25
Apr
2015
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More on Iran and Bishop -and on Iran/Clinton connections

Today’s Australian has published an abridged version of my letter (see below) criticising Bishop’s apparent “soft” interpretation of the ideology of the Iranian government and “relaxed” portrayal  of the nuclear deal being negotiated  with Iran. Although it may seem at first glance to be unrelated to Iran, the New York Times has just published a long article exposing “dealings” by the Clinton Foundation (the recipient of large donations including one of $31 million from a mining financier) with the Russians in response to their attempts to  access supplies of uranium. It appears  that the Russian State energy “company”, Rosatom (which was allowed to acquire substantial uranium mining investments in the US), has an agreement with Iran to supply enriched uranium to eight nuclear reactors and the company is described as a chief partner in Iran’s nuclear program (see this in effect summary of the NY Times article). And as Secretary of State under Obama from 2009 to 2013, Hilary Clinton would presumably have informed him of the Russian “arrangements”. Whether or not Obama himself was directly involved in the dealings with Russia on uranium, he would presumably have been aware of the “arrangements” his Secretary of State and her husband made with the Russians and of the “deal” made with Iran. This NY Times report certainly adds to the likelihood of nuclear deal with Iran which allows that country a relatively free hand to develop nuclear weaponry.

The Herald Sun also published a letter (see below) I actually wrote about a week ago following the arrest of five Muslims. Given that these men had been attending the Al-Furqan Islamic Centre where it was reported that violent behaviour was sometimes advocated (illegally) by the “firebrand cleric” and by one other similar advocate, I asked why preventive action had not been taken before the arrests (also relevant is the report that Australian police did not discover the threat but were informed by British police of the connection made between a 14 year old there and his “friends” in Australia). Today it has been announced that the centre has itself decided to close. But even the Bosnian Islamic Council has said that police should be “closely watching the cleric” who was at the centre. Unless action is taken by governments to explain more fully why the extremist interpretation of the Koran is not acceptable,  it threatens to become more threatening and more divisive, the more so as the ABC and Fairfax press seem determined to highlight complaints about police rough treatment of those arrested. Abbott has referred to the “death cult” but he seems to relate that only to followers of the Islamic State. Premier Andrews’ comment that the incident reflected “a threat we don’t properly understand” suggests he needs a briefing by intelligence.

Note: The full NY Times article can be accessed by clicking on scandal in the linked article.

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