI recommended him to the National Endowment for Democracy for further funding.

Without offering any evidence COHA claims IRI is “skewing public opinion in order to yield a desired outcome.” This is a complete fabrication.

COHA’s infatuation with a former employee of IRI, Stanley Lucas, conveniently overlooks key pieces of the story which would essentially reverse COHA’s conclusions: two separate full-scale USAID Inspector General investigations found no evidence that IRI’s Haiti programs were responsible for the “overthrow of the country’s democratically-elected President.”

Regarding the April 2002 Venezuela episode, COHA tries to paint a negative picture of the IRI’s work, all of which is baseless. The only mistake that was made was the statement by Mr. Folsom and IRI has said that for years.

The general assertion that John McCain’s foreign policy views are shaped by IRI suggests how little COHA knows about broader global policy-making. The Senator hardly needs IRI to shape and extend his foreign policy knowledge.

]]> By: Stanley Lucas http://www.coha.org/a-hidden-agenda-john-mccain-and-the-iri/comment-page-1/#comment-26506 Stanley Lucas Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:51:21 +0000 http://www.coha.org/2008/06/a-hidden-agenda-john-mccain-and-the-iri/#comment-26506 COHA has been peddling disinformation for years. This "report" on IRI and me is more of the same. The organization can best be described as a fact-free zone. The only thing one can be certain of is its affection for left-wing autocrats and aspiring dictators. Stanley Lucas COHA has been peddling disinformation for years. This “report” on IRI and me is more of the same. The organization can best be described as a fact-free zone. The only thing one can be certain of is its affection for left-wing autocrats and aspiring dictators.

Stanley Lucas

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