Iranians may be ready to vote Ahmadinejad out of power

Analysts on both sides of the political spectrum seem to be in agreement that getting too involved would be unhelpful to the situation - especially at this point where no one really understands what's going on.

That said, Obama is scheduled to speak 5pm Eastern and will include some stuff on the Iran situation. Not sure exactly what he'll say yet.

 

Shah was just as offensive to a good chunk of Iranian society as the Mullahs are to a sector of Iranian society today. As another poster said, the problem with Iranians seems to be that they like swinging from one extreme to the next, and that can never be a recipe for building a stable, prosperous nation. Perhaps steady progress is preferable.

The Islamic Revolution of 1979 was a true grassroots movement, supported by a majority of Iranians. Compared to the Shah's rule, he never had that sort of legitimacy or widespread support among his people. He was a true elitist and he was eventually replaced by a populist movement (the Islamic Revolution). The irony is that now, the Mullahs have become the elitists, which is precisely why Ahmedinejad became popular and won an upset election first time around, because he was critical of those elitist clerics whom had become disconnected from the masses, and he positioned himself as a common man who rose up the ranks with hard, honest work (which is true).

In yet another twist of irony, Ahmedinejad was supposed to be the proof that a common Iranian could lead the nation, he was the equivalent of a leftist populist leader rising to power in Latin America. The only problem is he is a far right guy who does not mend words and has an intense hatred of Israel. He is basically an Iranian Chavez.

 

Reza Pahlavi (former Crown Prince and son of former Shah) is on CNN right now. Always funny watching the son of a former strong hand dictator denouncing the current regime for electoral fraud. I doubt he would have had any elections had he succeeded his father to the throne.

 

That's OK it wasn't material to that thread.

It might have the opposite effect and lead to a counter reaction by Iranian society since they will then see Obama's words as interference in Iranian politics.

 

Rising from common roots and being extremely right wing and anti-progressive isn't mutually exclusive.

 

The photos of wounds from beatings are now being replaced by gunshot wounds. Apparently the Basij militas decided to bring guns today. Very sad. Don't watch unless you have a strong stomach, thought I think the scope of wounds from some of the beatings were actually more graphic.


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what did he say?

 

He encouraged the people that put so much into the election, and talked about people around the world were inspired by what the people of Iran was doing. He gave them the encouragement to know that no matter what the final outcome is, they have inspired people all over the world.

 

This is a shame. I hope no more violence comes.

 

5pm ET Link?

 

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he expressed stronger outrage over the murder of george tiller.

deeply troubled am I.

 

I haven’t read the rest of this thread yet, but with respect to this speech once again Obama hit all of the right notes. I’m sure that many, many, people around the world were holding their breath and wondering whether the US would try to exploit this situation for its own purposes like it did in Iraq, but Obama quickly addressed those concerns off the top and then addressed the situation Iran in a very compassionate and appropriate manner. Obama is consistently and progressively rebuilding the US’s reputation and as a moral actor on the world stage.

 

Shocking.

 

According to Der Spiegel, 5000 Lebanese (presumably Hizbullah) fighters brought in to rough up Iranians more forcefully than the normal Iranian police would. There are tons of first hand tweets of riot police speaking Farsi with a 'thick Arabic accent' that would seem to back this up.

I have to think that it must be incredibly offensive to the sensibilities of the average Iranian to have the government bus in Arabs to beat up their own countrymen. If true, I imagine that it will leave a stink that will be hard to wash away.

 

I posted this exact thought earlier in the thread. Someone then said these were not Lebanese Hezbollah.

 

Amongst Iranians, the word Hezbollah simply means very religious people, almost to the level of extremists. These people are usually looked down upon and hated by the general public. I lived in Iran until I was 12 and that is what my understanding of the word Hezbollah means, atleast.

But they are indeed Iranians. Albeit they might be Iraninas with extreme teachings of Arabic and Muslim backgrounds.

So if an Iranian says they are being attacked by Hezbollah, he or she might mean Iranian Hezbollah, not Lebonese.

 

Except the report in Der Spiegel is that they are Lebanese (not specifically Hizbullah).

 

Maybe we have a seed for a real coup?

1. Dismissal of Khamenei for not being a fair leader
2. Dismissal of Ahmadinejad for his illegal acts
3. Temporary appointment of Ayatollah Montazeri as the Supreme Leader
4. Recognition of Mousavi as the President
5. Forming the Cabinet by Mousavi to prepare for revising the Constitution
6. unconditional and immediate release of all political prisoners
7. Dissolution of all organs of repression, public or secret.

 

I'm mc mark and I approve this message! but is coup the right word?