Iranians may be ready to vote Ahmadinejad out of power

Well, if we judge by Clinton and Bush standards, Obama should definitely be on vacation right about now. At least on a little retreat to Camp David or something, if not cringing near some imported horses.

 

The only thing that is timid and weak is your republican clone attack on Obama. It's pathetic.

 

From Sunday in Tehran...They start chanting, "Natarseen, natarseen, mah hameh baham hasteem"...which translates to "dont be afraid, dont be afraid, we are all together". Then, they start chanting "death to dictator".

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i love how the republicans are blasting obama for his 'weak stance'. it's like they just haven't learned a single. ****ing. thing. from the last 6 years in iraq and afghanistan.

 

I know, right? I consider myself pretty bi-partisan. Don't really align with either party, but this is f***ing stupefying.

 

What happens tomorrow?

 

Not to mention our awesome tough stance when Bush did his axis of evil speech that effectively ruined Khatami and set the reform movement back fo years.

Furthermore, George HW Bush made it a point to stay out of the affairs of collapsing Soviet countries, out of fear that the Soviet army might intervene military in Eastern Europe. I'm pretty sure that policy paid off.

 

I doubt any more major protest will occur, unless they can organize massive rallies like they had during the past week, but that seems unlikely. The protesters have done all they can to damage the regimes image in the eyes of the Iranian people. Its probably time the opposition starts organizing for strikes, similar to the ones that occurred during the Islamic Revolution, that would seriously pressure the regime into giving in. If engineers, oil workers, public workers and so on start striking, then it would be pretty good gauge of how much support the opposition really has. Ayatollah Montazeri has already called for 3 days of mourning, which is basically a call to strike, for those who have been killed.

 

I'm also curious as to what Rafsanjani is doing. Hes been quiet the whole time and seems to be playing his own game within the government but nothing has come out in terms of his activities.

 

Here's some unverified info:

http://www.juancole.com/2009/06/daughter-of-rafsanjani-arrested-death.html


The regime has arrested Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani, daughter of the former president, who spoke at a pro-Mousavi rally, along with 4 other members of that family. This step is typical of an old Iranian ruling technique, of keeping provincial tribal chieftains in check by keeping some of their children hostage at the royal court. It is widely suspected that Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a multi-billionaire who is well connected politically, is funding and aiding the reform movement's protests.

 

There has been reports that hes been in Qom trying to gain clerical support to act against Khamenei somehow. But who really knows, reliable information has been really hard to come by the last couple days, especially about the behind the scenes infighting between the political elite.

All that seems highly unlikely.

 

Kwame, your thoughts?

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=98711&sectionid=351020101


Iran's Guardian Council has suggested that the number of votes collected in 50 cities surpass the number of people eligible to cast ballot in those areas.

The council's Spokesman Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei, who was speaking on the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) Channel 2 on Sunday, made the remarks in response to complaints filed by Mohsen Rezaei -- a defeated candidate in the June 12 Presidential election.

"Statistics provided by Mohsen Rezaei in which he claims more than 100% of those eligible have cast their ballot in 170 cities are not accurate -- the incident has happened in only 50 cities," Kadkhodaei said.

The spokesman, however, said that although the vote tally affected by such an irregularity could be over 3 million and the council could at the request of the candidates re-count the affected ballot boxes, "it has yet to be determined whether the possible change in the tally is decisive in the election results," reported Khabaronline.

 

Can this info be found anywhere other than that website?




http://www2.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2009-06/20/content_8305811.htm

TV: Iran's 10% ballot boxes to be recounted

Tehran - Iran's Guardian Council is ready to recount up to 10 percent of the ballot boxes randomly in last week's presidential election, state television reported on Saturday.

"The Guardian Council is ready to recount randomly up to 10 percent of ballot boxes in last week's disputed presidential election," the council's spokesman Abbas Ali Kadkhodai was quoted as saying.

"The Guardian Council is not legally obliged," Kadkhodai said, "we will recount the votes in the presence of the three (defeated) candidates."

Whenever the examination and the recount is finished the council will announce its final decision, he added.

He also said that Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi still have time to express their opinions until Wednesday.

Only Iran's former Revolutionary Guards Chief Mohsen Rezaei attended a special meeting of the Guardians Council with presidential candidates on Saturday, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Iran's former Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi and former Parliament Speaker Mehdi Karroubi failed to attend the meeting without giving any reason.

The Spokesman of the Guardian Council Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei said on Wednesday that candidates of Iran's recent presidential election were invited to its upcoming meeting session which is to be held within the next few days.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has ordered Iran's Guardian Council, the top legislative body, to investigate the claims of "fraud" in the recent presidential

 

Can ANY info from Iran's "Guardian Council" or any other governmental body be verified? No. Note one iota because they have closed everyone off and have waged a monumental campaign to stifle all information. There is no evidence at all of a valid vote tally. There is no reason to believe anything the Iran government says. Their actions scream that they are trying really hard to hide something. They have closed ranks, circled the wagons and are telling the Iranian people and the outside world, "just believe us and take our word for it". If that's what you choose to do, fine. Most clear thinking people won't do that.

The evidence and backup that you and others are looking for isn't available because the government is choking the release of any information from anyone that isn't a government mouthpiece. It's a joke.

 

Press TV is the Iranian Government's official mouthpiece. To argue that it is biased against the government or is making up things against the government is absurd.

 

I wonder if Ahmadinejad will ever be able to show his face in public again. I imagine if he ever attempted to meet with a foreign leader, how much criticism he would be faced with. If anything comes out of these events, it is that Ahmadinejad's reputation is forever tarnished.

 

I am really concerned about the well being of my friends and family in Iran. I have a lot of relatives in Isfahan and in Tehran. This is really upsetting for me. I am losing my mind. Isfahan is the city that I was born with. I cannot imagine Isfahan's street that I know so well have turned into a killing zone.

 

One of my best friends is from Shiraz and said basically the same thing, its pretty horrible to think about.

 

I really wish we had a TV station in Iraq that was broadcasting FREE TV to Iranians....

DD

 

Guardian Council rejects claims of voter irregularity, state-run media says


The headline on cnn's homepage.