Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

What I See on the Frontline in Iran--Regime change is now our movement's rallying cry.
Wall Street Journal | HESHMAT TABARZADI

Posted on 12/17/2009 7:56:55 PM PST by Ooh-Ah

When massive numbers of Iranians took to the streets following the sham election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June, the regime hoped to quash the protests with intimidation and force. It has failed. The latest evidence of the democratic movement's force? Student Day earlier this month.

The roots of Student Day go back to Dec. 7, 1953, when Iranian students protested the coup that ousted Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh. The Shah's regime responded by attacking Tehran's Polytechnic University, murdering three students.

Every year since, Iranian students have observed "16 Azar" (Dec. 7) to commemorate the three students killed by the Shah. But after the 1979 revolution—and with the blessing of the government—Student Day was turned into a useless, perfunctory occasion.

Yet in December 1991, students who believed in what they saw as the true ideals of the Islamic Republic began to once again use Student Day to protest against the regime's oppression. The government and its military branch of students—the student basij—reacted with violence.

Despite the regime's repression, as time passed, the importance of Student Day grew among student leaders—from the left to religious democrats to pro-Western democrats—even as they lived in constant fear of the government's ruthlessness. Many were repeatedly sent to prison where they were tortured.

...

One thing is certain: Dec. 7 proved that the movement for a free, democratic Iran is robust and only growing in strength. If the government continues to opt for violence, there very well may be another revolution in Iran. One side has to step down. And that side is the government—not the people.


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: ahmadinejad; greenmovement; iran; irannukes; iranprotest; nuclear; regimechange

1 posted on 12/17/2009 7:56:55 PM PST by Ooh-Ah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Ooh-Ah

Related article, also from WSJ:

Iranian Scorecard
The Administration opposes a bipartisan sanctions

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704541004574600274098469020.html

In his Inaugural address, President Obama promised the world’s dictators—with Iran plainly in mind—that he would “extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” Here’s a status report on the mullahs’ knuckles:

— Weapons of mass destruction. On Wednesday, Iran tested a new version of its Sajjil-2 medium-range ballistic missile, a sophisticated solid-fuel model with a range of 1,200 miles - enough to target parts of Eastern Europe.

....

So let’s see: Iran spurns every overture from the U.S. and continues to develop WMD while abusing its neighbors. In response, the Administration, which had set a December deadline for diplomacy, now says it opposes precisely the kind of sanctions it once promised to impose if Iran didn’t come clean, never mind overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress. For an explanation of why Iran’s behavior remains unchanged, look no further.


2 posted on 12/17/2009 8:12:41 PM PST by FocusNexus ("Good and evil are present in this world, and between the two there can be no compromise." GW Bush)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ooh-Ah

Pray that we vote out and affect regime change here in 2010 and 2012.


3 posted on 12/17/2009 8:13:30 PM PST by ExTexasRedhead (Clean the RAT/RINO Sewer in 2010 and 2012)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ooh-Ah

And then Obeyme will, of course, take credit for toppling the regime with his Carter-esque foreign policy.

(just like Slick Willie took credit for a decent economy during the Dot-com boom and Repub congress lowering taxes and the Reagan/Bush Cold War Peace Dividend).


4 posted on 12/17/2009 11:15:05 PM PST by AlanGreenSpam (Obama: The First 'American IDOL' President - sponsored by Chicago NeoCom Thugs)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AdmSmith; freedom44; Valin; odds; sionnsar; LibreOuMort; Pan_Yans Wife; Army Air Corps; GOPJ; ...

pong


5 posted on 12/18/2009 9:51:32 AM PST by nuconvert ( Khomeini promised change too // Hail, Chairman O)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FARS

6 posted on 12/18/2009 7:45:22 PM PST by SunkenCiv (My Sunday Feeling is that Nothing is easy. Goes for the rest of the week too.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson