Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Seven)

Update (8/9/2009):Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Eight). End of Update:

An employee of the British embassy in Iran is being tried as a spy. The British, backed up by the Europeans, have expressed outrage and condemned what they refer to as the unjustified action; "Britain condemned the trial of an Iranian employee of its Tehran embassy on spying charges on Saturday, calling it an "outrage" and saying it breached past assurances from senior Iranian officials." (http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL8600138).

The 'Mass Trials' resume for the hundreds of captured protesters; "Iran's opposition and rights groups have condemned the trial as a sham and say such confessions are coerced and scripted. Britain, which seemed caught off guard by the appearance of its embassy employee, called it an outrage, while France demanded the immediate release of its citizen.

Saturday's second hearing at Tehran's Revolutionary Court involved a new group of detainees and focused on testimony from the French academic and the two other foreign-linked defendants, demonstrating the government's resolve to taint Iran's pro-reform movement as a tool of foreign countries -- particularly Britain and the United States." (http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/08/08/world/AP-ML-Iran-Election.html).

Israel considered striking the Iranian nuclear facilities and asked the United States for a green light. The Obama administration ignored the request, and Israel decided against it. That is what is being reported, but I am skeptical. Given Obama's handling of Israel, there is no way they could of thought that he would give them the green light. Further, I do not think Israel would give the United States veto power over something it considered vital to national security. It is also unlikely Obama would just ignore the request for fear it may be misinterpreted as a go-ahead signal. Here is the story; "Kuwaiti paper quotes 'US diplomat in Jerusalem' as saying Israel asked Obama administration for green light to attack Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities during country's post-election riots. US reportedly ignored request, causing Israel to back down" (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3758622,00.html).

Evgeny Morozov opines on the effectiveness of Twitter in spreading Democracy and bringing down authoritative regimes at http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/08/06/think_again_twitter. Bottom line, good for forming flash mobs, but with the major downside of having an extensive trail the government can follow. I would add that being overlooked is the extremely important ability to spread information far and wide with ease even against a strong government crackdown.

Past related posts: (Label - Iranian Revolution (GR88))
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)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Eleven)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twelve)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirteen)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fourteen)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifteen)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Sixteen)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Seventeen)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Eighteen)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Nineteen)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-One)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Two)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Three)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Four)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Five)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Six)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Seven)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Eight)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Nine)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-One)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Two)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Three)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Four)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Five)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Six)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Seven)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Eight)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Nine)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-One)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Two)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Three)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Four)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Five)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Six)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Seven)
Berman Post: How Obama Should Have Handled The Iranian Protests
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Eight)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Nine)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-One)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Two)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Three)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Four)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Five)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Six)