Was It Ahmadinejad?

Iran 'sends monkey to space for second time'

Earlier.

All Eyes On Iran

Iranians go to the polls again, today (or boycott them). Since the choices they will have to select from on the ballot are preselected by the Mad Mullahs, I don't expect much to change. BUT there is the possibility that the electorate will stay home in droves. Of course, the Mad Mullahs will take pains to ensure that isn't acknowledged. There are several sites in my blogroll where the reader can learn what really happens. I am a dinner jacket's (Ahmadinejad) replacement will be a key factor to watch for.

You go, John Baird!!

An interesting website hosted by the U of T: Global Dialog on the future of Iran, and some great videos of same.

Who Saw That Coming? /sarc

Venezuelan VP Maduro readies to lead after Chavez's death

"Hours after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's death, Venezuelans and politicians are wondering how the nation will choose Chavez's successor, as Vice-President Nicolas Maduro has been named the nation's interim president — contrary to the constitution.
Venezuela's constitution mandates an election be called within 30 days, but it is currently unclear when an election will be held.

The constitution specifies that the speaker of the National Assembly, currently Diosdado Cabello, should assume the interim presidency if a president can't be sworn in. But Maduro — who will be the governing socialists' candidate in the upcoming election after being named Chavez's successor by the late president — is filling the post instead."

[Emphasis mine throughout]

How much do you want to bet there will be a coup, and maybe a counter-coup, and a coup to counter the counter-coup. It used to be the Latin American tradition. Chavez kept certain thuggery traditions alive and well.

Related: Here and here and here.

Now would be the time for a well placed nuke, straight up Ahmadinejad's ass, while he's attending the funeral, along with all the other adoring thugs of the world.

Moving Right Along

Blast hits key Iranian nuclear site?

Sure hope it's true.

Next one should go right up Ahmadinejad's ass before it explodes.

PS: I can't believe there aren't several, if not legions of, insiders in Iran who are working with Israel and the West.

I Wonder What's Happening In Iran?

How many of those young people who were protesting in the streets a few years ago are rotting away in jail.

Lest There Be Any Doubt

You Know...

...I really do believe this is what Arab and Muslim kids are taught to believe:

Ahmadinejad: Israel has "no roots" in Middle East history

In any case, the mind boggles. (Actually, no. It doesn't boggle.)

Things Are Heating Up...

...in Iran. And I'm not talking about global warming:

'We're starving!' Furious Iranians jump on to Ahmadinejad’s open-topped car in extraordinary display of civil disobedience

Iranians surround Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's car in poverty protest

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's car mobbed by Iranian protesters

Iranians jump on Ahmadinejad's car, protesting hunger

I especially like the part where the woman mobs him. Now he's all contaminated with female pheromones. It'll drive him crazy.

Suppose They Gave An Election...

..and nobody came?

Three years after the disastrous election that prompted massive demonstrations and unrest in the streets, Ahmadinejad and his supporters have been delivered a clear message at the voting booth, one he undoubtedly does not want to hear.

Few picture from voting center taken by brave Iranians despite of danger . As you can see people are not present in the streets and voting centers!

Unrealistic statistics by regime of coup d'eta about parliamentary election!

"According to one report ,the election officials announced that; there are 6,345,000 million eligible voter (sic) in Tehran and Alborz province, while two years ago Tehran and the same province had 8,796,466 Million eligible voter!? So, people ask what happened to the two plus million voters ? Did they die?!!!"

[---]

"In one other report Mehr news agency ( a government news agency) announced earlier that the eligible voters in the city of "Ilam" were 373000 , but the same news agency later reported that; vote droped (sic) by people in the ballot box were counted by the election officials and it was 380,000 !!??!!!! How did it happen? Did the deads (sic) in the city also voted(sic)???!!!!!"

Iran Tehran 02.03.2012 Empty election locals- People's lack of participation in parliamentary election show, a blow on regime of coup d'eta !!!

Iran Karaj 02.03.2012 Empty election locals part 2- Local voting centers One by one show the lack of people's participation in regime election show

Ahmadinejad rivals lead in polls

Iran Tehran 02.03.2012 Empty election locals part 4- as you can see this is one of Tehran voting center -No people going in or out - A sham election

Iran Ghazvin 02.03.2012 Empty election locals part 4- Voting center in the city of Ghazvin

Iran- Isfehan 02.03.2012 Empty election locals part2- INA (Iran Khabar Agency)- Empty voting centers in the city of Isfahan

Iran Tehran 02.03.2012 Hejab School Empty election locals part 7- See how Iranian people responded by staying home and not participating in election

Iran Isfehan 02.03.2012 Low election participation at election locals- One of Isfahan city voting center - By :Iran Khabar (news) Agency

Iran city of Shiraz 02.03.2012 Empty election locals- voting centers as you see no one go's in and no one comes out - by :Iran "Khabar " Agency

Iran Bojnord 02.03.2012 Empty election locals part 2- Voting centers are empty ! Regime may call it 60-70% participation !!!!

And sure enough (Emphasis mine):

Iran touts high turnout, Ahmadinejad faction losing

"Iran, under intense Western pressure over its disputed nuclear programme, declared an initial turnout of 65 percent in a parliamentary election shunned by most reformists as a sham."

Iran conservatives contest poll for parliament

"Polls have closed in Iran's parliamentary elections, after being extended by five hours due to high turnout, state media report.

It is the first poll since mass protests were sparked by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed election victory in 2009.

The vote is widely viewed as a contest between his supporters and those of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The opposition Green Movement did not take part in Friday's elections.

Its leaders have been under house arrest since February 2011.

As all of the candidates had to be pre-approved by Iran's Guardian Council, the contest is effectively between different conservative factions."

And for the icing on the cake:

Ahmadinejad's sister fails to win parliament seat

Just One Word

Iran.

One Of These Protests Is Not Like The Other

Get The Hint?

2009:



2010:



2011

Well, I'm Happy For These Hikers...

...but what does this say about Iran? A million bucks is a hefty bail, but should be peanuts for a country awash in oil. What gives? Is this all?

"Shourd was freed almost exactly a year ago on medical grounds. Her release came a week before Ahmadinejad addressed the U.N. last year.

One analyst said the timing last year was no coincidence.

"I think President Ahmadinejad really wanted to use this as a way of building up a store of goodwill just before he comes to New York," Columbia University Prof. Gary Sick said last year after Shourd came home."

Seems to me that after holding these two men for so long, there's not much "goodwill" leverage left to build with.

And what's in it for Oman?

There has to be something going on behind the scenes that we don't know about. Obama? Shillary? What deals did you make with the devil?

Things Are Getting Really Interesting...

...in Iran:

Rift in Iranian Leadership Spreads to the Streets of Tehran

"According to reports from Iran, serious clashes between the rank and file supporters of the Ayatollah Khamenei and the supporters of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad erupted on Saturday, with many protesters severely injured with clubs and machetes."

No Shit, Sherlock!

IAEA Chief Can't Guarantee That Iran's Nuclear Program Peaceful

Oh Dear! We Can't Let This Continue.

Protesters: “Not Gaza or Lebanon! Tunisia, Egypt, and Iran!”

That's the chant heard on the streets in Tehran a couple of weeks or so ago. Hmmmm. Let's see. Just a few days ago Ahmadinejad said something like that didn't he? No wait!

Ahmadinejad says Egypt, Tunisia were inspired by Iran's anti-Western protests

Uh, what anti-Western protests?

And speaking of Ahmadinejad, seems he gets his speaking notes from our very own leftards:

Western-made weapons killing people in Arab countries: Ahmadinejad

Read the article. Iamadinnerjacket's exercise of his usual loopy logic is on full display.

Further reading on Iran's protests and freedom movement:

Police shut down Tehran protest

"Dozens of Iranian opposition supporters were arrested Monday while taking part in a banned rally in Tehran to support popular uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, an Iranian opposition website said."

Hmmmm. Sounds like those Middle East tyrants, no?

""Witnesses say in some parts of Tehran, security forces arrested dozens of protesters," opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi's Kaleme website reported.

Security forces fired tear gas to scatter thousands of people marching toward a Tehran square, a witness said. There were also clashes between police and demonstrators, and dozens of arrests, in the city of Isfahan, another witness told Reuters.

"Death to the dictator," some of the Tehran protesters chanted, though other demonstrators marched in silence. Some chants drew comparisons between the Iranian leadership and the autocrats deposed in recent weeks in Tunis and Cairo."

Oh dear.

Ahmadinejad claims  Iran protests are futile

Yup. You gotta shout anti-Israel, anti-American, pro-Gaza, pro-Lebanon slogans in order to accomplish anything. Those damned subjects just will not learn.

Iran Is Closer to Imploding

"Although Iran is an Islamic dictatorship that controls its news, certain things are leaking out. The revolts in the Arab world are making them very nervous."

Perhaps that's because they are a sign the Mahdi is about to return, and he will not be amused.

Regime Change Ripe in Iran Say Former Military Officials

If the Mahdi can do it in the Arab world, why can't he do it in Iran? Be careful Iamadinnerjacket. Be very careful.

He's So Funny

Ahmadinejad: Anti-government upheaval will reach Europe, America

With all those evacuations and fleeing North Africans, I think it already has. Other than that, yes, there is room for some upheaval. Europe's resident Islamists might be in for a big surprise.

Towards a New Definition ...

... of batshit crazy:

Ahmadinejad: Protests against Iran's regime 'going nowhere'

"Islamic Republic's president acknowledges that "there is a lot of hostility against the government," but says demonstrations' organizers "just wanted to tarnish the Iranian nation's brilliance."

AKA "blind as a bat".

Reaction in Iran

Never mind Ahmadinejad and the Mad Mullahs, watch the opposition:

"Iranian opposition leader under house arrest after protests call

Son of Medhi Karroubi says family has been banned from visiting his father's house amid plans for demonstration."

[---]

"The move came after thousands of Iranians sympathetic to the opposition green movement joined social networking websites to promote demonstrations on Monday in solidarity with protesters in Egypt and Tunisia."

[---]

"He added: "It is the first time that the government has restricted my father this far so that even us, as close family members are also banned from visiting him, this is obviously a move aimed at intimidating the leaders of the opposition for Monday's protest."

[---]

"Intelligence service officers also arrested Taghi Rahmani, an adviser to Mehdi Karroubi, after raiding his house.

At the same time, opposition websites reported a series of arrests of political activists and journalists as the regime struggles to prevent the news of the planned protest from spreading."

[---]

"A pro-regime demonstration to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the Islamic revolution will be held on Friday.

Analysts believe the fact that the opposition chose Monday to rally instead of Friday on the occasion of the anniversary of the revolution, is a clear sign that it believes the regime has been deflected from its principals."

[---]

"Mousavi and Karroubi issued a joint statement on Tuesday in an unprecedented criticism of the regime in which they said that the Islamic republic has been most hurt by "the anti-religion and oppressive behaviour of the regime itself."

At least 27,000 internet users have so far joined a Facebook page created for Monday's protest."

Frankly, if you want an historical president for this, I have thought (since the beginning of the Iraq war, BTW) that we need to look not to any of the revolutionary movements of the past century or two, but way back to the corruption of the Catholic church and the Reformation, except that back then they didn't have Twitter and Facebook. And I think Iran is the key to its success.

There is a three way struggle taking place between modernizers, hard-core religious fanatics and nationalists. The later, for the most part, have been in power throughout most of the Middle East since the end of the colonial era, and have had their kick at the can. Perhaps the religious nutcases have, too. I look forward to Monday to see what will happen.

What's This?

The 21st Century's answer to Hitler memorabilia? Or a way of endearing himself to the poor who live in the countryside?