Despite being a strong supporter of Israel, at least Kenneth R. Timmerman antagonizes MKO’s seizing the power in Iran, indicating that the group is not at all a pro-democratic activist as it advertises. A journalist, policy advocate, and activist, R. Timmerman directs the Foundation for Democracy in Iran, which he founded in 1995 with two other neoconservatives, Joshua Muravchik and Peter Rodman. The National Endowment for Democracy provided the initial funding to the group.
Strongly denouncing the recommendation of the Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group that the United States should engage in direct talks with Syria and Iran, Timmerman praises the Bush administration’s increased commitment to Iran regime change through support of dissidents inside and outside of Iran and believes that the United States must devote serious assets to helping pro-democracy forces to help the regime change. Seeing that the administration still has no plan of how to do it, Timmerman has recently proposed a new plan released in Front Page Magazine on January 18. He states:
I believe the United States should be prepared to commit a minimum of $300 million over an initial six month period if we are to have any hope of a successful outcome.
The very first step must be the appointment by the President of a Special Envoy for Iran, with full presidential authority to convene a loyal type meeting of several hundred prominent Iranian leaders. The majority of those able to attend such a meeting will of necessity come from the diaspora; some will come secretly from the inside.
In his drafting a detailed game plane, he suggests organizing massive non-violent protests against the current Iranian rule in Tehran. But he does not throw caution into the wind to warn about MKO’s potential exploitation of opportunities. He also draws the strategy for “preventing the Islamic-Marxist Mujahedin Khalq from exploiting the situation and seizing power in a putsch’.
Mr. Timmerman’s strategy for establishing democracy through a regime change plan in Iran utilizing the Iranian themselves does not, however, mean that he and his colleagues are really concerned about Iranian people but that it is the easiest and most sensible strategy to avoid confrontation while ensuring the best results for the US.
Supporting regime change by Iranians, while containing Syria, not only makes the best strategic sense for America, it is the right thing to do.
Mojahedin.ws -Sattar Orangi -January 21, 2007