June 13/03: Winds of Change.NET Regional Briefings normally run on Tuesdays & Wednesdays. Fridays will also be briefing days, and I'll start by using it for special briefings like this one.
MUST-READS...
- Iranian.com has Nikki Keddie on what recent history has taught Iranians. Her points about the clerical-business alliance that forms the core of the Iranian regime's stability are especially worth noting (see also: A Bazaari's World, The Atlantic). A good overview of the environment we're dealing with.
- Iraniangirl's report from Tehran also qualifies.
Today's other topics include: recent demonstrations and reports, North Korean and Russian ties to Iran's nuclear program, Iran and 19th century Ireland, hatred and Iranian culture, an Iranian blogger's beefs with Michael Ledeen, and Michael Ledeen himself...
- News coverage of yesterday's demonstrations. I had to keep going back to the byline, just to make sure it was really
RottersReuters.
- Iranian student "Koorosh Ashfar" also chimes in about "The Burnt Generation" an eloquent and heart-rending account. My guess is that he's afffiliated with Daneshjoo, the Iranian student movement.
- Powerline Blog has some good photos, and great contrasts. Pedram Moallemian also has a report, and links to many more photos.
- Agence France Presse reports that Iranian nuclear experts visited North Korea 3 times over the past year.
- Pedram Moallemian isn't comfortable with possible U.S. support of the MKO (currently in Iraq); he argues pretty convincingly that they qualify as a terrorist group.
- Babak has a piece up that looks at the similarities between modern Iran and 19th-century Ireland - and some of the key differences, too.
- The Internet isn't the only thing Iran's government is afraid of, as blogs open Iranian society. Apparently, it's afraid of radios, too.
- Kaveh is highly unimpressed by Michael Ledeen, and explains why. He also agrees with Admzad re: Iranian culture and hatred, which may explain why he's a big fan of Fatimah at Disaffected Muslim.
- I'll leave the last word here to Michael Ledeen. I can't see anything to criticize in his recent column "The Moment of Truth", and I'd bet Kaveh can't either. As Michael says: "Now, please. Time's up."
And please remember that July 9th (Commemorating the Martyrdom in Tabriz of The Holy Gate) has been set as the date for a nation-wide general strike.
We can urge unions, NGOs and US Government officials, as well as ordinary Americans, to support the Strike, that it sets the stage for results like those experienced by Milosevic and the Marcoses!
July 9th, 1850 - July 9th, 2003
One Eye Opener after another!