Iran Update: Crowds shout "DEATH TO THE GOVERNMENT" We are witnessing the death of 'Neo Con-ism'

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"Death to the Government" "Death to Dictator"

Something very big is happening in Iran today.

Massive rallies have been tying up Tehran all through the night.

Ahmadinejad in a last minute desperate attack has labelled all of his attackers as "Zionist Agents". NPR went into the rural areas and found that even in traditional poor rural areas that will support Ahmadinejad his support is slipping.

If he doesn't win 51% he will face a single opponent and the final election will become a referendum on Ahmadinejad. Shi-ite culture is based on collective leadership and when any one leader becomes too 'big for their britches' they are taken down. Even if Ahmadinejad should somehow survive, it will not be accepted, he is seriously compromised. Already crowds in Iran are calling "Death to the Government" in a strange reminder to the crowds calling for "Death to the US".

The unintended results of the demise of Ahmadinejad will be to Neo Cons. Neo Cons in Iran and the United States, Israel and Palestine.

Candidate Obama's loan stand among all candidates for talks without precondition set the stage for President Obama's speech in Cairo. The leaders may be restrained but the people in the street and even the urban elites have had enough of the neo con line 'that it is all our way or you are a traitor'.

The key trigger for Neo Con-ism is that we are under attack. It works. It works in the US, Iran, Israel and Palestine. But, to paraphrase Lincoln, "You can make some of the people afraid all of the time, and you can make all of the people afraid some of the time, but you can't keep the world in a permanent state of fear.

Following the President's speech in Cairo, the anit Hamas (calling it 'pro-western' is incredibly chauvinistic) coalition in Lebanon took the first step.

Courageous young people in Iran are taking the second step.

Obama spoke and the Iranian people listened.

And what everyone will see is that you can defeat extremism without a war, engage a country without bombs.

Once that truth is exposed the Neo Con movment in the US, and the mirror images elsewhere will start to wither and die.



Latest pictures:


Presidential Candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi


















Students chant 'death to dictator' in loud protest against Iran president Ahmadinejad

Here is youtube of last night's demonstrations in Iran:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XihzjnK0DG4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUj672BY2YQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9ec6RQ-veU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI6x6L9vJYo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9EK3DURKX4&feature=related

Iran demonstrators aim to see off Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's 'empire of lies'

(see Sky News video here)

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6466740.ece

It was open insurrection, a rebellion of a sort seldom seen in the 30-year history of the Islamic Republic, an eruption of pent-up rage against the repressive Government of President Ahmadinejad.

“Death to the Government,” chanted the several thousand Iranians packed into a football stadium in Tehran. “Death to dictators,” roared the young men and women, draped in green shirts, ribbons, bandanas and headscarves to signal their support for Mir Hossein Mousavi. “Bye-bye Ahmadi,” they sang as they waved a sea of banners for the man who hopes to topple Mr Ahmadinejad in the presidential election on Friday. “Don’t rig the election,” they added for good measure.

Women have suffered particularly badly under Mr Ahmadinejad, and twentysomethings sporting sunglasses, make-up and dyed hair beneath their mandatory headscarves shouted themselves hoarse as speaker after speaker promised an end to repression, despair and the “empire of lies”.

“I feel danger every second I’m on the street because of the morality police,” an arts student called Nina said. As she was speaking another young woman way back in the mêlée scribbled a note and passed it forward. “We need freedom. We want big change. We don’t want liar government,” it declared.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,525812,00.html

Demonstrators Hit the Streets Ahead of Iranian Election

Tensions flared in Tehran Wednesday night as thousands of protesters marched to the state television center, enraged by the discovery that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was being given more airtime than his opponents.

The demonstration came as a leading conservative accused reformists of fomenting a "velvet revolution." Yadollah Javani, a leader of the hardline Revolutionary Guards, said that reformists were going to claim vote-rigging if their candidate, Mir Hossein Mousavi, loses in Friday's presidential elections. He vowed to crush any post-election violence.

As the accusations flew, Hojatoleslam Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former president and powerful cleric, wrote an open letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, complaining about allegations of corruption that Ahmadinejad had levelled against his family in a televised debate last week. He warned that Khamenei’s failure to act against those "lies" could spark social unrest.

Iranian elections: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad could lose as Mousavi emerges as leading challenger

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/5498063/Iranian-elections-Mahmoud-Ahmadinejad-could-lose-as-Mousavi-emerges-as-leading-challenger.html

This election is the most open contest since Iran's revolutionary regime seized power 30 years ago.

For the first time, there is a real chance of a sitting president suffering defeat at the ballot box, an outcome that would be a political earthquake with no precedent anywhere in the Middle East.

Until a few weeks ago, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was the clear favourite to win another four years in power. His three predecessors had all achieved re-election and served two terms.

Moreover, Mr Ahmadinejad seemed to have every political advantage, including the crucial support of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and all the benefits of incumbency, ranging from the official media's lavish praise to control of the government machine.

His most popular opponent, Mohammed Khatami, the former president, had given him an unexpected bonus by abandoning the race for the presidency.

Yet the campaign's final weeks have changed everything. Mir-Hossein Mousavi, a former prime minister, has emerged as the president's leading challenger.

Mr Mousavi has managed to tap a well of discontent over the hardships inflicted by Iran's stagnant economy and crushing levels of unemployment. Televised debates have allowed him to attack Mr Ahmadinejad directly and appeal to the country's youthful electorate.

Behind the scenes, Mr Mousavi appears to have powerful supporters. Mr Khatami, who served as president between 1997 and 2005 and still commands a large following, has backed him from the outset. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, another former president, denounced Mr Ahmadinejad in unsparing terms on Wednesday.