Letter to US Representative Tulsi Gabbard in Support of Bernie Sanders

March 7th, 2016

Dear U. S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard,

I just watched Chris Matthew interviewing you, around 6:30-6:45 pm tonight, Monday March 7th, on MSNBC, and you made the rest of my evening! Congratulations, and thank you!

Your response in supporting Senator Sanders' Presidential bid, and your critic of his opponent, former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton's hawkish policies of regime change was perfect. 

You rightly pointed to Sec. Clinton's disastrous wrong judgements in supporting the Iraq invasion, but most importantly in supporting the military occupation of that country. Toppling a criminal like Saddam Hussein is one thing, but occupying Iraq and humiliating its people is a different thing that resulted in creating the new monster called ISIS/ISIL/Daesh.. 

You rightly criticized the Secretary of State Clinton's policy of regime change in Libya, which resulted in a chaos and a heaven for Islamic militants, enabling those medieval sick minded terrorists to post on Youtube a horrendous ceremony of a serial beheading of Egyptian copts on the Lybia Mediterranean shores. You rightly criticized Clinton’s willingness to continue an aggressive warmongering policy in Syria. And you were able to marvelously articulate those tragic truths in a few short sentences.

As a member of the armed forces, you are well positioned to tell the truth on how such hawkish policies, wars,  and warmongering propaganda, are devastating for people in the US, and in the world. 

As a peace lover and peace researcher who also cares for our environment I needed to express my gratitude and appreciation for your positive stand with Bernie Sanders who also addresses climate change as a human priority. 

I wish Senator Sanders all the best in succeeding to preside on the destiny of the people of the United States in making their life better,  and I congratulate you again on your wisdom and your helping him, and on the perfect way you did articulate truths Americans very much need to know.  

Dear U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard,

This isn't the first time I've seen you on TV and witnessed, with admiration, your wise positions and the way you admirably convey them to the public.

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It is great to see officials who deeply care for ordinary people and for humanity, like President-to-be Sanders and yourself, working together; and I look forward and pray for your successes  in this election and its aftermath.

I am a Senior Iranian-Canadian professor at York University, a former US Wisconsin resident (until last year) who then worked firmly and passionately for Barack Obama’s election and re-election. 

I might later share with you a comment or two if I find it might be useful to Senator Sanders’ presidential campaign.

With much appreciation and affection,

Dr Shodja Eddin Ziaian

416-987-9158

647-454-0220

A THIRD TERM CLINTON PRESIDENCY?

CAN HILLARY CLINTON BE STOPPED?

Yesterday, Hillary Clinton crashed Bernie Sanders in South Carolina. Pools were showing her over 20% votes ahead of Sanders. Final results: she received 47% more vote than him ! 

Hillary Clinton’s triumph was accomplished thanks to her excellent performances in speeches, debates, magnificent clothing and hairdressing, her gigantic political machine, her lifetime experience in campaigning, but also for being twice duplicated in her campaign by her charming and seducing husband President Bill Clinton and her fresh politically engaged young daughter Chelsea Clinton. 

She was also helped by the 3 top Republican candidates’ scandals who started calling each other names, including ''lier'', making Clintons' labels of being dishonest and unethical look pale, or just forgotten. 

Hillary's huge victory in South Carolina was also helped by Sanders' quite weak campaign theme, as it was broadcast in the medias. Hillary Clinton's experience was put forward in contrast with Sanders' image of a ''protest'' guy who will not be able to deliver on his promises.

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I do not find it healthy for US democracy when, after the limit of two terms presidency has expired, a President's spouse runs for the highest post, particularly when they both form the same close and active team. It makes US looks like a 3rd world undeveloped country. These are themes that Sanders should have brought up. Unfortunately he has been shy in running a vigorous campaign against the Clintons, and has impoverished his campaign with his repetitive limited refrain: the need to fight Wall Street and to make pay the one tenth of 1% wealthiest people a fairer share of taxes.

No First Lady I know has had as much direct political interferences as had Hillary Clinton during her husband’s presidency. ‘’It's like you buy a pizza and get a second one free'', Bill Clinton responded then to those criticizing Hillary's irresponsible political interferences. 

Therefore, the 2008 and 2016 Clinton’s candidacy for US presidential elections looks to me like a candidacy for a 3rd term Clinton presidency. It goes against the Constitution of the United States. It also points to the US and the ''West''s decadence, put in the context of Islamic terrorism. Both Clinton and Bush dynasties have close and dubious relationship with the Saudi dynasty and the Emir of Qatar, in their anti-Iranian stands and their actions that practically benefits ISIS, Taliban, and Al-Qaeda.

Clinton’s main campaign themes against Sanders are: 1. Vote for me because I am a woman: vote for a first female US president. 2. Vote for me because I have more experience than Sanders and than any other candidate.

The first argument is obviously sexist.
The second argument is actually the main reason why we limit the presidency to two terms, whether in the US or in most other civilized developed countries. It is to prevent a president to be able to use her or his accumulated power for the argument of having more experience than other fresh candidates, to prevent for his or her re-election, the use and abuse of the political machine a president has created during two terms of presidency and that he or she has inherited.

It might not be too late to stop a Clintons’ 3rd term presidency of the United States, but it is certainly not in my hands to do so !

Shodja Eddin Ziaïan, February 28th.