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Iran
General Strike Set in Iran In Bid To Topple Mullahs
2003-04-24
EFL. From the NY Sun, so obviously I had to clean up the formatting.
Mark the date: July 9. That’s when opponents of the Iranian regime have called a general strike that they hope will expand to topple the government there and bring freedom and democracy to the Iranian people.
A "general strike", how French of you.
The strike is being organized by pro-freedom student groups to coincide with the fourth anniversary of the last student uprising in Iran that saw thousands of students take to the streets against the Islamic Republic’s ruling mullahs.
As I recall, the Mullaz had to import muscle from places like Gaza to put the earlier protests down.
The planned event — indeed, the Iranian freedom movement as a whole — could take on a new dimension now that Iran’s western neighbor, Iraq, is free from Saddam Hussein’s tyranny.
It will be interesting to see what happens. Setting a date relatively far in the future essentially dares the Iranian government to quell it in advance. Efforts to do so between now and July 9 will either demonstrate the power of the police state or serve to promote the event and make it all the more important.
Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah of Iran, has been in touch with student organizers and is lending his support to the event.
"This could be a major turning point. It is crucial for the world community to pick up on this," Mr. Pahlavi told The New York Sun. "The best way to invest in regime change in Iran is through the people of Iran themselves. It is so important at this stage to be supportive of the Iranian people and give them this moral solace that they’re not alone." Mr. Pahlavi told the Sun the mullahs’ "days are numbered" and that "Iranian society is picking up on these vibes..."
It'll take more than vibes to bring down a theocracy.
Yesterday, the French foreign minister, Dominique 'the weasel' de Villepin, arrived in Tehran for meetings with Iranian officials,including President Khatemi,and the chairman of the powerful Expediency Council, a former president of Iran, Hashemi Rafsanjani. The visit has angered Senator Sam Brownback, a Republican of Kansas who has championed the cause of freeing Iran. "The Iranian people are struggling for their freedom and yet, France continues to do business with this torturous regime" Mr. Brownback said yesterday. "Iran’s current regime is the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. I find it shameful that the French would claim to support a secure world, and then do business with a regime that is actively dedicated to destroying that security."
"It was only business, Mike..."
Protests are planned today in Iran against Mr. de Villepin, Ms. Zand-Bonazzi said. "Iranian university students and women are going to go out there and demonstrate in front of the French Embassy. We’re hoping it will be a huge turnout. The French have made dirty deals with the mullahs. Chirac is one of the best friends of Khatemi."
Maybe France will help restore Islamic pride by adopting Sharia around the same time Iran drops it.
Posted by:JAB

#8  "Any mass arrests or assaults of peaceful demonstrators before or on July 9 will be met with a MOAB on Qom." Or something to that effect.

I'd be inclined to say: "To those of you in Iran who seek to take back your country from YOUR tyrants, America is waiting for you to begin, and if you need us, we will be there."
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2003-04-24 15:51:51  

#7  They'll need practical support, B-a-R, not the words without meaning that came from Bush Sr.. Such as, "Any mass arrests or assaults of peaceful demonstrators before or on July 9 will be met with a MOAB on Qom." Or something to that effect. Or perhaps shipping a huge cache of Iraqi arms to the Iranian Students.
Posted by: Ptah   2003-04-24 13:50:08  

#6  In Iran, young people are calling American president Bush "the messiah" and wondering when he will invade Iran and free the people from the dictatorship of the Islamic clergy.

He doesn't even have to do that. All that needs to be done is for GWB to publicly proclaim American support to the people looking to toss the mullahs.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2003-04-24 12:35:03  

#5  I don't know if this is coordinating with us, but the more the mullahs are busy covering their own asses at home, the less they can muck around in Iraq. Defense by offense. Very nice even if coincidental.
Posted by: someone   2003-04-24 11:57:18  

#4  StrategyPage also discussed Iran today.

"April 24, 2003: In Iran, young people are calling American president Bush "the messiah" and wondering when he will invade Iran and free the people from the dictatorship of the Islamic clergy. Meanwhile, the Islamic radicals see the departure of Saddam's forces as an opportunity to spread Islamic rule into Iraq. Most Iraqi Shias apparently don't want an Islamic republic. But neither do most Iranians. Makes no difference. God wills it and things are likely to get ugly before they get any better."
Posted by: JAB   2003-04-24 11:50:22  

#3  BBC reports Iran has freed last of a group of Iranian Jews who were held as "spies".

More fruits of Operation Iraqi Freedom, IMHO.
Posted by: liberalhawk   2003-04-24 11:34:44  

#2  Where the scum are, there you'll find the French.
Posted by: someone   2003-04-24 10:21:57  

#1  Accidental double post. Sorry. Hopefully it can be de-duped.
Posted by: JAB   2003-04-24 10:17:45  

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