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How street protests across Middle East threaten Iran’s power: The weakening of Shia dominance
The Guardian ^ | 11/2/5/2019

Posted on 11/25/2019 2:50:12 PM PST by SeekAndFind

Turmoil in Baghdad, paralysis in Beirut and flames of unrest in Tehran; it has been a bad few months for Iran at home and elsewhere in the Middle East, where more than a decade of advances are being slowed, not by manoeuvrings on battlefields or legislatures – but the force of protest movements.

Early last week, Iran went dark for four days by closing its internet connections down. Even for the country’s autocratic leadership, this was a drastic step. But such are the stakes for a regime that is increasingly facing obstacles across its hubs of Shia influence. And those who laud Iran’s rise, as well as those who fear it, sense it is at a loss over how to respond.

The reaction to relentless anti-government protests in Iraq, which along with Lebanon is essential to Iran’s foreign projection, has so far been straight from a well-worn playbook. The initial weeks of the popular uprising were met with placatory speeches from Iraqi leaders, and a passive stance from security forces. But that changed in late-October and, since then, more than 300 people have been killed and thousands wounded as Iraq’s leaders – directed by Iran’s generals have changed tack.

Gone is any notion of compromise. Instead, the din of bullets, grenades and sirens have become a soundtrack to demonstrations in Baghdad demanding the overthrow of the entire political system. While the protests are aimed at domestic issues – the insatiable graft of its leaders and widespread lack of opportunities for the young central to them – the post-Saddam years have seen Iran embed itself in nearly all aspects of Iraqi governance.

Its role as overlord has also raised the protesters’ ire – just as it has in Lebanon, where Iran’s most important arm of its foreign policy projection, Hezbollah,

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Egypt; Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events; Russia; Syria; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: beirut; djibouti; egypt; eritrea; falsedichotomy; hassannasrallah; hezbollah; iran; iraq; israel; jihad; jihadisjihad; jihadists; lebanon; protests; russia; shia; shiites; sudan; syria; yemen

1 posted on 11/25/2019 2:50:12 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Throw gas on their fire. Verbal is good enough.


2 posted on 11/25/2019 2:54:27 PM PST by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
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To: SeekAndFind

I suspect the protests are based on economics.

The price of oil is down. Less income is coming in in the Middle East but everyday expenses are slowly rising.

Protests are pretty common around the world.


3 posted on 11/25/2019 3:10:07 PM PST by Brian Griffin
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To: DIRTYSECRET


good to know ridding saddam was worth the blood, sweat and tears...


4 posted on 11/25/2019 3:14:56 PM PST by 867V309 (Lock Her Up)
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To: SeekAndFind

HOORAY humans!


5 posted on 11/25/2019 3:24:14 PM PST by PGalt (Past Peak Civilization)
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To: Brian Griffin

Not exactly. Now the protesters are screaming that they don’t want to live under a Muslim government, and they’re hollering “Death to Khameni!”

I’m looking for a video I saw earlier today about these protests, but I can’t find it now.

Maybe one of my fellow Freepers can find it and post it.


6 posted on 11/25/2019 3:28:48 PM PST by Maceman (Trump Trumps Hate!!!)
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To: 867V309

Once again the leftist Guardian shows their total ignorance of Islam. Shias and Sunnis have been slaughtering each other for 1400 yrs and British colonial rule drawing borders only muddles up the picture.


7 posted on 11/25/2019 3:31:49 PM PST by SanchoP (Yippy,the next generation search engine.)
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To: Maceman

I suspect most of the common people in all the countries don’t want to live under a Muslim government.


8 posted on 11/25/2019 3:56:52 PM PST by philetus (Keep doing what you always do and you'll eventually get what you deserve)
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To: philetus

You are right, but earlier today I saw a video of Iranian protesters screaming that they didn’t want to live under a Muslim government.

Wish I could find that video now.


9 posted on 11/25/2019 4:14:22 PM PST by Maceman (Trump Trumps Hate!!!)
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To: Maceman

The mullahs are constantly threatening America with EMP’s.

That’s projection, IMO. A couple of EMP pops over Teheran would decapitate their Basiji & IRG’s, and the revolution would be on.

Sounds like a good opportunity, like the one Obama passed on in 2009.


10 posted on 11/25/2019 4:42:51 PM PST by elcid1970 ("The Second Amendment is more important than Islam.")
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To: Brian Griffin

The price of oil is down even here left wing California.

Instead of the normal gas price increases for Thanksgiving. Some prices for regular gas have dropped at least 25 cents per gallon.


11 posted on 11/25/2019 5:23:18 PM PST by Grampa Dave (Nanzi Pelosi Thinks/Says Americans Are Too STUPID To Elect Their President! Time for #DCEXIT!)
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To: SeekAndFind

Prediction: the mullahs will be overthrown by the end of 2020.


12 posted on 11/25/2019 6:18:29 PM PST by FroggyTheGremlim ( Ha! Ha! Ha! Hiya kids, Hiya, Hiya)
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To: Grampa Dave

“The price of oil is down even here left wing California.

Instead of the normal gas price increases for Thanksgiving. Some prices for regular gas have dropped at least 25 cents per gallon.“

When you get hit on the head constantly with a hammer, it feels so good when the taps get lighter.


13 posted on 11/25/2019 7:09:37 PM PST by The Antiyuppie (‘When small men cast long shadows, then it is very late in the day.’)
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To: Brian Griffin

“ I suspect the protests are based on economics.”

40% unemployment and 40% inflation, plus tripling the cost of gasoline will get you that. Such a big change from getting billions in cash from Obama.


14 posted on 11/25/2019 8:50:03 PM PST by jdsteel (Americans are Dreamers too!!!)
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To: SanchoP

Shhh...the Brits knew what they were doing. They drew those lines to ensure infighting.

It’s not a bug, it’s a feature.


15 posted on 11/25/2019 8:51:32 PM PST by jdsteel (Americans are Dreamers too!!!)
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bfl.


16 posted on 11/26/2019 2:54:04 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: The Antiyuppie

Hit me again and softer!


17 posted on 11/26/2019 7:18:17 AM PST by Grampa Dave (Nanzi Pelosi Thinks/Says Americans Are Too STUPID To Elect Their President! Time for #DCEXIT!)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

18 posted on 11/28/2019 9:14:31 AM PST by SJackson (blow in a dogÂ’s face, he gets mad at you, car ride; he sticks his head out the window)
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The Three Amigos

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan meet in Sochi, Russia November 22, 2017. (photo credit: SPUTNIK/MIKHAIL METZEL/KREMLIN VIA REUTERS)

Column One: Portents of quagmires in Syria

19 posted on 11/29/2019 9:01:12 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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