Free Republic

Called "arguably the greatest American in the 20th century," during his 95 years Norman Borlaug probably saved more lives than any other person. He is one of just six people to win the Nobel Peace Prize, the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And yet Dr. Borlaug, who died this past September, is scarcely known in his own country. Born in Iowa in 1914, Borlaug spent most of his life in impoverished nations inventing, improving and teaching the "Green Revolution." His idea was simple: Make developing countries self sufficient in food by teaching them how to use...

As simmering unrest continues to sweep Iran, the country’s opposition is casting about for possible endgames to the ongoing crisis. Frustrated presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi proposed a five-point reconciliation plan last week but the government appears unyielding. In the struggle currently gripping the streets of the Islamic Republic, an upcoming anniversary could prove significant. Jan. 16 marks 31 years since the Shah of Iran fled his country, effectively handing victory to the revolution led by Ayatollah Roohollah Khomeini. Green movement activists are hoping the date could once again be the tipping point, this time for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. And...

DALLAS – Agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug, the father of the "green revolution" who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in combating world hunger and saving hundreds of millions of lives, died Saturday in Texas, a Texas A&M University spokeswoman said. He was 95. . . . more at link

Now that all the obituaries have been written for the latest mass-uprising in Iran, it is time to revisit that continuing uprising. I was reading just yesterday a glib BBC report on how the mullahs had learned from the mistakes that cost the Shah his power in 1979. He was too lenient with the demonstrators of the day and let things, like mourning at funerals for the slain, get out of hand. The mullahs, we learn, have taken care not to repeat his mistakes, and have muffled the demonstrators through much more effective techniques, that maximize terror while minimizing fatalities....

Iran’s post presidential election protests are not evidence of a brewing revolution; rather they unmask a power struggle among the ayatollahs. The fracturing of the leadership has resulted in clear winners and losers internally and externally. Iranian authorities declared Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the incumbent, the winner in the June 12th election with 63 percent of the votes. But Ahmadinejad’s opposition alleged election fraud which triggered sweeping protests followed by a bare knuckled government response and a tepid investigation. Last week, Iranian authorities imposed order to “secure the rule of law” according to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The ayatollah unleashed the...

Obama said in his latest hem-hawing, foreign policy bloviating, what-the-hell-is-he-talkin’-about press conference that “we need to have a vigorous debate” regarding Iran’s current tyrannical Muslim-based governmental crushing of young people who desire a touch of freedom. We need to debate? “We” who, BHO? I’m guessin’ he is talking about American liberals and conservatives because—from what I can deduce from the YouTube vids—it appears as if the Iranian dissidents aren’t looking for lively banter with the death dealing, lying through coffee-stained teeth religious whack jobs who look like a group of angry, homeless Santa Clauses on crack. A debate, Mr. O?...

So, as it turns out, U.S. President Barack Obama is not "God" when it comes to dealing with the Islamic world after all. This, contrary to that gushingly inane description of him by Newsweek editor-at-large Evan Thomas, following Obama's June 4 speech in Cairo, seeking reconciliation with Muslims. Unfortunately, just eight days after giving that speech, Obama was confronted by Iran's deadly crushing of citizen protests over an election now widely seen both inside and outside Iran as hopelessly corrupt. This would be the same Iran Obama had just finished telling the world in Cairo he was prepared to work...

Iranian police clash with up to 3,000 protesters AP – In this photo taken on Monday, June 15, 2009, a woman passes Iranian police officers, as they stand guard … By WILLIAM J. KOLE, Associated Press Writer Witnesses in Iran say police have clashed with up to 3,000 protesters near a mosque in north Tehran. They say security forces fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, and some demonstrators fought back, chanting: "Where is my vote?" Witnesses at the scene tell The Associated Press that some protesters claimed they suffered broken arms or legs in Sunday's clashes around the Ghoba...

The Obama administration will leave open the door for discussions with Iran over its nuclear ambitions even as demonstrators question the legitimacy of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election, administration officials said Sunday. Ahmadinejad has accused the West of stoking unrest, singling out Britain and the United States for alleged meddling. Last week, Iran expelled two British diplomats, and Britain responded in kind. Iran, which detained nine British Embassy employees Saturday before releasing four, has said it's considering downgrading diplomatic ties with Britain. The U.S. has not had diplomatic relations with Tehran since the aftermath of the Iranian revolution in 1979. On...

TRIBUTE TO NEDA AND ALL BRAVE IRANIAN WOMEN Please watch this great video that represents the depths of the depravity of the tyranical Islamic rule that the people of Iran, and particularly its women, suffer under. The likes of Khamanei & Ahmadinejad need to suffer the same fate of Benito Mussolini & Nicolae CeauÅŸescu. We cannot forget, or give up on the freedom fighters in Iran. Please remember them, remind your representatives of them, and support them in any way you can. Please join us at: Americans on facebook for Iranian Liberty

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed Saturday to make the U.S. regret its criticism of Iran's postelection crackdown and said the "mask has been removed" from the Obama administration's efforts to improve relations. Ahmadinejad — with his internal opponents virtually silenced — all but dared Obama to keep calling for an end to repression of demonstrators who claim the hardline leader stole re-election through massive fraud. "You should know that if you continue the response of the Iranian nation will be strong," Ahmadinejad said in a speech to members of Iran's judiciary, which is directly controlled by the ruling clerics. "The response...

OBAMA TO IRAN: LET THEM EAT ICE CREAMJune 24, 2009 On Iran, President Obama is worse than Hamlet. He's Colin Powell, waiting to see who wins before picking a side. Last week, massive protests roiled Iran in response to an apparently fraudulent presidential election, in which nutcase Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner within two hours of the polls closing. (ACORN must be involved.) Obama responded by boldly declaring that the difference between the loon Ahmadinejad and his reformist challenger, Mir Hossein Mousavi, "may not be as great as advertised." Maybe the thousands of dissenters risking their lives protesting on...

This is an outstanding video interview of the man who tried to save Neda. It's about 19 minutes long but take the time to watch it.....one of the more shocking things to come out of it was that the crowd caught the gunman, and after taking his ID and picture let him go: [video at site] Meanwhile Threatswatch posted on the massacre in Baharestan Square yesterday by the Basij thugs, as told by a Iranian blogger: Bus loads of protesters were stopped and unloaded from their buses by "black-clad police" and literally herded. When the massing was sufficient, as the...

http://www.youtube.com/user/PNNVideo

<p>Late Sunday night and early Monday morning, some 300 police and members of the paramilitary Basij militia stormed the university’s dormitory, where students had protested against what millions of Iranians, along with most independent analysts, believe was a stolen election. Hardline incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the runaway winner, with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, describing his victory as a “divine assessment.”</p>

• Reports militia drafted in and paid to beat protesters • Ministers threaten to cut diplomatic ties with UK Bloody clashes broke out in Tehran today as Iran's supreme leader said he would not yield to pressure over the disputed election. The renewed confrontation took place in Baharestan Square, near parliament, where hundreds of protesters faced off against several thousand riot police and other security personnel. Witnesses likened the scene to a ­war zone, with helicopters hovering overhead, many arrests and the police beating demonstrators. One woman told CNN that hundreds of unidentified men armed with clubs had emerged from...

Just saw it on Fox News in a discussion about the role of camera pens in the Iran protests.

Just caught the nd of a phone interview on CNN.. A woman from Tehran was describing going to a protest today in front of Parlement, and the protesters were ambushed by Basiji streaming out of a masque, who bwgan massacring the protesters, beating them to death, shooting them..Still on now..the woman is crying as she begs us for help!

Is history repeating itself in Iran? Is the country replaying its 1979 revolution that ended 25 centuries of monarchy? With the current crisis showing no signs of abatement, these questions haunt many of those interested in Iran's future. At first glance, there are many similarities between the current revolt and the 1979 one. The first of these is the fact that the streets of Tehran and other major cities have become the principal arena for the power struggle. In 1979, a substantial segment of Iranian society had lost all faith in institutional politics. The parliament was discredited because it was...