Those Cops Are Imported?-"commandos" on the bikes are Hezbollah arabs

[kpete]

If true, another sign of how desperate the regime is. A reader writes:

*** Just got off the phone with my dad. He leaves in northern Tehran, off Afrika Blvd.

He said that most iranians believe that a lot of the "commandos" on the bikes are Hezbollah arabs brought in to do to the citizens what a Persian cop would refuse to do. Accordingly when the protesters knock one of the biker thugs off they are being particularly brutal, believing that the rider is Arab.

Bank storefronts have been smashed all over northern Tehran. Mousavi, Khatami and Rafsanjani are allegedly meeting at Mousavi's house (who is under house arrest) and are planning their next move. People there are waiting for further instructions from Mousavi. In my dad's neighborhood BBC Persia and Voice of America have been knocked off the satellite but not in all parts. Sorry this is rambling I'm getting constant calls from Tehran. Will speak to my father again in two hours and will let you know anything new.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/06/those-cops-are-imported.html

VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlu-qx8ohL8&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fandrewsullivan.theatlantic.com%2Fthe_daily_dish%2F2009%2F06%2Fthe-election-was-stolen-ctd.html&feature=player_embedded

[magellan]

1. That's really playing with fire if true

Bad enough putting cops in that volatile situation, but Arabs who represent the extremist views Mousavi's supporters have rejected? No love lost there.

Thankfully it seems as if some of the bikers -- be they Hezbollah or not -- are being protected by some in the crowd.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5847636

May cooler heads prevail.

[rainbow4321]

18. On one of the blogs I read that the protesters can tell which are being imported

and which are the local "cops/bat swinging bikers"...apparently they are being a little more sympathetic to the locals, not so much to the imports. The imports are getting the shit beat out of them (as they should be) when the protesters can get to them.
New "technique" is being used, I assume by the imports, they are putting 2 riders to a bike, one for driving, the other for bat swinging the protesters who they try to run over.

[thewiseguy]

25. Iranians already know about this

Its been known that regime uses militias from Palestine and Lebanon to suppress the people.

In fact the Lebanese Hezbollah is helping to block the BBCPersian signals in the region..

[BlooInBloo]

2. Maybe.

[NightWatcher]

3. does Blackwater (or Xe) do business over there?

I know they probably dont work for Iran, but Mercs are not limited to our government

[Canuckistanian]

11. Highly unlikely

Blackwater would be seen as a radical Christian organization.

The mullahs are still in charge of Iran, no matter what happens.

[Alamuti Lotus]

4. so the losers are resorting to basic racism as well now?

[DCKit]

5. It's not racism. It's hiring mercenaries in a situation where your own police and military...

would, more than likely, refuse to do the job. It's also alleged - we don't know yet.

However, just one story of an Iranian policeman or soldier coming face-to-face with his mother, father, sister or brother during a riot, and it would send shockwaves through the ranks. They are each someone's son and citizens of the country. Asking them to beat or kill their own family members is a dangerous proposition.

[Alamuti Lotus]

6. they're being extra cruel to the cops because they think they're Arabs

that's not racism?? it's not even proven, but speculated in the midst of a situation where most speculations will naturally suck.

[DCKit]

8. I'm thinking "outsiders" more than "Arabs".

I've only known a few Iranians, but those were some incredibly tolerant people. But they also had a very strong sense of justice, knew the difference between right and wrong and always stood up for their rights. If they believe anyone has been brought in to subvert the democratic process they were promised, can you blame them for going apeshit?

Whether or not these are outsiders, Arabs, Syrians or Martians, there's a fight on and the people are on the right side of the argument. They were offered an opportunity for change, via a democratic election, only to have the election stolen. Again.

Stick a fork in 'em, the Ayatollahs are done.

[BlooInBloo]

10. Here's an example of how cruel they're being to the cops...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttxINV_EF50

[varelse]

32. looks like they burned the motorcycle

but helped the cop to a quiet spot, and gave him some water. I didn't see any obvious brutality or any injuries.

[havocmom]

30. If 'cops' from some other nation were on streets in your neighborhood...

racism or defense of your nation? BIG difference. Would you sit still for foreign mercenaries beating college kids in your town or would you defend your neighbors? That wouldn't be racism, that is self defense by a nation.

I don't think Iraqis fighting US invaders are concerned with race. They probably just didn't like the whole invasion thing.

[Chulanowa]

9. Right, it's alleged

But I can tell you right now, that allegation is bound to be false. It's an effort to legitimatize attacks on the police ("they're dirty Arabs!"), and incite more of the same ("They're bringing in mercenaries to attack us!") and try to garner sympathy from the west while doing so ("We're beating up terrorists!").

A nice mixture of urban legend and propaganda. Want to make a guess on the odds of Iran shipping in a bunch of Lebanese men to do this? And really, saying that the Iranian cops would "refuse to do the job" is dumb. Cops are cops, no matter what nation they're in. Give them a chance to legally beat the fuck out of anyone they want for any reason with overpowering force, and they'll jump on it.

[DCKit]

12. You make Ghandi cry. n/t

[Chulanowa]

15. And I hate to see a dead man cry.

Aside from displaying your inability to spell the Mahatma's last name, do you have anything further to add to your statement?

[SoxFan]

22. A "Defy Authority" graphic and you defend a theocratic dictatorship.

Nice work.

[Chulanowa]

26. That's amazingly stupid

I'm not defending a theocratic dictatorship. I'm saying hte claim being made is illogical, and reeks of propaganda.

It's not a zero sum game here, SoxFan. I'd be more than happy to see the Iranian Theocracy relegated to a history book. Doesn't mean I'm going to swallow racist incitement tripe from "Twitter."

[varelse]

28. I thought the Iranian government was funding and arming Hezbollah?

not that this, in and of itself, would add any legitimacy to the rumors that imported Hezbollah "soldiers" were brought in to suppress the demonstrations. Just sayin' - there is a known relationship between the incumbent regime and the Arab organization.

[iamtechus]

7. What about the english labeling on the cops' riot gear? nt

[pinto]

13. Apparently common in Iran, the English "Police" and the Farsi "Niroye entezami" -

Official translation : niroye entezami (Disciplinary forces)
Common term : the same "Police" (pronounced: "Polis")

On top they have used "Police" in their English title and the Farsi term reads "Niroye entezami"

http://www.proz.com/kudoz/english_to_farsi/military_defense/1199061-police.html

[bahrbearian]

14. Ooo the Outrage

its Ok when it happens here?

[Chulanowa]

16. They're white and they speak Amurkan

So yeah.

[starroute]

17. China had to bring troops from the provinces to shoot up Tiananmin

I don't know why it's so hard to believe that outsiders would be brought in to repress Tehran. I'm sure the Roman emperors used German mercenaries to put down their own local unrest. It's the way the thing has always been done.

[Posteritatis]

19. "the provinces" weren't a foreign country when Tiannanmen happened (nt)

[shadowknows69]

20. Off topic a bit but it struck me as weird that all the police gear was in english

Did they buy from a US cop surplus shop or something or is that normal for ME countries?

[backscatter712]

21. They're not Lebanon's Hezbollah, they're Ansar-Hezbollah, an Iranian conservative vigilante group.

In other words, Iran's von Brunns and Scott Roeders are on those motorbikes.

I'm finding Twitter is about the only source of live information that's not being completely blocked - people from Iran are using satellite connections or old dial-up connections to send out tweets.

http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23IranElection

[RollWithIt]

24. Ding Ding Ding... we have a winner... nt

[thewiseguy]

29. Although what he said was partly true...

These anti riot guards are not made up completely of Iranians.

In fact some are arabs and have been heard to be speaking Arabic.

[Garbo 2004]

23. "he said that most Iranians believe" hardly provides a factual basis for what sounds like rumor &

possibly propaganda.

The spin: "real Persians" wouldn't attack their fellow citizens. Must be "Arab foreigners."

However, Iran's history has ample evidence to the contrary of what citizens will do to other citizens. As do other nations.

[HarvardMed]

27. Why would they need to hire foreign commandos?

[Kurska]

31. Simple, if the local cops start deserting

The Czar did the same thing in the wanning days of the Russian empire.

[chatnoir]

33. A tweet a few hrs ago mentioning Hizballah said:

"Reports of "Hizballah" activity in #iranelection refer to Ansar-Hizballah, a conservative vigilante group, NOT Hizb'allah of Lebanon."

http://twitter.com/joshmull

# Name Josh *UJ* Mull
# Location Huntsville, Alabama
# Web http://aliveinbagdad.org
# Bio Contributing Editor for Small World News - Alive in Baghdad, Co-Creator and Editor of Alive in Gaza, Citizen Journalism Underground