Mark February 11th on your calendar. It was that day over 30 years ago when America’s dependable dictator, Shah Reza Palavi, who was not-so-neatly installed in Iran in 1953, was brought down under the weight of protesters nationwide. The Ayatollah was returned from exile that year, which culminated in the Iranian Embassy Hostage Crisis - inevitable blowback after decades of American meddling, and a direct response to our allowing the Shah to enter the United States.
Iranian Opposition leaders are calling on demonstrators to protest on February 11th, in much the same spirit of the 1979 revolution. The people feel that they are not only not being represented, they’re being misrepresented, except this time instead of an American puppet protecting oil and geo-strategic interests, they’re under the thumb of a puppet with the hands of religious fanaticism and apocalyptic ambition up its backside.
Everyday Iranians haven’t forgotten 1979 - it’s as if it happened yesterday - but president Ahmadinejad seems to have a fondness for that date as well. It’s something both the people and the establishment seem to be able to identify with. The latter wins the most ominous quote of the day award:
“Meanwhile, state-run Press TV quoted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday as saying that the nation will deliver a harsh blow to “global arrogance” on February 11.“
What the hell does that mean? Speculate away. It could be purely symbolic; it would be odd for Iran to announce in advance some devastating attack or political or economic offensive. One thing is for sure, and that’s that 2/11/10 will see a new wave of protests and demonstrations - some peaceful and some most likely not so. There’s no reason to think this wave won’t be more intense than the post-election fraud events of last summer, which means the resulting crackdown (read: violence against Iran’s own citizens) will be proportional.
Will the Iranians be intimidated into staying home? The government seems to think so, or is at least taking steps to see to it they are. Days ago, Iran hanged two dissidents, Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani, 37, and Arash Rahmani Pour, 20, charged with being “enemies of God” for allegedly plotting to topple the Islamic regime last year. Without question, these brutal executions were seen across the Islamic Republic as a warning to would-be protesters. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians pack the streets every year on February 11th, but this year the mood is different.
Meanwhile, the U.S. is sending more missiles and Navy ships into the Persian gulf, sure to make the Iranians feel at ease:
The buildup began under the Bush administration, but has expanded under President Barack Obama, who is pushing for a new round of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.
Officials said the expansion was meant to increase protection for U.S. forces and key allies in the Gulf.
The chairman of the U.S. military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, said last month the Pentagon must have military options ready to counter Iran should Obama call for them.
How many minutes to midnight?
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