Khamenei hopes to make the IRI a role model for the muslim world to emulate. Fat chance! Outside Iran people have become too well informed about the downsides of IRI’s internal policies and the covert treachery or outside thuggery (its support for Assad) externally. In an article on his web site (not in English unfortuantely) Khamenei complained: “We have no one who understands how the BBC stabs us with false news and analyses and no one to cope with it.” I’m sure the poor Moral Exemplar will get lot of sympathy.
From what I can make out, the BBC and world press has an obligation to be loyal to the regime, concealing what needs to be concealed, rather than “stabbing it” with accurate (not “false”) news.
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/others-note?id=20911
NEUTRAL LEADERS MAY BE WARY OF VISITING IRAN AFTER THE LATEST STUNT
Readers know how a regime deliberately reversed what Egypt’s Morsi statements. Did you know that media outlets are claiming that the UN Secretary General called Ayatollah Khamenei “the leader of the Islamic world” during their meeting? Next we’ll hear that Bam fell to his knees, removed Khamenei’s shoes and licked his toes submissively.
(Logical Conclusion: The regime’s internal and external propaganda needs are 100% incompatible).
A CANDIDATE SIGNS UP FOR “DAYDREAMER OF THE MILLENIUM” CONTEST
Reformist politician Mostafa Kavakebian who insisted that talk about “reforms are dead” means they are very alive and that changes are possible within the Iranian system.
RELIGIOUS ENFORCERS VOW TO COMPEL IRAQIS INTO AN IRAN-STYLE DARK AGES
A reactionary religious class, fearing loss of privileges and power. has been the most persistent enemy of democracy and human rights. Clerics denounce such ideas as “anti-Islamic” even though Mohammed never railed against modern ideas that didn’t exist yet. Religious Big Shots simply invent and enforce useful doctrines when needed. See the “sacred” central doctrine of the Islamic Republic for one example. See endless nonsense enshrined in Catholicism that Christ would never recognize.
Founders who were anti-clerical (Christ, Mohammed) would not recognize most churches and doctrine supposedly based on what they taught. Nevertheless to challenge such doctrines is “blasphemy,” punishable by death or disfiguement. When not directly in control of government, clerics utilize mobs of gnorant fanatic compel. Where in power they use the IRCG, the Basilj and similar thugs. The good news is that in the modern world change and progress are no longer so easy to suppress while the political and economic blowback from attempting it is always high.
Young Iraqis face religious fashion crackdown
http://news.yahoo.com/young-iraqis-face-religious-fashion-crackdown-063038582.html
CULTURAL WAR IN AMERICA
Even in the USA cultural change influences political battles, though constitutional protection inhibits how extreme it can become. The ultraconservative politics of the Republican Party has been greatly aggravated by the election of a white president who is seen as a forerunner of threatening demographic change which will soon make whites a minortity.
The Republican party base is made of self-identified “real Americans,” meaning cranky older whites–especially males–who feel threatened by change and fearful the tide is against them. When such people advocate “traditional “American traditional values” they seek to put minorities in their place, promoting scientific ignorance and imposing theocracy (fundamentalist religious dogmas). Much of this element once cheered the KKK or voted for George Wallace. Behind the scenes the party is actually controlled by multi-billionaires (oil and coal tycoons like the Koch Brothers and destructive speculators like Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs wh carry on Enron’s notorious traditions). The inner circle does not give a damn about the views of angry old white males except to the degree they can be useful for putting their puppet party in power.
CULTURAL CHANGE IS THE MOST POTENT DRIVER OF POLITICAL CHANGE
I discussed that in a subpost in my most recent blog here but some readers may have missed it because it was the last subpost before trhe blog moved off page. If interested see my subpost entitled, “IMPORTANT:Woman beats the odds to make Saudi Arabia’s first film”–the last one in my previous roundup:
TWO ARTICLES DISCUSS POTENTIAL IRANIAN FUTURES THAT ARE VERY DIFFERENT
The fate of Iranians is in their own hands. Depending on what they do, Iranians face two possible futures–one sunny, the other miserable.
“A Population Can Now Dismantle A Modern State on Its Own”
Excerpt form Ed Foley’s article on the above topic:
he downing of a Syrian helicopter near Damascus and Sunday’s twin bombings close to the heart of the regime’s military leadership provide fresh evidence of the precarious position of the Assad Government. Although the insurgents in Syria cannot dislodge the regime from fortified positions, they can attack key targets and have made it virtually impossible for leaders to govern as they did before the rebellion began.
The predicament of the Government is remarkable given the advantages that it had when the rebellion started…
Iran: A Country of Resignation
Excerpt: Although US neoconservatives assert that economic pressure will make Iranians rise up against their government, the mood here is one of resignation rather than revolution. Some Iranians assert wishfully that change will come once the Iran-backed regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad falls. But it is hard to find anyone willing to risk his or her life for an uncertain political future — especially after the government crushed pro-democracy protests following disputed 2009 presidential elections.
New elections are scheduled next year but few Iranians think they will bring any positive change, even though many are glad to see the back of Ahmadinejad. Iranians also seem largely uninterested in the US election — a contrast to four years ago when many closely followed the Democratic primary contest between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/9/3/iran-1st-hand-a-country-of-resignation-slavin.html
OBAMA TAKES STEPS TO DETER ISRAEL FROM ATTACK ON IRAN
But will they succeed? Israel had repeatedly demonstrated that when it perceives natural survival as endangered, no one–including the USA–can stop it from acting. The problem in Iran’s case is that it has engaged in endless anti-Israeli propaganda and attacks via its proxies, and been caught out in so many covert schemes worldwide. Hence the perception is that the IRI, as a loose cannon, will not be able to resist a sneak nuclear attack on Israel if it has nukes. Readers may not agree that is so but what counts is Israeli leaders seemed convinced of it–an attitude that isn’t totally irrantional. The IRI goes out of its ways to make enemies and earn mistrust.
Esfandiari on Iran’s Decision to Curtail Female Education
