NEWS ITEM #1: “We support Syria” says Iran’s ambassador to Damascus.
Unlike Turkey (Arabs everywhere take note!). I offer three bets:
First, those words (“We support Syria”) and the Al Jazeera’s recent popular video on how Iran treats protestors will circulate widely among Arabs..
Secondly, Syria’s demonstrators won’t stop, so Syria’s economy will be kaput. Thus, Assad is doomed.
Thirdly, Syria’s majority will never forgot Khamenei’s substantial assistance to Assad’s thugs.
NEWS ITEM #2: Extremist Ahmad Khatami demands a pledge of allegiance to Supreme Leader.
Complete this sentence: The last guy who demanded such personal oaths to the leader, NOT the nation or its people, was….?
Will first graders be forced to swear allegiance?. Woe betide those who reefuse! Whereas Erdogan governs Turkey with deep popularity, Khamenei and Assad must rely totally on force, intimidation and bribery. Having committed too many crimes, both rulers can no longer risk free elections, free speech, free press, etc.. Too much blood has been shed, too much injustice committed.
NEWS ITEM #3: Eight literary and cultural figures from Gilan-e Gharb in Kermanshah Province in western Iran have reportedly been sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison by a Revolutionary Court for “acting against national security”.
Khamenei’s theory goes like this: Arab Spring protestors yearn for Iran’s model with its heavy-handed government. “Trust me,” he says, “Arabs can’t imagine why Erdogan is so popular. They actually love governments who rely on the inventive charges like I use to crush dissent–charges such as acting against national security, crimes against God, and propaganda against the state.
“Erdogan is gutless compared to me. One of my favorite games is to arrest human rights defense attorneys who take their jobs seriously (he chuckles), Or how about shooting a protestor in the head then beating up on his mother when she tries to attend a funeral or visit his grave. Cute, eh? You see why Iranians and Arabs admire me so.”
NEWS ITEM #4: Ahmadinijad “is launching a new social network for youth, ‘Heralds for Peace and Justice’.”
Hitler youth or young Pioneers, anyone? Iran already has its SS (IRCG) and brownshirts (Basilj, Iranian Hezbollah), so why not?
