Iran students protests in teheran dec 7 2008
I’ve just received the following message from “Where is My Vote? Melbourne”
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Subject: HUMAN CHAIN Against Brutality and Execution in IRAN
In the eight months which have passed since the rigged presidential elections, we have witnessed elements within the Iranian regime reacting with brazen brutality against people who seek to have a voice in the country’s government. Many have been killed and hundreds imprisoned and tortured. Protestors have recently been executed or received the death penalty in recent trials
We cannot just stand by mutely, so people around the world are gathering to bear witness. Iranians around the world will stand together on February 12 in solidarity with their brothers and sisters inside Iran to show them that they have not stopped caring.
We in Melbourne on Friday 12/02/10 from 7-8 pm, will form a human chain over Princess Bridge along St. Kilda Rd to take part in this global action against injustice, and to condemn recent executions and unfair trails. We will hold a 200m-long green scroll with our slogans written on it.
We want you to be there to echo our voice.
I think those of us who are in Melbourne should go along.
keza
i note in your bio you’ve done pyschology. i don’t get it why you’re consistanly put-up screaming helpless women here?
scream helpless erstwhile scream!
your cyber voices
scream upon the screen
not so softly
meantimes a class struggle
vis-à-vis the class’s
rages ‘neath the loft
whilst ever a creeping
boozh-wah dictatorship
creeps without let!
But! owd uncle Rupert to ‘is cred’
gives print space to allay
his “genuine Lefty” erstwhile mates
While below the encumbered prolies
be shackled by a million boozh-wah
Democratic traditional threads[marx]
I think that we could do with more discussion about Iran
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/charles-krauthammer-syria–its-not-just-about-freedom/2012/02/02/gIQAYVhVlQ_story.html
Particularly with the reported upcoming war and all
Me? Well Im against Israel striking Iran but what can you expect from a hippy peace nic appeaser like me?
http://www.smh.com.au/world/iranian-leader-vows-to-cut-out-cancer-of-israel-20120204-1qywa.html
Yes, its worth discussing the increasing drumbeat for war with Iran.
My impression is that there is no likelihood of either an Israeli or US attack on Iran since it would not achieve much and would do great harm to the interests of the attacker as well as to the interests of the Iranian people and the world generally.
Motives for talking it up anyway include:
1. Offchance that the talk will add to pressure on Iran (remote since they can see the point above and have similar interests in talking up the threats to demobilize the strong popular revulsion against the regime and strike a pose generally).
2. Imposes significant extra costs on Iranian nuclear program since it has to be protected on the offchance threats are real. (Threats would be more real if installations were not well protected).
3. Helps mobilize public opinion in favour of sanctions on Iran and in favour of solidarity with people of Syria (although the article link to Krauthammer says nothing about threats to attack). This is quite effective – ie people urging sanctions and undermining Iran by undermining Syria in order to help prevent any need for an attack.
4. Sucks up to the Gulf monarchies who have every reason to fear an Iranian nuclear capabability and have assisted in undermining their fellow autocrats in Libya and Syria.
5. Helps distract Israeli public opinion from the reality that they have lost the war for Greater Israel, are no longer surrounded by corrupt autocracies incapable of standing up to them and have no choice but to accept a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, with capital in East Jerusalem. Making peace with the Palestinians is easier if they are replaced as “existential threat” in the minds of Israelis by Iranians who are much further away.
I wish that I shared your optimism that Israel wont attack. Ever since learning about the USS Liberty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty_incident
I have had no confidence that the US wags the tail but lots of confidence that the Israeli tail wags the US dog.
The dynamic seems to be that Israel can either co habit the area or dominate the area.(I think long term domination is futile) I agree that an attack wont serve the interests of Israel Im just not sure that the Israeli government sees it in this light.
I cant see how any Israeli PM can alow a sworn enemy to aquire the means of mass extermination. It’s like let them build gas chambers Im sure they wont use them.
In life as in poker bluffs are rarer than you may think
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/224887.html
I think Israel is not bluffing because of the nature of the bluff. A bluff works if the implied threat changes your opponents behaviour.
Theres no way that Iran will change its behaviour based on a bluff of Israeli military action.
If you bluff a player who is commited to the hand, watch out you will be called. I think Iran is commited to the hand, even the opposition in Iran supports the nuclear programme.