Watch Iran tomorrow
Tomorrow, December 27, will mark seven days since the death of Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri last weekend. Montazeri was one of Iran's most prominent clerics, once tapped as a likely successor to Khomeini himself; later he grew fiercely critical of the theocracy's harshness and extremism, and spent the years 1997-2003 under house arrest.
In the week since his death, marches in Montazeri's honor in several Iranian cities have developed into anti-regime protests, some of them becoming violent. By tradition, the seventh day after a person's death is a day of commemoration, but the regime has banned any memorial gathering for Montazeri tomorrow except in his birthplace and in the holy city of Qom.
Upping the ante still further, tomorrow is also Ashura, one of the most important Shiite holy days, commemorating the killing of the prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussein at Sunni hands in the seventh century. In Shiite countries such as Iran, Ashura typically involves large public processions and intense emotionalism.
This week has made it clear that the Iranian people's uprising is still very much alive, while demonstrations earlier this month showed that its goals have become more openly revolutionary. The old bearded tyrants must be trembling in anticipation of what tomorrow may bring.
In the week since his death, marches in Montazeri's honor in several Iranian cities have developed into anti-regime protests, some of them becoming violent. By tradition, the seventh day after a person's death is a day of commemoration, but the regime has banned any memorial gathering for Montazeri tomorrow except in his birthplace and in the holy city of Qom.
Upping the ante still further, tomorrow is also Ashura, one of the most important Shiite holy days, commemorating the killing of the prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussein at Sunni hands in the seventh century. In Shiite countries such as Iran, Ashura typically involves large public processions and intense emotionalism.
This week has made it clear that the Iranian people's uprising is still very much alive, while demonstrations earlier this month showed that its goals have become more openly revolutionary. The old bearded tyrants must be trembling in anticipation of what tomorrow may bring.
posted by Infidel753 at 7:58 AM
5 Comments:
And this is a great example of why we should not interfere in Iranian politics. There are millions of Iranians fed up with the regime and who want peaceful relations with the west. To interfere would only spark zealous nationalism and rally the populace aroud the current leadership. My proof in this is look at how Ameica rallied around Bush after the 911 attacks. A known idiot. Yet 91% of America supported any action he wanted to take in the days and months after.
Truth: You sound like an anti-interventionist to me. But I agree, not only for the reasons you state, but the U.S. can't keep running around the world sticking its now in every one's internal affairs.
Thanks for alerting us, Infidel.
The old bearded tyrants must be trembling in anticipation of what tomorrow may bring.
And the fact that their regime is demonstrably equal in its level of oppression to that of the Shah, seems totally lost on them.
I'm not so much pro or anti intervention as I am for excersizing good judgement.
I wouldn't want to see us intervene overtly to try to push events in a direction of our choosing -- Iranians are still understandably prickly about the overthrow of Mosaddegh -- but I'm glad that the Obama administration is taking a stronger stand in favor of the people. Foreign support in such situations is not always resented. Americans still honor the memory of men like Lafayette who supported us during the War of Independence.
Kvatch: I think their hypocrisy is so deep and twisted that they are no longer able to see how everyone else in Iran sees them.
Post a Comment
<< Home