Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Iranian Revolution (Day Eleven)

Update (6/24/2009):Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twelve). End of Update:

The protests continued, but there did not appear to be as many people marching today. There are also conflicting reports on the boycott. Some are saying that most of the businesses were open, but others are saying that the real effect was that not many people were buying. I think it would also be hard to say how much the reduction in purchases was from a boycott and how much was from people barricading themselves in their homes.

Speaking of unbelievably brave protesters (from http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/06/raw-courage-blind-man-joins-protests-in.html)




Some Clerics joined in.



Revolutionary Guard General Ali Fazli was arrested after refusing to follow Khamenei's order to use force on the protesters (http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/20090622/revolutionary-guards-iran-iranian-protests.htm [hat tip to Berman Post reader/commenter Chaya]). If this is indication of a real split in the military, this could be excellent news for the protesters.

The Guardian Council has completely ruled out the possibility that the election results as currently stated would be nullified (http://presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=98794§ionid=351020101 and http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090623/D990BTT81.html).

Mousavi is reportedly being watched 24 hours a day by secret police and is no longer able to speak freely (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/mousavi-under-24hour-guard-1715548.html).

Was Mousavi the Butcher of Beirut (http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/spytalk/2009/06/mousavi-celebrated-in-iranian.html)? It would seem not to matter much right now to the protest/revolution movement.

Government forces raided a gathering of protest organizers and made numerous arrests (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20090623/tpl-uk-iran-election-arrests-sb-43a8d4f_1.html).

Ahmadinejad may have been caught on tape conspiring with the clerics to rig the election (http://hotair.com/archives/2009/06/23/caught-on-tape-ahmadinejad-and-clerics-conspire-to-eliminate-iranian-democracy).

Families of the fallen protesters are being forced to pay a "bullet fee" to get the bodies back. The free is roughly equivalent to $3,000 (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124571865270639351.html); "Upon learning of his son's death, the elder Mr. Alipour was told the family had to pay an equivalent of $3,000 as a "bullet fee"—a fee for the bullet used by security forces—before taking the body back, relatives said.

Mr. Alipour told officials that his entire possessions wouldn't amount to $3,000, arguing they should waive the fee because he is a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war. According to relatives, morgue officials finally agreed, but demanded that the family do no funeral or burial in Tehran. Kaveh Alipour's body was quietly transported to the city of Rasht, where there is family.
"

Government officials are trying to pin the blame for Neda's death on the protesters (http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/06/23/world/worldwatch/entry5106343.shtml);"And now, the Iranian government is apparently claiming that rioters were responsible for Ms. [Neda] Agha-Soltan’s death. The government-run Islamic Republic of Iran News Network (IRINN) reported that a “reliable source” confirmed after examining the bullet and the way Ms. Agha-Soltan was shot that rioters were responsible for her death, and that a number of people had been arrested in connection with her death.". I have not seen a single picture or video that shows any of the protesters holding a gun, but why let a minor inconstancy like that stop the government from attempted blame shifting. They are also blaming the West (http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-06-22/how-neda-divided-my-family/full), but that is nothing new (http://www.slate.com/id/2221020).

Those Iranian courts being set up to 'deal' with the protesters are designed to 'teach them a lesson' (http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE55F54520090623?sp=true).

The Iran government condemns UN chief Ban Ki-moon for 'meddling' (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20090623/twl-iran-condemns-un-chief-for-meddling-3cd7efd.html).

Some of the Iranian Soccer (Football for European readers) players who had green wrist bands on to show solidarity with the protesters were 'retired' by the government (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/23/iran-football-protest-ban).

Now some of Obama's advisers are giving Obama credit for this revolution, specifically tracing it to his speech in Cairo (Berman Post: Obama Speaks in Cairo (Egypt)) (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/22/AR2009062203026.html?hpid=topnews) ""We're trying to promote a foreign policy that advances our interests, not that makes us feel good about ourselves," said a senior administration official who, like others, declined to be identified, citing the sensitivity of the issue.

Obama's approach to Iran, including his assertion that the unrest there represents a debate among Iranians unrelated to the United States, is an acknowledgment that a U.S. president's words have a limited ability to alter foreign events in real time and could do more harm than good. But privately Obama advisers are crediting his Cairo speech for inspiring the protesters, especially the young ones, who are now posing the most direct challenge to the republic's Islamic authority in its 30-year history.

One senior administration official with experience in the Middle East said, "There clearly is in the region a sense of new possibilities," adding that "I was struck in the aftermath of the president's speech that there was a connection. It was very sweeping in terms of its reach."
". Some thoughts on that over at http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YzMxMThjZjgzNDg3OWM2NjE0MDdjMDM2NDU4MjVjMTA= and http://ace.mu.nu/archives/288918.php. I think this is more of a vindication of Bush's policies then anything Obama said in his speech.

John Avlon on five ways Obama can reach the protesters (http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-06-22/obamas-youtube-diplomacy/full).

Obama has issued a new, stronger statement, on the situation in Iran. The White House Twitter account (http://twitter.com/WhiteHouse) tweeted (http://twitter.com/whitehouse/status/2299818678) "President Obama's Remarks on Iran at his Press Conference, with Persian Translation: http://bit.ly/p9A4K #iranelection" and then in Farsi (http://twitter.com/whitehouse/status/2300344424). The link brings you to http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/The-Presidents-Opening-Remarks-on-Iran-with-Persian-Translation which has a video of his statement (embedded below) as well as transcripts in both English and Farsi.



He then answered some questions at least one of which was an apparent plant (http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/0609/Obama_calls_on_HuffPost_for_Iran_question.html).



Fox New's Major Garrett asked Obama "what took so long". He then asks if the Fourth of July embassy 'cookout' with the Iranian diplomats is still on.

Video embedded below. (from http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/06/unreal-even-as-iranian-regime-continues.html)

)

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/06/23/video-obamas-testy-press-conference has a trimmed video of the press conference that focuses on the highlights. You can stop just before two minutes if you only care about his comments regarding Iran.



How the protesters got the video of Neda dieing and other unsanctioned transmissions to the free world using the web (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/world/middleeast/23censor.html?_r=1&hp).

Another website set up to help Twitter users show their support for the Iranian protesters can be found at http://helpiranelection.com.

If you want to join in the Cyberwar to help the protesters, head to http://www.catb.org/esr/nedanet for information on how.

Past related posts:
Berman Post: Iranian Election Viewed as Rigged
Berman Post: Iranian Election Fraud Protest (NYC)
Berman Post: Iranian Riots Continue
Berman Post: Iranian Election Fraud Riots (Day Three)
Berman Post: Iranian Election Fraud Riots (Day Four)
Berman Post: Iranian Election Fraud Protest at Union Square (NYC)
Berman Post: Iranian Election Fraud Riots (Day Five)
Berman Post: Iranian Election Fraud Riots (Day Six)
Berman Post: Prayer Vigil For The Fallen Iranian Protesters (NYC)
Berman Post: Iranian Election Fraud Riots (Day Seven)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Eight)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Nine)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Ten)

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