Article

2005-11-18 Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Iran in turmoil as president's purge deepens

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Posted by Steve White 2005-11-18 00:15|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Mr Ahmadinejad, just keep thwacking that hornets nest... Just like the Shah.

I'll enjoy the video of you air dancing at the end of a rope from a lamp-post in Tehran, mullahs at your side.

Posted by Oldspook 2005-11-18 02:38|| 2005-11-18 02:38|| Front Page Top

#2 Hmmm. So this is based on quotes from the guy who lost the election and a sacked official. Imagine if the NYT ran an article based solely on quotes from John Kerry and Colin Powell ... what, they already have?

Posted by Jake-the-Peg 2005-11-18 05:07|| 2005-11-18 05:07|| Front Page Top

#3 I guess the "Hands Across Persia" strategy wasn't working...

Posted by doc 2005-11-18 08:22|| 2005-11-18 08:22|| Front Page Top

#4 I see two possibilities here. The apparent one is that this guy is building up to a Reichstag fire, to eliminate the mullahs from government and become an absolute dictator.

What is more likely is that he recognizes that Iran has too many competing interests fighting it out in their government, so he is trying to purge the less-powerful entrenched factions.

The difference between the two is that, in the first case, he is doing it for himself and his single faction; in the second, he is getting rid of deadwood whose factions are weaker than the power they wield.

He has demonstrated some finesse when he had to, such as withdrawing the nomination of an oil minister who was loyal, but knew nothing about oil, after the majlis put its foot down. An egomaniac would have wasted capital trying to force him through, anyway. So he at least defers to the majlis, at least for the time being.

This is "local politics", so they don't say much about what his other intentions are. If he steps on too many toes, someone will try and assassinate him. Personally, I would enjoy it immensely if he puts a hit on Khamenei and the whole Guardian Council.

That whole bleeding country is heading for some kind of disaster.

Posted by Anonymoose 2005-11-18 10:08|| 2005-11-18 10:08|| Front Page Top

#5 We need to stop this snake before he becomes the Iranian Hitler.

Posted by Sninelet Elmick9998 2005-11-18 10:26|| 2005-11-18 10:26|| Front Page Top

#6 Iran is facing political paralysis as its newly elected president purges government institutions, bringing accusations that he is undertaking a coup d'Ã©tat.

The question is, is the population going to do anything about it?

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2005-11-18 11:14|| 2005-11-18 11:14|| Front Page Top

#7 ha! Did I not predict a month ago that the purges would begin. Ok..so it wasn't rocket science. He's planning Mr Rafsanjani's destruction as I write.

Posted by 2b 2005-11-18 12:06|| 2005-11-18 12:06|| Front Page Top

#8 What's the beef? Everything is within Allah's plan, right? So those in Iran who are questioning events are against Allah, and therefore should be, um, saved...

Posted by Hyper">Hyper 2005-11-18 12:15|| 2005-11-18 12:15|| Front Page Top

#9 I'm imagining the guyz and galz over at the State Department dancing their little jigs and sending out their I-told-you-so emails to the kids over at CIA.

"See, we'll get our revolution. The moderates will overthrow this one for sure. We can foster an Iranian revolution. Really guys, this is it, this is it!Red team go, red team go."

My bet is that they'll reign little mahmoud in soon enough after he's done his little power grab.

No revolution today kids.

EP

Posted by ElvisHasLeftTheBuilding 2005-11-18 12:22|| 2005-11-18 12:22|| Front Page Top

#10 The stock market has fallen 30% since the new president took office, and there is growing criticism of his failure to deliver on promises to create jobs and raise living standards.

Ol' Mahmoud ain't a bad guy. Really. Just wants to help the average Eyeranian make a buck here n there. Trust me on this. Would ah lie to you?

Posted by William Jefferson Clinton 2005-11-18 12:30|| 2005-11-18 12:30|| Front Page Top

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