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Use al-Maliki Visit to Send Iran a Clear Message – The Hill – Commentary

Posted in analysis, ashraf, assad, baghdad, chemical weapons, CIA, clinton, congress, counterterrorism, covert, crimes against humanity, delisting, democracy, diplomacy, dissident, european union, foreign policy, foreign policy analysis, freedom, gingrich, global, hostages, human rights, human security, intelligence, international relations, iran, iran policy committee, iraq, israel, killing, maliki, media, MEK, MI6, military, mossad, murder, NCRI, negotiation, nuclear, obama, paris, PMOI, policy, politics, preemptive, protest, rajavi, regime change, republican, rhetoric, sanctions, security studies, sheehan, state department, strike, syria, tehran, terrorism, the hill, threat, u.s. foundation for liberty, unrest, war, weapons, white house on October 24, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

SHEEHAN: Use al-Maliki Visit to Send Iran a Clear Message – The Hill – Commentary

In advance of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki’s visit to the U.S., Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan is published in The Hill on the need for the White House to press the Iraqi leader to explain the recent massacre of Iranian refugees in northeast Iraq and signal a decisive shift in policy toward Tehran.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s November 1 visit to Washington will say as much about the United States’ Iran policy as it does about future relations with Baghdad… Analysts will be watching closely to see if Mr. Obama leverages his influence over the leader that many are calling a puppet of the Iranian regime…

…The meeting poses a dilemma for the Obama White House: Embrace the Iraqi leader and signal the Iranian regime that the U.S. will bless the unholy alliance between Tehran and Baghdad by turning a blind eye to the slaughter of Iranian dissidents; or reject the failed strategy of appeasement and engage Tehran – via Baghdad – from a position of strength.

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Time for Scholars to Examine Iranian Opposition – UPI.com – Commentary

Posted in analysis, briefing, CIA, clinton, congress, counterterrorism, covert, crimes against humanity, debate, delisting, democracy, diplomacy, dissident, foreign policy, foreign policy analysis, framing, freedom, gingrich, global, human rights, human security, intelligence, international relations, international security studies, iran, iraq, israel, maliki, media, MEK, MI6, middle east, military, mossad, NCRI, negotiation, nuclear, obama, paris, peace, PMOI, policy, politics, preemptive, protest, rajavi, regime change, republican, sanctions, scholarly, security studies, sheehan, state department, strike, syria, terrorism, threat, u.s. foundation for liberty, unrest, war on October 18, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

SHEEHAN: Time for Scholars to Examine Iranian Opposition – UPI.com – Commentary

With the latest round of P5+1 nuclear negotiations in Geneva concluded, Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan is published through United Press International on the need for the academic community to consider the wisdom of existing Iran policy in light of recent violence directed at the Iranian opposition detained in Iraq.

Tehran’s negotiating style, which relies on the cyclical use of threat and accommodation, has frustrated the West and served the regime’s ultimate interest – buying time for nuclear armament… Attention to these matters in scholarly circles is needed to ensure that the false dichotomy of prolonged negotiations and tactical military strikes is rejected and other tools for averting an Iranian nuclear crisis considered…

…The slaughter of Iranian dissidents comes at a challenging time for the Obama White House. Condemning the act of Iraqi aggression, carried out on behalf of Iran, could jeopardize sensitive backroom negotiations on the nuclear issue and the policy of appeasement that the administration seems inclined to pursue. It also raises questions as to the legality of providing military assistance to Iraqi forces in view of the Leahy law and Arms Export Control Act.

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Sheehan Study on Iranian Opposition Published in Digest of Middle East Studies

Posted in analysis, APSA, CIA, clinton, college of public affairs, congress, council on foreign relations, counterterrorism, courses, covert, crimes against humanity, data, databases, debate, delisting, democracy, deterrence, digest of middle east studies, diplomacy, dissident, DOMES, education, european union, evidence-based, faculty fellow, foreign policy, foreign policy analysis, framing, freedom, global, human rights, human security, intelligence, international relations, international security studies, international studies association, iran, iran policy committee, iraq, ISA, maliki, media, MEK, MI6, middle east, middle east dialogue, military, NCRI, negotiation, nuclear, obama, paris, peace, PMOI, policy, policy studies organization, politics, preemptive, protest, rajavi, regime change, research, rhetoric, scholarly, security studies, sheehan, state department, syria, teaching, terrorism, think-tank, threat, toronto, u.s. foundation for liberty, university of baltimore, unrest, war on October 11, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

Digest of Middle East Studies (DOMES) / Wiley-Blackwell / Policy Studies Organization / Online ISSN: 1949-3606 / Fall 2013, Vol. 22, Issue 2

Challenging a Terrorist Tag in the Media: Framing the Politics of Resistance and an Iranian Opposition Group – Digest of Middle East Studies – Fall 2013 – Vol. 22, Issue 2

Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan is published in the latest edition of the Digest of Middle East Studies, a peer reviewed journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Policy Studies Organization. The journal is edited by Middle East scholar Professor Mohammed M. Aman of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Study Abstract:

Scholars have shown that media framing has a powerful effect on citizen perception and policy debates. Research has provided less insight into the ability of marginalized actors to promote their preferred frames in the media in a dynamic political context. The efforts of an exiled Iranian opposition group to get its name removed from official terror lists in the US, UK and EU provides a valuable platform to examine this problem. Using content analysis, I explore how the group promoted its frames in the opinion sections of major world news publications over nine years (2003–2012). I then examine the extent to which journalists aligned to its frames, as opposed to rival official frames, over time in the larger arena of news. The results support research showing that by nurturing small opportunities, marginalized political actors can expand media capacity and influence, but these effects are mediated at least in part by critical or focusing events that make rival frames less salient. The study sheds light on the complex relationship between activists, the government and the media. It has implications for the ability of marginalized political actors to get their frames into public discourse. It also has implications for terror tagging and media coverage of other controversial issues.

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Sheehan to Speak at National Security Briefing on Capitol Hill

Posted in analysis, assad, briefing, CIA, clinton, congress, counterterrorism, covert, crimes against humanity, delisting, democracy, deterrence, diplomacy, dissident, european union, foreign policy, foreign policy analysis, freedom, global, human rights, human security, intelligence, international relations, international security studies, iran, iran policy committee, iraq, israel, killing, maliki, media, MEK, MI6, middle east, military, murder, NCRI, negotiation, nuclear, obama, PMOI, policy, politics, preemptive, presidential election, rajavi, regime change, republican, sanctions, sheehan, state department, strike, syria, terrorism, threat, u.s. foundation for liberty, unrest, war, weapons on October 8, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

IRAN: Hassan Rouhani’s “Words” and “Deeds” / Foreign Affairs and National Security Briefing / Rayburn House Office Building RHOB-2226 (Capitol Hill, Rayburn Bldg.)/ U.S. Congress / October 9, 2013

Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan has been invited to speak at a national security briefing in the U.S. Congress on October 9, 2013. The event – open to Members of Congress, congressional staffers, and select media – will be held in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill. The briefing will feature remarks from:

Hon. Michael Mukasey, 81st Attorney General of the United States;
Hon. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chair, Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa, House Foreign Affairs Committee;
Hon. Ted Poe (R-TX), Chair, Subcommittee on Terrorism, Non-Proliferation and Trade, House Foreign Affairs Committee;
Hon. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade, House Foreign Affairs Committee;
Hon. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Chair, Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging threats, House Foreign Affairs Committee;
Hon. Judy Chu (D-CA), House Judiciary Committee;
Hon. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Ranking Member, Committee on Homeland Security;
Col. Thomas Cantwell, Commandant of Camp Ashraf, Iraq (2003-2004)
Col. Wes Martin, Chief Anti-terrorism, Protection Officer for Coalition Forces, Iraq (2006-2007);
Prof. Ivan Sascha Sheehan, Director, Negotiation and Conflict Management/ Global Affairs and Human Security, School of Public and International Affairs, University of Baltimore

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Sheehan Invited to Address University of Nebraska Omaha’s Global Studies Conference

Posted in analysis, assad, bloomfield, CIA, clinton, college of public affairs, congress, counterterrorism, covert, crimes against humanity, debate, delisting, democracy, deterrence, diplomacy, dissident, european union, evidence-based, fordow, foreign policy, foreign policy analysis, freedom, global, human rights, human security, intelligence, international relations, international security studies, iran, iraq, maliki, media, MEK, MI6, middle east, military, NCRI, negotiation, nuclear, obama, paris, peace, PMOI, policy, politics, preemptive, protest, rajavi, regime change, research, sanctions, scholarly, security studies, sheehan, soldier, state department, strike, syria, teaching, terrorism, threat, u.s. foundation for liberty, university of baltimore, unrest, war, weapons on October 1, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan will speak at the 36th Annual Global Studies Conference at the University of Nebraska Omaha on October 3-4, 2013. The theme for the conference is Regime Change and Civil Society after the Arab Spring. Dr. Sheehan will discuss recent violence directed at the primary opposition to clerical rule in Iran, the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK/PMOI), and the increasing recognition among policy officials that the Paris-based de-facto Parliament-in-Exile, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), is best positioned to promote democratic change from within through a soft revolution.

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During Debate on Syria, U.S. Officials Must Also Protect Iranian Opposition – Commentary

Posted in analysis, assad, CIA, congress, counterterrorism, covert, crimes against humanity, delisting, democracy, diplomacy, diplomatic courier, dissident, foreign policy, freedom, human rights, intelligence, international relations, iran, iraq, killing, maliki, MEK, MI6, middle east, military, NCRI, obama, PMOI, policy, regime change, sheehan, state department, strike, syria, terrorism, threat, u.s. foundation for liberty, war on September 4, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

SHEEHAN: During Debate on Syria, U.S. Officials Must Also Protect Iranian Opposition – Commentary

Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan in the Diplomatic Courier on the September 1 assault on Iranian dissidents at Camp Ashraf and the need to protect the Iranian opposition.

As the U.S. debates the merits of action in support of the Syrian people, senior U.S. officials should not lose sight of those that have long supported freedom in Iran…. Just as brutal acts of violence directed at the Syrian people should not go unpunished, neither should heinous assaults on unarmed Iranian dissidents–including women and children…

The violence against the Iranian resistance is a clear violation of the quadripartite agreement signed by the Iraqi Government and ratified by the U.S. Government and the United Nations on August 17, 2012.

–Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan

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Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan on Capitol Hill

Posted in analysis, briefing, CIA, clinton, congress, counterterrorism, covert, delisting, democracy, deterrence, diplomacy, dissident, foreign policy, freedom, global, human rights, human security, intelligence, international relations, iran, iraq, israel, media, MEK, MI6, middle east, military, mossad, NCRI, negotiation, nuclear, obama, PMOI, policy, politics, preemptive, protest, rajavi, regime change, sanctions, sheehan, state department, strike, terrorism, threat, unrest, war on August 7, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

UPDATE: Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan Media Gallery #SmugMug

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Iranian Elections and a Persian Spring – Commentary

Posted in analysis, CIA, clinton, congress, counterterrorism, covert, delisting, democracy, diplomacy, dissident, european union, evidence-based, foreign policy, freedom, global, human rights, human security, intelligence, international relations, iran, iraq, israel, media, MEK, MI6, middle east, military, mossad, NCRI, negotiation, nuclear, obama, paris, PMOI, policy, politics, preemptive, presidential election, protest, rajavi, regime change, republican, sanctions, sheehan, state department, strike, terrorism, threat, u.s. foundation for liberty, unrest, war, weapons on June 23, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

SHEEHAN: Iranian Elections and a Persian Spring – Commentary

Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan from Paris on the deteriorating situation in Iran and the prospects for an Iranian spring.

Those gathering in Paris urged the international community to reset Iran policy by acknowledging that the strategy of appeasement failed and that sham elections are not a substitute for authentic democracy. They also asked world leaders to pay as much attention to the people of Iran as they do the regime’s authoritarian rulers by supporting democratic change from within.

—Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan

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Sheehan Invited to Paris to Attend Annual Conference for Democratic Change in Iran

Posted in analysis, brussels, CIA, clinton, congress, counterterrorism, covert, delisting, democracy, diplomacy, dissident, foreign policy, freedom, gingrich, global, human rights, human security, intelligence, international relations, iran, iraq, israel, media, MEK, MI6, middle east, mossad, NCRI, nuclear, obama, paris, PMOI, policy, politics, preemptive, presidential election, protest, rajavi, regime change, research, sanctions, sheehan, state department, strike, terrorism, threat, u.s. foundation for liberty, unrest, war on June 17, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

On June 22, Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan will travel to Paris as a guest of the Organizing Committee for the Convention of Democracy in Iran to serve as an academic observer at an international gathering of expatriate Iranians. The event will feature remarks from leaders from more than fifty countries, a bipartisan delegation of U.S. policymakers, and distinguished academics from around the world. Democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and prospects for an Iranian Spring will be discussed in the wake of the tightly controlled presidential elections held on June 14th. UPDATE: #PHOTOS

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The Opposition on the Eve of the Iranian Elections – Commentary

Posted in analysis, CIA, congress, counterterrorism, covert, databases, delisting, democracy, democrat, deterrence, diplomacy, dissident, european union, evidence-based, foreign policy, global, human rights, intelligence, international relations, iran, iran policy committee, iraq, israel, MEK, MI6, middle east, military, mossad, NCRI, negotiation, nuclear, obama, paris, PMOI, policy, politics, preemptive, presidential election, protest, rajavi, regime change, republican, research, sanctions, scholarly, sheehan, state department, strike, tanter, terrorism, threat, u.s. foundation for liberty, unrest, war on June 13, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

SHEEHAN & TANTER: The Opposition on the Eve of the Iranian Elections – Commentary

Professors Ivan Sascha Sheehan and Raymond Tanter at United Press International on the need for the U.S. officials to make an evidence-based assessment of the Iranian regime and their opposition in the wake of the tightly controlled presidential elections on June 14.

Challenging the regime by acknowledging the facts is the first step toward providing ordinary Iranians what they will be denied at the ballot box on Friday: An opportunity to exercise self determination armed with credible information.

–Sheehan & Tanter

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Sheehan Participates in Think-Tank Roundtable

Posted in analysis, bloomfield, briefing, CIA, clinton, college of public affairs, congress, counterterrorism, covert, delisting, democracy, deterrence, diplomacy, dissident, evidence-based, foreign policy, framing, freedom, global, human rights, human security, intelligence, international relations, iran, iraq, israel, MEK, MI6, middle east, military, NCRI, nuclear, obama, PMOI, policy, politics, preemptive, presidential election, protest, rajavi, regime change, research, scholarly, sheehan, state department, stimson center, terrorism, think-tank, threat, u.s. foundation for liberty, university of baltimore on June 11, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan will participate in a roundtable discussion with Ambassador Lincoln P. Bloomfield, Jr. at The Stimson Center in Washington, DC on June 13 to examine findings from a new study titled The Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK): Shackled by a Twisted History. The invitation only discussion will include a group of former government officials and Iran experts who will look at how information and intelligence about the Iranian opposition led to assumptions and judgments that may have constrained policy formulation over time. The roundtable will also address how evolving policy doctrines on terrorism and human rights affect the case.

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Sheehan Speaks on U.S.-Iran Policy

Posted in akin gump, analysis, bloomfield, briefing, CIA, clinton, college of public affairs, congress, counterterrorism, covert, delisting, democracy, diplomacy, dissident, evidence-based, foreign policy, freedom, global, human rights, intelligence, international relations, iran, iraq, israel, media, MEK, middle east, military, NCRI, nuclear, obama, PMOI, policy, politics, preemptive, presidential election, protest, regime change, sanctions, scholarly, sheehan, state department, strike, terrorism, threat, u.s. foundation for liberty, university of baltimore, unrest, war on June 6, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

On June 7, Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan will speak at a book signing at the the international law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld LLP in Washington, DC. The event will feature remarks by Ambassador Lincoln P. Bloomfield, Jr., author of the new book titled The Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK)—Shackled by a Twisted History, and Hal S. Shapiro, former senior counselor to the director of the National Economic Council at the White House and Partner at Akin Gump. #Media #Contact #PDF

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Sheehan Speaks in U.S. Congress

Posted in analysis, briefing, clinton, congress, counterterrorism, covert, delisting, democracy, diplomacy, dissident, foreign policy, freedom, human rights, intelligence, international relations, iran, iraq, israel, media, MEK, middle east, military, NCRI, negotiation, nuclear, obama, paris, PMOI, policy, politics, preemptive, presidential election, protest, rajavi, regime change, republican, sanctions, sheehan, state department, strike, terrorism, threat, u.s. foundation for liberty, unrest, war on April 28, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

On April 24, 2013, Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan spoke at a Congressional Briefing on Foreign Affairs and National Security in the U.S. House of Representatives. The event featured Members of Congress, academics, and policy officials who addressed matters related to the failure of the Iranian nuclear negotiations, the regime’s human rights violations, and religious minority persecution in the lead up to this summer’s elections.

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NOW AVAILABLE: New Book on US-Iran Policy by Amb. Lincoln P. Bloomfield, Jr. Featuring Foreword by Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan

Posted in analysis, bloomfield, briefing, CIA, clinton, college of public affairs, congress, counterterrorism, delisting, democracy, diplomacy, dissident, european union, evidence-based, foreign policy, global, human rights, intelligence, international relations, iran, iraq, israel, media, MEK, MI6, middle east, military, mossad, NCRI, negotiation, nuclear, obama, paris, PMOI, policy, politics, preemptive, protest, rajavi, regime change, research, sanctions, scholarly, sheehan, state department, strike, terrorism, threat, university of baltimore, unrest, war on March 31, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

Ambassador Lincoln P. Bloomfield, Jr. has published a new book titled The Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) – Shackled by a Twisted History through the University of Baltimore College of Public Affairs. More than two thousand advance copies have been provided to members of Congress and White House Officials and additional copies are being sent to EU representatives. The book features a Foreword by Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan and supporting comments from senior former US officials, including:

General George W. Casey, Jr.
Lieutenant General Dell L. Dailey
General James L. Jones
Judge Michael B. Mukasey
Dr. Mitchell B. Reiss
Governor Bill Richardson

Read advance praise for the study issued by senior US officials.

#PDF #Amazon.com #CPA

UPDATE 7-17-13: Governor Tom Ridge, former Secretary of Homeland Security, authored a book review titled The Friends Left in the Shadow of War in The Washington Times.

UPDATE 6-3-13: Dr. Mitchell Reiss, President of Washington College and former director of policy planning staff at the U.S. State Department under Secretary Colin Powell, penned a book review in The Baltimore Sun titled How the U.S. Hung a Potential Iranian Ally Out to Dry.

Purchase your copy at Amazon.com and stay tuned for media and policy events on this important new study.

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Tanter Interviewed on Obama Visit to Israel; Iranian Nuclear Threat

Posted in analysis, counterterrorism, covert, delisting, democracy, diplomacy, dissident, european union, foreign policy, global, haaretz, intelligence, international relations, iran, iran policy committee, israel, media, MEK, middle east, military, NCRI, negotiation, nuclear, obama, paris, peace, PMOI, policy, politics, preemptive, rajavi, regime change, sanctions, sheehan, state department, strike, tanter, terrorism, threat, war on March 21, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

Professor Raymond Tanter, former Senior Member of the National Security Council, addresses President Obama’s visit to Israel, the Iranian nuclear threat, and the potential for regime in Tehran from within on France24 in Paris – March 20, 2013.

Read recent commentaries by Drs. Ivan Sascha Sheehan and Raymond Tanter @:

Time to ‘Man Up’ on Iran – The Jerusalem Post – March 4, 2013

Clinton’s Diplomatic Missile Launched at Tehran – The Jerusalem Post – September 3, 2012

Now the Cards are on the Table – Haaretz – September 28, 2012