Tens of thousands of Iranians took to the streets of Tehran Monday, defying a country-wide crackdown with protests against the hotly-disputed results of last week's hotly-disputed presidential election.
Posted on 06/15/2009 8:43:43 AM PDT by Scythian
Tens of thousands of Iranians took to the streets of Tehran Monday, defying a country-wide crackdown with protests against the hotly-disputed results of last week's hotly-disputed presidential election.
Chanting crowds, some wearing green campaign colors, greeted Mir Hossein Mousavi, the defeated candidate in Friday's election, as he slowly moved through the streets on the back of a car.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
It may not be pro western but the people have been simmering for years with an underground pro-democratic movement.
I pray that this is the birth of that movement finally coming out into the open.
The army has declared its neutrality in this.
It all depends upon who ends up in charge. There are a lot of factions there.
Isn’t it time for Obama to give another speech?
You are right. This revolution has momentum. They need to go for everything. Away with Khamenei. No half-a**ed deal.
There will no doubt be a transitional phase of old regime reformers like Musavi and Khatami. But they know that they depend on the will of the people. If they can’t deliver the opening up of the country, they will be dumped. If this rebellion against the radicals has indeed success, the people won’t accept next time an election with chosen candidates. The genie once out of the bottle won’t go back.
See my post above. This isn’t about Musavi. Musavi is only short-term. If they succeed (far from granted) in ousting Ahmadinejad, they will go after Khamenei. Musavi will have to respond to their will, and this means opening the country, improving the economy, relations with the outside and no wars.
The people protesting are tired of wars. Iran had the 8 year Iran-Iraq war and a Government depending on the support of these people won’t be able to continue the warmongering politics any longer.
What I am afraid of his a lame deal between Musavi and Khamenei. He may decide to dump Ahmadinejad but to save his ass. I hope the people won’t fall for lame compromises.
Uhm... No.
Obviously.
Mousavi is the “Kerensky”, a transitional figure.
So you think Ahmadinejad is just fine and won free and fairly? Sheesh!!!
The regular Army is the last hope for the rebels.
The pawns of Ahmadinejad and the mullahs are the Revolutionary Guards and various militias.
The normal Army consists of conscripts and has signaled that they will be for now neutral in this fight.
A coup by the Army against the Guards would be a good thing.
Exactly. This is a tremendous opportunity. Mousavi is far from ideal, but he isn't the destination. A succesful uprising against Ahmadinejad and the radicals will after a transitional phase result in an end of the islamic regime.
I chuckle a little when I see someone say "you wouldn't stand a chance against the government." Like hell we wouldn't.
The one thing the Persians/Iranians have historically been consistent about is putting their country first. In a way it’s an admirable quality notably lacking in so many of our own public figures. But whatever form the regime takes, it will be an Iranian regime. They won’t dance to any tune but their own. The whole notion that this revolution will somehow make them our BFFs, like Poland after the fall of the Soviet Union, is complete nonsense.
Mousavi as Kerensky? I forget...who was the guy who followed Kerensky? And the guy that followed him?
You are right, but a new government will have to respond to the will of THESE people (the protestors) this segment of society doesn’t want wars, but economic prosperity, social freedoms and an opening up to the world. Else they would root for nutjob. They want to join the world, a no longer be the pariah.
They won’t offer us any bases or send an ambassador to Israel at first. But they won’t be able to indulge in the terrorism and warmongering of the current gang in power.
I believe National Review had it right: So far, Obama has given the impression that he wants the dictatorship to stabilize itself so he can get back to the work of appeasing it
In a reverse way, of course. The point is that the break won’t be over night, but a transition as was often the case when regimes changed.
Oh I agree, it may turn out that Nutjob is just the "Devil You Know."
Since we don’t intefer there, let’s see where the chips fall.
This is an Iranian matter now.
The people apparently are ready to fight for their will.
It may turn out to be either good or unsatisficatory for them and/or us.
All we can do now is to hope and pray that good forces ultimately win. We will see what’s coming.
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