This is the most under-reported story in the US media right now. Large anti-government protests have been taking place in Iran for several nights now, and a huge one is planned for Sunday evening. Iran's Islamic leaders spell tough crackdown for anti-regime demos Iranian authorities carried out a tough crackdown on spiralling anti-regime protests, setting brutal vigilante groups loose against demonstrators and rounding up opposition dissidents blamed as being behind the four consecutive nights of protests. In the early hours of Saturday, hundreds of Basij volunteer militia, many wielding sticks and iron bars, were seen chasing and beating groups of demonstrators in the streets outside Tehran University campus, which have been the focal point of the increasingly vitriolic protests. Full story
"U.S. pressure on Iran, which Washington accuses of hiding a nuclear weapons program and harboring terrorists, may have further emboldened those who hope to see the regime toppled. " http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-2783380,00.html
The newspaper conservatives love to hate has had it at the top of their Int'l News section for the last 3-4 days.
All my sympathy goes out to the brave Iranian youth out on the streets of Teheran. I truely hope they will succeed! It´s going to be a hard time... domingo
Re: Re: Iranian demonstrations Oh yeah, that's probably because Martha Burk has been on vacation or something this past week.
To me, this demonstrates how, eventually, people will autonomously rise up against an oppressive state and force change from within. However, when this gradual process of internal revolution is substituted by a military overthrow effected by a foreign power, the movement loses its spontanaiety and cultural essence, and the whole situation becomes distorted. If you look at the examples of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and even China which is undergoing rapid liberalization of their economy and social institutions, it is clear that repressive states do eventually either collapse or find ways to provide their people greater liberties. And while it is good for the US to apply diplomatic pressure, it is not wise to threaten 'regime change' every time leaders arise that do not suit our interests.
Hey look, it's another multiple-page story with picture on this in the Times today. Funny innit how the paper that hates America and all that it stands for has been giving us the best in-depth coverage of pro-democracy protests in Iran this week?
1. The international news section has remained intact through all of this. 2. Do you think that they could get a Tehran bureau up, running, and well-versed in the situation in under two weeks?
Sure. Cause as they have demonstrated, they dont have to actually go there to claim that they are there...
One click for worldwide coverage: http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&edition=&q=Iran+reform+demonstrations&btnG=Search+News U. S. needs to be very careful. Although the continuing level of unrest can be seen as a relatively positive development with regards to pushing reform, any overt U. S. statements of support can poison the effort. Distrust of the U.S.'s motives trumps even distrust of the clerics' in the eyes of many Iranians, even pro-reform. As hard as it may be to do, our best policy option is to keep our mouths shut, hope for the best and redouble efforts at rebuilding Afghanistan and Iraq.
I'm interested as to why you pulled that particular quote out of the story. The article is about people wanting to be freed from a repressive regime, they could care less about whether the government has a nuclear program or not. Do you think it's more important that they are supported because their government is developing nuclear weapons or because we may be able to help them to some form of democratic government and enable them to have the rights that we in the "free" world (I use the term loosely) take for granted? Also, I'm quite surprised that a paper like the Guardian would have this in their article, in effect they're tacitly endorsing the American government's position on regime change in Iran. Anyhow, good luck to the protesters in Iran. I'm not against anyone's religion, if it makes you feel better when you get up in the morning that's fine by me, but to enforce it on everyone else in the country isn't on at all.
I'm all with iranian protester but I would also distribute them these documents. http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/ciairan.htm In the BBC site there are lots of e-mails coming from Iran. These 2 are the best IMHO. Protesters were shouting slogans but if we compare quantity and number of protesters with other demonstrations they do not have enough power to do something . I think elections in Iran are the first and last method to change things. Mary, Iran note - The majority of iranian voters are below 20 ys of age. Twenty-five years ago when I was in my 20s , we protested against the Shah and brought in these maniacs (religious leaders). Now the students are finishing the job and hopefully will finally bring democracy into our country. Please remember this struggle started in 1915 so we are very patient nation. Alex Far, Australia
Gee, maybe they thought it was an accurate description. Every once and awhile, The Guardian reports a bit of news in between its commentaries.
Maybe they do. However, seeing as they've been strongly against the war in pretty much every story, commentary and editorial they've published before, during and since the war, it's still a surprise.