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The Iranians have accused the US of fomenting revolution, and the US has not exactly denied it. In fact, an ABC report unveiled a purported presidential directive to the CIA demanding that the agency take action to undermine the mullahcracy -- which undoubtedly hastened the paranoid reaction we see now. It may have been a calculated bluff to push the Iranians to a tipping point -- and it may have worked even more quickly than the Bush administration hoped.
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It would be good if the Islamic Republic were in the process of being overthrown, but suspect that it fits into the 'China scenario.'
We need a revolution in the USA too. No Amnesty!!
Did Iran jump the shark? If they blockade the Strait of Hormuz a new day will dawn. Regardless of local time.
A massive air drop of pre-loaded ipods and Go Phones over Tehran should do the trick.
USA at the tipping point, the Senate plays on....
Signs of dissent and repression are easily overinterpreted. We have heard about hopeful signs of ‘dissent’ in Communist China for 40 years now, and before that hopeful readings of tea leaves in the USSR since the early fifties. Totalitarian regimes can live with dissent and crackdowns longer than democracies can keep their focus. The “tipping point” usually ends up more like the Texas panhandle...two lane blacktop as far as the eye can see.
The widespread purges and arrests are expected to have an impact on parliamentary elections next year and the presidential contest in 2009, either discouraging or preventing reformers from running against the current crop of hard-liners who dominate all branches of government, Iranian and U.S. analysts say.Last time around, Iranian voters were so disappointed in the performance of the reformers, didn't show up to vote. Word.
Perhaps the Iranians having democracies forming on their borders is stirring the pot?? Time to send in a couple of Armored Divs to speed things along.
Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
God Bless the truly decent - and there are many - people of Iran who at the end of this thing will be shouting the word, “America!” for an entirely different reason than others, and... even they had of late.
Here we go again.....
would be nice, but probably wishful thinking.
Unfortunately, it’s been nearing a tipping point for 6 centuries.
It will amount to nothing unless enough Iranians are willing to risk their possessions and their lives to uproot the mullahs. So far we haven’t seen that. And since the mullahs are in firm control of the military, the near-term prospects don’t look too good.