Iran escalation: Rafsanjani’s daughter arrested; Update: Full speed ahead on negotiations, says Lugar; Update: Rafsanjani’s daughter released; Update: Clerics mulling replacing Khamenei with committee? Update: Guardian council admits there were more votes than voters
posted at 11:18 am on June 21, 2009 by Allahpundit
There’s a hot rumor going around on Twitter that Mousavi’s been arrested too but I can’t find anything online to back that up. Rafsanjani’s daughter has been detained, though, along with four other members of the family, although we should call that what it is and refer to it more properly as hostage-taking. Rafsanjani himself is widely thought to be rounding up clerical opposition to the regime; now he knows the price he’ll pay if he follows through.
Tehran itself is reportedly “eerily calm” today, and some of the Iranian Tweeters who have been updating constantly have gone conspicuously, ominously silent in the last few hours. Even so, the government’s kicking out BBC reporters in preparation for god knows what. It’s a testament to how peaceful the protesters have been so far that Iranian state TV is forced to run inane news coverage of Wimbledon instead of showcasing footage of Mousavi supporters behaving violently, although rare examples of people fighting back are trickling out online. You saw one of them late last night in that vid I posted of protesters supposedly igniting a Basij gas line; here’s another stirring clip posted this morning of the crowd facing down the Basij and chasing them off. Below that is footage of what purports to be protesters coping with that mysterious burning agent being dropped by Iranian helicopters. Looks like they’re reacting to regular old tear gas to me, but you be the judge. More updates to follow as news breaks, needless to say.
Update: Republican Dick Lugar predicts a “very brutal outcome” to the uprising — and says the U.S. should negotiate with the regime anyway. Way to cover Obama’s ass, Dick. He and The One are pals, incidentally; I wonder if he said this at his behest.
Update: Keep your eye on statements from Ali Larijani. He’s the former chief nuke negotiator and current head of Iran’s parliament. He’s also a favorite of Khamenei and a bitter enemy of Ahmadinejad, which puts him in an awkward position under the circumstances. NIAC reports that he accused the Guardian Council this morning of taking Ahmadinejad’s side, which could suggest that he’s tilting away from Khamenei and the regime and towards Mousavi. That’d be a significant defection, if so.
Update: The 4:20 update at the NYT’s grand round-up of today’s (non-)action in Tehran claims that Rafsanjani’s daughter has been released. I guess this was a shot across the bow from the regime at what awaits his family if he presses on with rallying clerical sentiment against them. Which, according to Al-Arabiya, is precisely what’s he doing:
The influential Rafsanjani, 57, heads two very powerful groups. The most important one is the Assembly of Experts, made up of senior clerics who can elect and dismiss the supreme leader. The second is the Expediency Council, a body that arbitrates disputes between parliament and the unelected Guardian Council, which can block legislation.
Members of the assembly are reportedly considering forming a collective ruling body and scrapping the model of Ayatollah Khomeini as a way out of the civil crisis that has engulfed Tehran in a series of protests,
The discussions have taken place in a series of secret meetings convened in the holy city of Qom and included Jawad al-Shahristani, the supreme representative of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who is the foremost Shiite leader in Iraq.
Update: An ABC reporter in Tehran is tweeting that all of Mousavi’s top aides have been arrested, although I don’t see that confirmed anywhere else. If it’s true, presumably they’ll be released shortly as part of the some sort of warning Rafsanjani’s daughter got. What’s undeniably true is that state media’s ramping up the rhetoric against him as a prelude to arresting the man himself if this drags on much longer.
In other news, The One is playing golf today. Yes, really.
Update: Mousavi’s allies tell ABC that more than 700 supporters have been detained this past week. Follow the link and see how many journalists are being locked up, too.
Update: No rigging here. Mind you, this comes off from Iran’s own state media.
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.
Blowback
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How do you say acorn in Persian?
profitsbeard on June 21, 2009 at 10:34 PM
Finally! American democracy comes to Iran!
29Victor on June 21, 2009 at 10:40 PM
I thought people were joking when they said O and Bi went golfing…wow, I mean wow. If NK and Iran dont warrant 24/7 attention, what does for this admin?
javamartini on June 21, 2009 at 10:43 PM
I’m not assuming it will actually happen. I am asserting that it can only happen under a proper democracy.
csdeven on June 21, 2009 at 11:09 PM
What happened there today? Most of the news I can find is talking about yesterday. Have all the twitters stopped? No more videos? That doesn’t sound good at all.
petunia on June 21, 2009 at 11:14 PM
And the Acorn Census will fix that too!
Pole-Cat on June 21, 2009 at 11:22 PM
On Father’s Day, no less.
Some family time, huh?
Or was it some Family time????????????
either orr on June 21, 2009 at 11:22 PM
I guess the fact that I am coming to realize is that the rest of world realizes that Obama is weak and many in the USA have not.
Obama represents all of us. He represents the policies of the United States and the eventual consequences of those policies.
It’s not of matter of temporary indecision as much as it is an ideology. That is the scary part.
His ideology prevents him from making the right decisions regardless of the outcome. I hate to bring up the Jimmy Carter analogy…..so I won’t.
Obama was right to avoid an outright condemnation of the Irianian hierarchy but his support for the rights of it’s citizens would have represented a “sanction” against the dictates of the Mullahs and empowered the people to succeed. He could have avoided a direct attack on the Iranian government and supported human rights.
He lost another chance to succeed and the world was watching him fail as they tested his resolve. Many in the US do not comprehend the scope of his inexperience. It’s astounding!
AnthonyK on June 21, 2009 at 11:22 PM
So is it over?
So many arrested, beaten, killed…..
Or is the calm in the eye of the storm?
Yakko77 on June 21, 2009 at 11:35 PM
Bo left in charge of Iran
http://thevimh.blogspot.com/2009/06/bo-knows-iran.html
agmartin on June 21, 2009 at 11:42 PM
Neither. The cycles of mourning for martyrs has just begun and since it runs for 40 days for each martyr and climaxes with confrontation and more martyrs, it is just beginning. This is the same choreography that took down the Shah in ’79. It took about a year, I believe. Rising and falling tides of violence predicated by regime induced deaths. It is a suppurating wound for now, but will eventually take down the present system, now that legitimacy has been lost.
a capella on June 21, 2009 at 11:57 PM
Hey everybody I missed what’s been going on cause of Dad’s day, but I’ve just been looking at some twitters pages and from just the ones I’ve seen, these people are prepared to die.
I assume they are real protestor twitter posts. They remind me of what civil war fighters wrote right before they went off into battle.
Their bravery is really something.
From what I’m reading, they won’t back don’t at all.
It’s interesting how some people (who support Obama) are so reluctant to support these people b/c they aren’t sure what kind of change the protestors are supporting.
Irony again rears it’s head.
I don’t know what the future hold for them, but G-D they are brave.
They mention wanting something like our constitution.
So, they couldn’t be that bad.
Said it before, I’ll say it again GOD LET THEM WIN.
B Man on June 22, 2009 at 12:12 AM
Their battle plan needs mourning cycles for martyrs, so yes, they are determined. It is a shame,..so many vibrant, lovely young people sacrificing themselves, but they have obviously decided it has to be done.
a capella on June 22, 2009 at 12:23 AM
Meanwhile, a few hundred kilometers to the west…
Several key phrases used here by Little Satan.
Limerick on June 22, 2009 at 12:26 AM
Iran’s Web Spying Aided By European telecommunications companies
TheBigOldDog on June 22, 2009 at 12:40 AM
European scum.
TheBigOldDog on June 22, 2009 at 12:41 AM
No clue here, but I could have sworn those dressed in black dudes roaming the streets looked just like the new, new Black Panthers in Philly! So, how do you say “Black Panther” in Farsi?
freeus on June 22, 2009 at 1:09 AM
میوهء تیرهء درختان بلوط = ACORN
سیاه پوست پلنگ = black panther
Google translate has included a Persian (Farsi) translator that is great for following news and twitter from Iran.
msmveritas on June 22, 2009 at 1:23 AM
I was wondering as I sit here bleary eyed and unable to sleep, is Obama sleeping well tonight after his glorious golf game?
Miss Molly on June 22, 2009 at 1:46 AM
Chavez urges ‘respect’ for Iran election outcome
Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:13:08 GMT
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/98720.htm?sectionid=351020704
Another Obama ally speaks up on Iran.
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 2:31 AM
Here are some people who don’t spin the weakness showed by Mr. Hope and Change as “smart power” like the liberal sheep that are supposed to care so much about Freedom and the rights of people around the world:
(via gatewaypundit)
Iranian Hero & Leading Activist Ahmad Batebi On Obama: “His Lack of Response Will Not Be Regarded Kindly” (Audio-Video)
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/06/iranian-hero-leading-activist-ahmad.html
Here is Batebi on Obama:
Wonder if we will see this quote in the NY Times or on CBS.
Got to be a little time in between getting ice cream and playing golf for the people of Iran to be heard.
Noted Iranian Activist Kianoosh Sanjari: “The People of Iran Will Not Forgive Obama For Siding With the Regime” (Audio-Video)
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/06/iranian-hero-human-rights-activist.html
To bad Obama and his mighty powers of saving the world bestowed on him by his followers and the press cannot join the people of Iran in calling this genocidal,terrorist supporting regime that has so much American blood on it’s hands out and condemn them for their atrocities.
But Obama does not want to offend the mullahs and pop the bubble of his fairy tale of negotiations stopping the Iranian regime in their quest for the new Caliphate.
Baxter Greene on June 22, 2009 at 3:05 AM
Beautiful.
http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy/trieste/italy-confirms-g8-trieste-invitation-iran
I wonder which Obama flunky will end up standing with the Iranian thug in the photo op?
Drip, drip, drip, I love it, that’s the sound of whatever credibility Obama had with the Iranian students going into the toilet.
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 3:31 AM
Thanks for the links. What are the chances these interviews make into the MSM? None. These Obama shills won’t want to spoil the damage control efforts after the disastrous implosion of Barry’s Iran policy.
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 3:44 AM
Byrd Calls Obama’s Czars Dangerous – threaten the Constitutional system of checks and balances
TheBigOldDog on June 22, 2009 at 3:46 AM
From the article you just posted about:
What events have happened in the past week in Iran or for that matter ever from this regime that show in any way what-so-ever that Iran is really going to help in stabilizing and furthering the Freedoms of the people in the region?
I thought the idea of sanctions was to “isolate” the terrorist supporting regime that is hell bent on building nuclear weapons and destroying Israel.
This is a strange way of “isolating” the Iranian regime.
Especially after the brutality and murder inflicted on their citizens just for demanding a fair election and exercising their rights that liberals used to care about.
Baxter Greene on June 22, 2009 at 3:47 AM
Thanks for your links also.
The invitation of Iran to the G8 meeting after this last week defies all logic.
The UN,Obama,and other nations are making it clear that Iran can kill whoever and as many people as it wants to further it’s radical Islamic goals as long as they pump money into the system.
That’s “hope and change” only a greedy political hack can believe in.
Looks like liberals are going to have to put away the “War is not the answer” bumper stickers and bring out the “War and fascism is change we can believe in”.
Baxter Greene on June 22, 2009 at 3:55 AM
Since Obama came to power the idea of containment and regime change no longer apply to Iran. He cut all covert and overt funding for regime change and has authorized an IMF bailout that will among other things reward the mullahs.
The problem with the Obama policy from the beginning was that it was focused on “engagement”, which essentially means suck up to the mullahs in the hopes that they will be nice from now on.
Obama was pursuing something called a “grand bargain” where they supposedly gave the mullahs all sorts of legitimacy and goodies in return for help with the nukes and terrorism.
The problem for Obama now is that Iranian regime has shown its true face yet again in a very dramatic fashion. His policy was predicated on his naive notion that his charisma and his vacuous words would persuade the mullahs to play nice. That policy collapsed very dramatically when the first Basij baton started cracking heads.
So now does Obama’s arrogance and ego trump US credibility and security. He’ll pay a really steep price here at home if he continues with “engagement”. His political capital will implode if he is een as turning his back on the students and lending legitimacy to a barbaric dictatorship.
To be honest, I think he’s arrogant enough to proceed. I don’t think he cares what it looks like. In fact, I for one hope he goes ahead with his failed Iran policy because it will damage him in a myriad of ways that will help cause his downfall.
From a policy perspective he’ll be throwing the Iranian regime a lifeline at the moment that they are on the ropes. Absolute idiocy.
Can you imagine the damage to Obama of a photo op of Obama and the mullahs shaking hands at some summit meeting? It’ll be awesome for those of us dedicated to destroying him politically.
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 4:23 AM
“Guardian council admits there were more votes than voters”
Why that sounds a great deal like -gasp- Detroit.
http://theblogprof.blogspot.com/2009/04/detroit-has-more-registered-voters-than.html
http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2009/4/7/75315/17485
tahDeetz
thaDeetz on June 22, 2009 at 4:23 AM
I just happened to see Michael Scherer and Gary Bentsen on Larry king live and they disagreed with each other about whether Obama was doing the right thing or not.
Scherer was pissed that Obama had said as much as he had said at all. He should keep his big mouth shut was what Scherer said.
He thought Obama was listening to “neo-cons” in his admin and that’s why his latest statement was so bad.
Bertsen was on and he said he wanted peaceful resolutions to it (yeah right).
Obama isn’t changing his statements b/c of neo-cons; he’s changing it because of criticism of his previous weak statements. And he’s going where the wind blows.
Whether or not Obama’s statements are good or bad, some Iraninans and Iraninan-americans think he’s doing the right thing by being soft.
But that’s a red herring. I think Obama is irrelevant right now. These protestors are too self-reliant to give a damn about him.
I think people in this country are focused too much on HIM and what he’s saying and not on what THEY are saying.
I haven’t seen one twitter posting screaming for Obama’s explicit support.
The twitter posts I have seen say to lay off of him.
I trust Iranians and Iranian americans more then anyone else on that point. The problem with them that I have is, do they realize Obama’s total desire to work and negotiate with the regime?
If they think his over all policy towards Iran is ok, then we got more problems.
His Iranian policy about negotiations died on Saturday.
He just didn’t realize it. Is he stupid? Apathetic?
I think he clearly has a soft spot for the regime. Why?
Well I’m not sure I wanna know.
I’d like to hear what Iranians and Iranian-americans think of his overall policy.
They can’t possibly agree with it.
B Man on June 22, 2009 at 4:48 AM
ميوهء تيرهء درختان بلوط )مازو(
Guess what this means…………
Persian(Farsi)
A سفيه, سبك مغز, ابله
N ادم احمق, احمق, نادان, ابله, لوده, دلقك, خر, خرفت
V خرفت كردن, گول زدن, فريب دادن, دست انداختن
Seven Percent Solution on June 22, 2009 at 4:55 AM
If true this is huge.
http://twitter.com/FREEIRANpro
http://twitter.com/shariatmadari
Fazli is the chief of the Seyyed al-Shohada Army of Tehran province. He runs the Basij and the IRGC in Tehran.
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 5:05 AM
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/printer_1485015.php
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 5:08 AM
LOL! Ruh Roh.
http://www.gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi_arabia/10324625.html
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 5:10 AM
I gotta tell you elduende, the Iraninan people are impressing the HELL outta me.
It always seemed to me that you had to poke and prod the IRaqi’s to do anything in their country.
I suppose it could have something to do with the uprising in ’91 (right year?) but still they never seemed to lift a finger to help their country untill 2007 came around.
These people are the opposite of that. It’s a good thing that they aren’t dependant on O.
It seems like the regime is very much losing control, all these arrests, commanders not following orders.
It all adds up to a regime losing power/control.
B Man on June 22, 2009 at 5:13 AM
What’s up B Man? Can you imagine what it must be like to live under the rule of these people? After all the abuses this little episode has finally broken the camels back.
The Mullah’s have lost legitimacy because the economy tanked, the ruling elite is corrupt, the media is corrupt, they continue to follow policies that no one wants and the voices of the people are ignored.
Sound familiar?
USA 2010?
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 5:21 AM
Well I think that it will be self-evident in time (don’t ask me for a specific date!) but this country will wake up.
I’m very sure of it. I believe in this country too much to not believe that.
I’ve always doubted the “people are stupid” argument that liberals have said around me. This Iranian uprising backs that up. These people are amazing.
I wasn’t sure bravery existed like this on this planet anymore.
When Khamenei was on last Friday most of what he said was “blabbering nonsense” (that was from a twitter blog) but the guy just seemed meant for Hell.
Have you read Longitudes and Attitudes by Tom Friedman?
Great book. I read that right after 9/11 to learn about the Middle East.
Iran is the hardest core country on Earth. If this turns out the way we hope, it’s miraculous.
Khamenei is going to do Friday prayers again. What could he possibly say to change this?
B Man on June 22, 2009 at 5:35 AM
I did read Longitudes and Attitudes. Friedman, although a lefty, is very perceptive about the mideast. He used to live there. If you want a further assessment of what the Mid east is really like read his earlier book “From Beirut to Jerusalem”. There’s a great chapter in there called “Hama Rules” about how the Syrian dictatorship dealt with a Salafist (Al Qaeda type) uprising. Needless to say there is no Hama anymore nor has there ever been a Salafist uprising in Syria again. This is how the mideast is ruled and why this Iran situation is just getting started.
The regime has used kid gloves in this up to this point. There are other shoes to drop in this yet.
Lets keep our fingers crossed for the collapse of the regime but not get ahead of ourselves yet.
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 5:48 AM
Yeah, I got that impression too.
B Man on June 22, 2009 at 5:51 AM
Only force will make them collapse. But the regime is brittle now and even if they loosen the Pasdaran to crush the dissidents they’ll be brittle. The shame is the imbecile Obama is going to throw them a lifeline with his arrogant policy. Obama needs to pay for his craven Iran policy.
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 5:53 AM
If this uprising fails, god help Obama.
Or maybe I should do a Wright and say G-D Obama.
B Man on June 22, 2009 at 5:57 AM
I don’t think he cares. If I were him I’d be doing everything possible to make sure they succeed but who knows? He’s going to pay a political price no matter what happens in Iran.
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 6:05 AM
If he doesn’t care, he’s certifiable.
B Man on June 22, 2009 at 6:11 AM
The President tells people exactly what they want to hear and that plays to his strength right now. Hopefully, people catch on before it is too late for us all.
yoda on June 22, 2009 at 7:12 AM
Not even the Shah for all his ruthlessness opened fire on his people…Iranians are going to rue the day they replaced a secular dictatorship with a religious one.
Where is Obama? Will he sit down and legitimize this brutal regime? Will he support the people of Iran instead of rewarding the regime? Will Obama’s arrogance and ego trump American values and security interests? Many of us already suspect what the answer to this is…pathetic imbecile of a man.
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 7:32 AM
Friedman has this weird fixation on the green movement and the fact that the Chinese have better wifi than we do. (How is Obama’s “nation building stimulus package” working out for you Friedman?) But his reporting on the Mideast is spot on.
Illinidiva on June 22, 2009 at 7:36 AM
I agree Friedman is fine for Mideast analysis he does not sugarcoat anything which is refreshing coming from a lefty.
He supported the Iraq war and then soured when Bush started fumbling it. He’s recently come out to support our efforts there again. Fair enough.
Not a fan of his other stuff like Lexus and the Olive tree which is kinda mushy and since September 2008 proven horribly wrong.
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 7:51 AM
Great post and sums up the idiocy of “smart power” quite well.
Baxter Greene on June 22, 2009 at 7:52 AM
You know dam# well that Riyadh and the Saudi leadership will let Israel use their airspace.They don’t want Iran gaining power and influence in the area anymore than Israel does.
History has produced many strange bedfellows when it comes to self preservation.
Baxter Greene on June 22, 2009 at 7:59 AM
No, he’s too busy circumventing the Constitution of the US by creating a supreme council of unelected and unvetted “czars” to rubber stamp his every edict. He has taken steps to nationalize the auto and finanicial services industry and now he is out to take over control of the health care industry. He seeks alliances with the terrorist regimes of Iran and North Korea.
Face it. Obama is Kim Jung Il with a better haircut.
highhopes on June 22, 2009 at 8:06 AM
Iran isn’t about Obama so, of course the narcissitic bastard doesn’t care. His only priority is to get that meeting with the dictatorship underway so the photo-op IS all about him.
As to paying a political price- not a chance. The MSM have been propping him up on this one from the beginning.
highhopes on June 22, 2009 at 8:09 AM
Thanks Baxter. Obama’s policy is going to be more disastrous than Carter’s. Carter operated in a bipolar world where our competition with the Soviets, in a perverse way, had a set number of rules and constraints that ultimately preserved global security in spite of his naive foreign policy.
Obama on the other hand is a nightmare. He does not seem to understand that for “soft power” to work you need 3 things an economy, a military, and the will to ruthlessly use both if soft power fails. In contrast, he’s doing everything he can to ensure that “soft power” fails, He’s gutting our economy, the foundation of our power, and our military, while pursuing a dangerously naive foreign policy. Nothing good will come of it. As we already see. which is why he’s gotta go.
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 8:10 AM
Yeah the Saudis in particular know that an Iranian bomb will end their little oil party for good. The other Arab governments also know that their survival is limited if the Iranians get a nuclear umbrella just like the Israelis. The Arabs will end up cooperating with the Israelis when the time comes. Tick tock.
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 8:18 AM
LOL!
No he’ll pay a steep price for this one. I recently saw a poll that said a sizable majority of Americans don’t want him talking to the mullahs until they “give up” their nuke program. He’s already going against public opinion with his strategy add to that what’s happened this past week and I can guarantee you he’ll pay big time. Trust me.
elduende on June 22, 2009 at 8:22 AM
Well unless he’s impeached after 2010, we have to go through 3 and a half more years of this.
B Man on June 22, 2009 at 8:27 AM
So let’s extropolate…only about 100 cities in the U.S.
New York
L.A.
Boston
Chicago
Pittsburgh
Phoenix
Dallas
Houston
Seattle
Salt Lake City
Knoxville
Twin Cities
you get the idea, the 50 “right” cities in Iran locks up the votes.
right2bright on June 22, 2009 at 8:30 AM
Follow up:
The largest 50 cities make close to half of the total Iranian population…about 35 million people
right2bright on June 22, 2009 at 8:37 AM
In 2000, Pat Cadell, a Democrat pollster on MS-NBC pointed out that in certain Florida counties that Democrats were wanting to have recounted, the number of votes counted + undercounts (no presidential vote recorded) + overcounts (2 or more presidential votes recorded & thus the votes thrown out) was larger than the number of ballots cast. Seems like the Democrats have given pointers to the Iranian regime. No wonder Dear Leader doesn’t want to criticize them.
rbj on June 22, 2009 at 8:37 AM
Remember this?
csdeven on June 22, 2009 at 8:39 AM
Has anyone else read this from the Asia Times:
‘Color’ revolution fizzles in Iran ?
He says it’s basically over, even if there are more sporadic riots, mostly because everyone from the US to the Chinese and even the Israelis are too scared of the chaos resulting from regime change in Iran to support the protestors. We’re going to leave them twisting in the wind.
Sucks, I hope he’s wrong but what do I know?
Fortunata on June 22, 2009 at 8:42 AM
It seems fairly unorganized, but there’s nothing out of Qom from Rasfanjani yet.
Illinidiva on June 22, 2009 at 8:51 AM
Idiocracy.
Coronagold on June 22, 2009 at 9:23 AM
What’s next is apparently a strike. Or at least, they are attempting to get it organized.
AnninCA on June 22, 2009 at 10:48 AM
All of this will lead to no change. If there was any chance for any change it is past for now.President Obama doesn’t want change.
bigtexmex on June 22, 2009 at 10:53 AM
If that is true, then the iranians are much braver than us Americans who have evidently become a nation of fat zombie cowards glued to American Idol..
MaximusConfessor on June 22, 2009 at 11:25 AM
The natural gas lines of Basij headquarters was set on fire after the Brownshirts locked themselves inside. At the 5 second mark you can see the building explode, 5 were reportedly killed….
Akzed on June 22, 2009 at 11:26 AM
Obama is Carter redux. Carter was so involved in his Brzinski chess games and negotiating with Iran in order to secure his second term, that he was oblivious to facts on the ground, much to the horror of our allies. Thus, he let the Shah end his life in a pathetic Flying Dutchman trip, left our hostages until they could be used in an October surprise and dismantled our intelligence community, thinking he could oust any domestic opposition. He was so wrong. I hope it ends as badly for Oneterma.
alliebobbitt on June 22, 2009 at 11:34 AM
They made deals with Saddam for oil. They are just as lax with the Iranian mullahs and Russia.
alliebobbitt on June 22, 2009 at 11:46 AM
Really – you are blaming the Euros? ALL telecommunication companies help with spying – just see the American companies that work with China.
Stop being such a moralist when you cannot even look at your own backyard.
A Axe on June 22, 2009 at 11:55 AM
The Iranian version of Acorn?
DL13 on June 22, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Oh, that’s all, it was only 50 cities. Or was it 57 states?
Does anyone know what’s really happening in Iran?
Scrapping the Khomeini model would be great, but in favor of what? Is this paying lip-service to the protestors, while giving them a “new boss, same as the old boss”?
How about calling a REAL election, where candidates are selected by the people, not the mullahs? But that might be too good to be true in Iran right now. The situation is all so confusing, and Obama is asleep at the switch.
Steve Z on June 22, 2009 at 4:22 PM
Lugar’s a Republican? Why doesn’t he act like one?
Steve Z on June 22, 2009 at 4:25 PM
Also true.
Vashta.Nerada on June 22, 2009 at 4:27 PM
How do you translate ACORN in Farsi?
Sapwolf on June 22, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Talking about defication, how about Obama omniscience over how to handle Iran (at least from his greatest supporter Andrew “I will get you Trig Palin” Sullivan. Of course, Hitchens, in his usual brilliant style deals with that nonsense:
Becuase it really does not matter what you say if the other side is not acting in good faith. So why not say what you mean.
Mr. Joe on June 22, 2009 at 5:49 PM
The thread count was at 666 and I don’t like that so I’m posting this worthless message.
jmarcure on June 22, 2009 at 6:23 PM
I thought they spoke Austrian?
dthorny on June 22, 2009 at 7:10 PM
Redux indeed. The hostages were so screwed having Jimmie Carter in the WH. Carter was the last great apologist for America’s sins, and look how far it got him. The Iranians sucked up his self hating, and then gave him the punishment he implied he deserved. The longer they held the hostages, the greater triumph for the ayatollahs
When Carter asked everyone to ring church bells and honk horns for the hostages it pretty much guaranteed the hostages were going to be staying longer
Carter has made himself an international election certifier, but the one place he would never get an invite is Iran. They ought to give him a medal as a Founder of the republic
Obama is the newest America despiser but he is no Carter. Obama wants America replaced, not refaced. His problem is credibility.
He tells these dictators he is the face of a new America, but everyone knows he is outnumbered by the original America. That is why he gets a lot of talk and kisses but few deals with his revolutionary soul mates
He is weak and they know it
entagor on June 23, 2009 at 1:29 AM
The above comments (all from the same individual) are very representative of an age old antisemitic canard and lies. All can easily be refuted – if the idiot who is spreading them have bothered to read anything of value in his life. These exclamations are the type “reverend” Wright and Louis Farrakhan would be proud of, and the ignoramus and backward hick who has been repeating them from thread to thread belongs with the likes of those two. This judo-phobic crap has been said before, tried before and held against the Jews many, many times before. You have not invented it , but you are pretty good at parroting it , like any idiot would. You have to face that antisemitism that is sitting deep inside you first, before trying to comment on Israel and the Jews.
runner on June 23, 2009 at 10:35 AM
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