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A Dispatch from Tehran
Babak Rahimi is a professor of Islamic studies at the University of California, San Diego, who has been in Iran studying the elections. He's on his way home. But he sent this email:
I've difficulty having access to my yahoo account here.
This is the latest [information] I've (though much that I have here is based on what I have heard from pro-Mousavi people. I can't confirm any of them, except the first one, which I've seen that myself).
1. The Basij has literally taken over the major parts of the city--at nights that is.
The Sepah seems to be still standing in the background, but they have issued another statement calling for more crackdowns.2. Mousavi has apparently issued a strike for today, Tuesday. Kurdistan is also going on strike.
3. Rafsanjani appears to be in Qom, mustering support for an eventual confrontation with the pro-Khamenei faction in Tehran.
4. The pro-Mousavi rallies will continue until 18 Tir, the anniversary of the crushed 1999 student uprising. Also, there are plans for a massive rallies for the 40th day of those who have been killed (especially for Neda) by the state police.
I predict more days of violence and bloodshed.
Neocon President Obama?
I was sorry to see our President come out sounding like George W. Bush today, having to have his say about the internal politics of a truly foreign country.
Obviously, he didn't want to be out-toughed by the neocons.
I'd have preferred to see him maintain the administration's silence about how Iranians settle Iranian political problems.
According to exiled former Iranian president Bani-Sadr, we Had Been doing the best thing for the reformers. Now Barack has (unwittingly?) handed a powerful tool to the ruling clerics.
In contrast to some critics of U.S. President Barack Obama who have urged strong condemnation of Tehran, Bani-Sadr welcomed Washington's muted response and the declaration that the United States would not interfere.
"It was a good reaction. It doesn't allow the regime to use outside intervention as a justification for repression," he said, adding that former President George W. Bush's hostile rhetoric had ensured "immobility" in Iran.
"It paralyzed Iranians. During the entire period of Mr Bush, there was no movement in Iran. After him, there is another president, a new policy and there is movement in Iran."
He said the reaction of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who this week called the election a "fraud", was "less good".
"It would have been much better if he had remained silent because a people needs to be able to say 'I decide my own fate, it doesn't come from outside.' Iranians are very sensitive about this point," he said.
Bani-Sadr Speaks Out
Grading on MY curve, the President just turned an 'A' for the Iranian assignment into a 'D'.
Let's hope he doesn't push it any lower than that!
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