As I read Guy Walters's article this week in The Daily Beast titled
Hitler's Henchmen in Arabia, I couldn't help but see an Iranian parallel that I really didn't want to see-- or feel. But as I'm half-Latina and half-Iranian, I have the responsibility to speak up.
As I read Guy Walters's article this week in The Daily Beast titled Hitler's Henchmen in Arabia, I couldn't help but see a parallel that I really didn't want to see- or feel.
First and foremost, I am not comparing the Islamic Republic to the Nazis doing that would lend this article to propaganda, and more importantly, would trivialize the horrific, horrendous and outrageous atrocities committed by the Nazi Regime. I am, however, recognizing the trends and tactics of totalitarians and their cronies, war criminals, international law violators-- bad people, will be bad people.
Walters's article tells the story of Nazi Alois Brunner, and other SS, Gestapo and Nazi criminals, who comfortably lived out their post- WWII days in Damascus and Cairo where they headed rings of illicit smuggling and trade, but more importantly, became advisers to their reigning dictators on how to better control and repress their people. In other words, their brought their dark, bloody Nazi expertise, and shared them with Arab dictators like Hafez Assad and current Bashar Assad, as well as Egypt's former King Farouk as well as Gamal Abdel Nasser.
This means, the Nazi Regime was terrorizing people far beyond Europe-- and long after WWII.
Not so different from the Islamic Republic's 'diplomatic' presence in Latin American countries, and the continuing dissolution of civil liberties in those countries.
Did we forget the massive protests throughout Venezuela just months ago? People protested against the dictatorship for freedoms, for rights and for quality of life. Rightfully so, people wanted their voices heard. People wanted to count, to matter, and to live. Parallel to Iran's Green Protests of 2009 in substance-- and in how the Regime handled it. Bloodshed. Murder. Beatings. Disappearances. Chaos.
The more the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Venezuelan Regime cozy up, the more they share their 'best practices' in oppressing subjects, choking freedoms and maintaining complete control. After all, the Islamic Republic has been at it since '79--they have got experience, and aren't afraid to export it, along with terrorism and perhaps soon, military nuclear technology.
The Islamic Republic has a huge 'diplomatic' presence in Venezuela, and other dictatorial regimes in Latin America (Cuba, Bolivia and Nicaragua to name a few). These 'diplomats' dirty the field with illicit activity, likely espionage, and with providing haven to international criminals en route to planning and executing international crimes and terrorism. There is no shock that Hezbollah has been tied to numerous South American drug-cartels and mafias.
So history repeats itself. Bad regimes will always help bad regimes. And it's up to good people, to always support good people-- in the good fight.
Freedoms and the right to a good, happy and safe life don't belong just to Iran's people-- it also belongs to Latin Americans, and all people around the world. And knowing how keen the Islamic Republic is on helping its dictator friends, when we stand up against the violations and crimes by Regime in Iran, we are, down the line, saving people around the world.