2nd BUMP: Here is the 1st BUMP -- Freedom for Iran thread on the Insurrection covering (linking to) matters since Monday's The Weekly Item here at CompHyp. I linked to several more recent items of interest *in the Comments* of The Weekly Item.
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Here is the RFL/RL report on Khamenei speaking at Friday Prayers. That report notes sources saying the next big Opposition rallies will come on Saturday the 20th.
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Update, June 20th (early)
Oh, this is looking like someone(s) is (are) playing with the various international media outlets...
State TV in Iran says the Militant Clerics Assembly has cancelled the rally the Oppos planned for this afternoon.
The Party of Mehdi Karoubi has announced that their rally is cancelled "Because permission was not obtained...". That's a good laugh because *none* of the recent Oppos rallies have received permission, even when they bothered to ask.
A Situation Summary, as of now from RFE/RL Radio Farda.
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Yup, someone *is* playing the major media for fools.
From Twitter at Raye Man Kojast?, as of now Today's Rally IS NOT CANCELLED.
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The fight is well and truly on, now. See referenced sources like RFE/RL Radio Farda, NIAC's niacINsight and Raye Man Kojast? for information from inside Iran.
For a summary based on insider reports, here is the BBC overview item on today's protests.
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UPDATE: June 21st, early morning ('blog time)
It has been a long night after the fighting yesterday. Even State TV in Iran is owning up to 13 protesters killed. Anecdotal sources put the number much higher.
Reports from sources (cited above):
The night itself has been filled will the shouts of protesters against the regime, and the sounds of Basij militiamen smashing into homes and hospitals to fall upon those identified as protesters.
The Majles-e-Khobregan (Assembly of Experts) has announced their full support of A. Khamenei as Supreme Leader. That strengthens the regime, but only to a point; it also introduces a real sense that for the Opposition to win, they will need to bring down the entire machinery of the regime.
*note: other sources are commenting that the letter of support was only signed by the Deputy Leader of the Assembly, who is an Ahmadinejad partisan. If anyone has a complete translation to hand, please link to it in comments. Thank you.
There are calls happening for a Strike to close the bazaars. If this is a precursor to a General Strike, insurrection is spreading.
Let us see what Sunday brings in the way of a continued uprising and the fight for Freedom in Iran.
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For those readers finding it a bit hard to keep track of all the players without a scorecard, Mr. Bill sends over *this link* which includes a substantial backgrounder on the organs of governance in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and it includes some summaries of statements and declarations by the regime and the Oppos during these days of crisis.
Thank you, Bill.
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Again, from Mr. Bill:
One other thing you may have come across in your Iran coverage is mention of a video about "Neda", a 20-something Iranian woman who'd been shot in the chest just before the phone-cam video starts, and her rather bloody death.I have seen it. I'm posting it here as sent because I agree it should be seen in as many places as possible.
I know you've seen death close up, but most of the rest of us haven't, and this short and very disturbing clip is quickly gaining a LOT of notoriety and significance.
If you haven't seen it, here's a link: Neda
Besides being a name, I am told neda means "voice" in Farsi (Parsi). May she never be silenced. Thank you again, Bill.
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This space reserved for further updates.
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22 comments:
I am watching the police and protestors clashing in Tehran--- wow! It sure has escalated-- the police force is becoming violent--
Mousavi is telling his supporters to go on strike if he is arrested-
Krauthammer is saying Mousavi borders between Gorbachev and Yeltsin--
Where is that Glib the Gibbs to make his "uh" statements?
Never mind-- the White House just released a statement-- pretty weak-
@Susan
Aye, well.
Keep watching the in-country sources, and let the American leadership be what they will be.
I'd assert that your hopes should be with the forces of freedom on the ground in Iran right now.
Fox is running this non-stop-- Tumult in Tehran--
and yes, my hopes are for the people's freedom but I hear conflicting stories about Mousavi--
what say you about Mousavi?
@Susan
re: M.H. Mousavi -- there are some signs that the old man is not the same as he was back in Khomeini's revolution... he might have changed his spots... maybe...
BUT: The key thing now is to recognize that this Insurrection is *not* about Mousavi; it is an anti-regime outburst of amazing vitality that has grown beyond merely questioning the election results... the masses now question the very core of the regime.
One interesting thing to watch for as (if) this grows into a full-on revolution: Who will get out in front of the masses and make it look like a parade? It may not be any of the faces we've seen in public yet.
In broad strokes, all I've read about Mousavi is that he is not Ahmadinejad in that he's not in the Supreme Leader's pocket. Other than that, just because he's not Ahmadinejad doesn't mean he's a buddy to the USofA.
Also, I know that a lot of more hawkish/conservative sites have been calling the White House response weak -- but I like the idea of an Iranian revolution and/or regime change without our "help". I think, in the long run, it'll be easier to work with a government that doesn't have fundamental, from-the-start reasons to distrust us. And, if you disagree with that statement, please, please point out any three US-backed regime changes ANYWHERE in the world that worked out well for us in the long run.
@Mr. Bill
Agreed, and mostly agreed...
(although if you let me pick regime-changes by force of arms, I've got more than your requested three examples of long-run success, *but* that's neither here nor there in this case)
I'd call for support of the people of Iran, and *if* a revolutionary movement does emerge that is favorable in terms of liberal-democracy, then as was done with the Eastern European revolutions against communist regimes there are ways that help can be offered.
But I am with you all the way on the basis that the Iranian people free themselves. The means to do so is my only concern.
And, if you disagree with that statement, please, please point out any three US-backed regime changes ANYWHERE in the world that worked out well for us in the long run.
Sure, including force of arms, that's easy -- WW1 & WW2 Germany, WW2 Japan. No, I was thinking more along the lines of countries with which neither we nor our allies were at war.
Mr. Bill--
I THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH for posting the link--The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran...
because I was just going to ask LDG to give me a quick run on how the gov't works there-- as I was wondering where the President stands as to the Supreme leader-- and yes-- I live in a cave~ I definitley became informed---
and now I know who Montazeri is-- He is one of the good guys~
and yours and Mr. Bill's discussions are always so good--
the ex-President's daughter being arrested? How much will this play into politics now?
so given what Mr. Bill posted on the link in reference to the structure, it does not matter if Mousavi wins because the real power is not behind him?
@Susan
re: daughter arrested
Ali A. H. Rafsanjani's daughter and 4(?) associates are reported to have been picked up while at a rally yesterday. The stock answer is that they were caught in a sweep. The IMO *more likely* answer is that they are hostages taken to try to keep the old man on the political sidelines.
re: "...it does not matter if Mousavi wins because..."
That used to be true. Events have clerly overrun that by now. The protests are not so much against the election fraud, but against *the regime*. The election fraud is seen as the proverbial one-too-many-straws-on-the-camel, but the protesters are chanting "Death to the Dictator" now.
yes-- I am aware the protesting is much to do with the regime-- and like you said- the straw which broke the camel's back....
But how is Iran's gov't going to be different if the protestors prevail?
Doesn't the present Supreme Leader and the Council et al need to be changed?
@Susan
"Doesn't the present Supreme Leader and the Council et al need to be changed?"
Changed? "Hanged" comes to mind. This all *could* go the way of the Romanian Revolution of 1989, for example.
OMG-- YOU ARE SO FUNNY-- HANGED!!!!!!!!!!HEHEHEHEH--- With hemp rope!
but yes-- they ALL should have the rope around their necks--
I need to look up the Romanian Revolution of 1989---and this is where I will pick up after I run various errands-- which need to be done--
rest well--
@Susan
"...rope around their necks--"
I'll settle for out of power and facing public tribunals for 30 years of abuses of power... although the would be grounds for other countries to want a piece of some of them as well.
Luck on your studies later. Thanks for coming in with questions today!
@Mr. Bill
I guess I'll field your "three non-wartime regime changes", as no one else jumped on it.
No slight intended, but that's a sort of 'trick question'. The very fact that a covert regime change becomes identifiably an "(insert spy agency name) plot" delegitimizes the resulting new regime, which basically guarantees that in the long-run no good will likely come of it.
There have been a number of cases where outside political support either kept alive an underground against a totalitarian regime or aided the pace at which an opposition force replaced their own country's government. There are more where cutting off aid to the autocrats hastened their fall to domestic rivals.
By your measure, if I follow your point though, those don't count.
How's that for a try?
read a bit about the Romaninan Revolution--
December 1989 that overthrew the Government of Nicolae Ceauşescu.
Now I am quickly reading about this evil man--
oops-- spelling-- Romanian
I wasn't going to jump at the trick question-- first-- not knowing does not help!
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