Iran has arrested filmmakers, bloggers, minorities and lawyers and imposed limits on the public's use of the Web to try to squelch dissent and contact with the outside world ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections on Thursday, the human rights group Amnesty International reported Monday.
Iranian authorities have detained more than 10 journalists, writers and bloggers, as well as members of religious and ethnic minorities since campaigning began, apparently to dissuade people from criticizing the government or participating in protests to mark the anniversary of "Arab Spring" uprisings around the Mideast, Amnesty said in a 71-page report.
The authorities also issued new rules in January requiring Internet cafe owners to install closed-circuit cameras and collect customers’ names and contact information, both of which must be kept for six months, it said.
"The noose just seems to be tightening," said Elise Auerbach, an Iran specialist for Amnesty. "The hand of the government seems to be everywhere and I think people have reason to fear that … there’s nowhere to hide."
Security forces -– including a new cyber police unit –- can monitor activists as they use personal computers in their homes. A new cyber army -- reportedly connected to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard -- has conducted attacks on websites at home and abroad, the report said.
Human Rights Watch also recently noted the government's focus on the Internet in the run-up to the elections for the 290-seat parliament, noting a judiciary threat that those who called for a boycott of the ballot -- as reformists and opposition activists have done -- would be prosecuted.
"Unfortunately it seems the only lesson authorities learned from the popular protests that followed the disputed (presidential) election (in) 2009 is that the free flow of information is an existential threat to their ability to rule absolutely," Joe Stork, Human Rights Watch's deputy Middle East director, said in January.
The Tor Network, which provides free software for anonymous use of the Internet, reported that on Feb. 9, Tehran began filtering keywords and throttling or shutting down access to sites that use a form of security called Secure Socket Layers, or SSL. The action is blocking email and some Web access for as many as 30 million Iranians who use SSL-protected sites, reported CBR Systems & Network Security, a European technology organization.
Related Story: Iran blocking 30 million from email, Web ahead of election
In early January, Iran’s intelligence minister said secret services had arrested several people on charges of spying for the United States and seeking to undermine the elections. State TV quoted Heidar Moslehias saying that the suspects were in touch with their contacts outside the country via the Internet, The Associated Press reported. Separately, a top Iranian law enforcement official described Google as an "espionage tool" in mid-January, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Five documentary directors and a producer-distributor with links to outside broadcasters were arrested in September. All were held in prison, with limited contact with their families, until they were all released on bail by mid-December.
Amnesty said that harassment and imprisonment of human rights activists also had increased as part of a "worsening overall human rights situation in Iran," includung the shuttering of several nonprofit groups. It also reported that public executions quadrupled from 2010 to 2011 as authorities sought to "strike fear into society."
Some observers see the large 2009 protests in Iran as the precursor to those of the 2011 Arab Spring. Iranian opposition leaders who called for the solidarity demonstrations in February 2011 -- Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi -- have been under de facto house arrest since then, Amnesty said, though Mehdi Karroubi’s wife was released last July.
"They (the Islamic Republic) are going to use everything they have to ensure that these elections are conducted in a peaceful way and that the turnout is high," Mohsen Milani, professor of politics and chair of the department of Government and International Affairs at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Fla., told msnbc.com.
They've "arrested people who in their mind are troublemakers" and are trying to stifle social media networks, Mohsen said. They've also noted they will step up security and have alerted people to the potential for violence -- a strategy they can use to tell the public, 'We told you so,' in case there are problems or declare victory, in the case there are not, he added.
"I’ve never seen the Islamic Republic … being as careful about elections as they are this time in terms of security measures. They are ready," he said.
Mohsen said he believed that Iran's "oppressive measures" would continue after the vote, warning, "I believe they will intensify in the coming month and year."
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"Hey, it looks like there's a bunch of fires next door!"
"Quick! Pour gasoline all over our house!"
Iran really needs to learn to read the mood.
The last elections were rigged and these will be too. No one will win in the elections unless the Mullahs and the Ayatolah want them to win.
I agree, JS, but the very fact that Iran feels compelled to squelch the free interchange of information on the internet tells me that the current regime is ripe for change (meaning collapse), as did the loud protests following their last "free" elections.
The nation of Iran is not composed 70 million religious fanatics, each intent only on how they can impose Sharia law on the entire world, or go out in a blaze of nuclear glory. If you have ever met anybody from this country, or seen anything relating to their culture, you soon realize that there is a large sector of the population who hold far more sophisticated and secular beliefs, and who are more sympathetic to the west.
Or course there is also a highly conservative demographic group, who espouse strict religious observances, and there is, I believe, an even large number of people who really do not care much either way about religious issues, which is true of most countries.
I'm hopeful that Iran is ready to change internally, and in the near future.
Chester, your spouting off about 'dreamers and liberals' shows you haven't a clue what our nation's military, intelligence and state department analysts are actually proposing, as well as their counterparts in Israel.
------------------------------------------------
Experts Say Iran Attack Is Irrational, Yet [Right-Wing Chicken] Hawks Are Winning the Debate
Excerpts:
From the chairman of the Joint Chiefs to the head of Mossad, the experts are speaking out against attacking Iran over its nuclear program, but hawks like the GOP presidential candidates are drowning out the warnings.
The debate over whether Israel should attack Iran rests on three basic questions. First, if Iran’s leaders got the bomb, would they use it or give it to people who might? Second, would a strike substantially retard Iran’s nuclear program? Third, if Israel attacks, what will Iran do in response?
The vast majority of people opining on these questions—myself very much included—lack the expertise to answer. We’ve never directed a bombing campaign; we have no secret sources in Tehran; we don’t spend our days studying the Iranian regime. So essentially, we decide which experts to trust.
As it happens, both the American and Israeli governments boast military and intelligence agencies charged with answering exactly these sorts of questions. And with striking consistency, the people who run, or ran, those agencies are warning—loudly—against an attack.
And who are the hawks who have so far marginalized the defense and intelligence establishments in both Israel and the U.S.? They’re a collection of think-tankers and politicians, most absolutely sincere, in my experience. But from Rick Santorum to John McCain to Elliott Abrams to John Bolton, their defining characteristic is that they were equally apocalyptic about the threat from Iraq, and equally nonchalant about the difficulties of successfully attacking it. The story of the Iraq debate was, in large measure, the story of their triumph over the career military and intelligence officials—folks like Eric Shinseki and Joseph Wilson—whose successors are now warning against attacking Iran.
How can it be, less than a decade after the U.S. invaded Iraq, that the Iran debate is breaking down along largely the same lines, and the people who were manifestly, painfully wrong about that war are driving the debate this time as well?
www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/02/21/experts-say-iraq-attack-is-irrational-yet-hawks-are-winning-the-debate.html
rradico, maybe its part of a long range plan?
What happens if Ahdinemajad does not win this Election?
I am certainly very "concerned".
Yes, he needs to assassinate all the critics, and dissidents to get all the votes. Big job---the jails must be full, and where did he hide the dissidents in mass graves?, including the people from the earlier Protests?
What a farce---No worry, Ahdinemajad will win. He needs to complete his Nuclear Facilities, and Nuclear Research--Warfare to wipe Western Society off the face of the map.
The Iranians stay in line--they will vote for the right person. Syrian President Assad has a similar Voting Situation--Slaughter---
Elections in Iran will be as big a joke as elections in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other Muslim nations.
In Muslim nations, elections, democracy, human rights, women freedom, secular, progressive, liberal, love, peace, moderate, making a living by hard work and fair means, gratefulness, loyalty/asset to a society and nation and all those big words are as per the interpretations of right to left dictionary!
But there is slight problem. We have at least major ones: one Sunni and another Shiites!
Still if there are major problems: Muslims have the best Ramadan style soap operas for all times and seasons!
Good thinking, there Chester, totally disengaged from the real world, but damn entertaining nevertheless.
The trouble with some conservatives is that they conserve mental energy by never thinking. Iran is no where near the threat you make it, nor can it be.
Jonathan, I know from your previous posts that facts do not interest you. But Turkey has had a democratic government since the 1920s and Iran had a democracy, until the U.S. and British supported a military coup and toppled it, way back in the 50s.
But don't let that stop you from posting your nonsense.
rradiko - Thanks for the excerpt you posted. It won't dissuade many of the arm-chair hawks and shoot from the hip types, who are sure that the solution of any issue can come from the barrel of a gun, or the detonation of a bomb.
The nuke'm all and let god sort'm out type is a pretty committed individual.
This is typical of all dictatorships whether of phony cleric sand their brutal Isalmic Revolution or Stalinist types like Chavez and Ortega .But what makes Iran the danger that it is.. is its 32 years of terrorist attacks all over the world.And their crimes against the peace and humanity.and their Hitler like ranting and raving of conquering the world in the name of Allah and Mohamed which is no different than what the nazis did with their Aryan race and pyscho perverted programs.The Aytollahs will end up dead in their bunkers just like HItler and his gang did.But much faster and easier.The attacks will not only finish off their nuke bombs but also this ferocious and mass murdering regime.Most of the world will cheer,when this regime is overturned.They have been victims of attacks and threats as well. Argentina,India,Jordan.Egypt .Thailand ,Georgia and many more places.The attack will be multinational.with the support of Arab and Muslim countries. It will be a surprise attack and of course and you won`t read about iy first on MSNCBC news.It wil be devastating and massive.LIke Hitler brought great ruin to Germany.the ayatollahs will do the same to Iran!!
dman: I know that Trojan horses in our nations like you have taken over moderator's job on our posts.
I know the history of Turkey very well and you don't need to give your partisan views on that nation.
For likes of you in your own seventh century desert hell holes, only what you people tell/talk/post are true, realities and facts and what others mention are nonsense.
You people confuse each every issue with a bunch of typical garbage!
If your Muslim nations, especially Sunni ones, are so good why don't you people move there and reduce a good amount of burden on us?
Iran wants to be attacked, all signs point to it.
Basically, it is how the clerics have stayed in power. Tactics employed in any country in the world, and now present in Iran are, "I am unjust and all powerful, but you need be, because of enemy ___— (Insert USA and Israel in Iran's case)." And you might think that makes me against attacking Iran, but instead, I am all for it. Give them what they want. Well, Israel should. And the way an attack will be done is with air strikes, not some ground invasion.
The only thing Iran can actually do to save itself is have a revolution. There's no chance of it, but a quick coup would be preferred. Instead, it would look more like Syria. But really, that's STILL hoping. Iran wants to be attacked and is making a nuke to make sure it is attacked, and so it has to be done.
Oh yeah Derek, Iran wants to be attacked. You must be delusionalor you think the leaders of Iran are delusional. No country wants to be attacked.
All the posters on this forum who claim to know what Iran will do are either smoking something or just posting Israeli propaganda and fear mongering. Here is some commentary from experts in our defense department. Apparently, they don't share the same views as Netanyahu and his band on Zioniust war mongers.
http://www
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2012/0216/Threats-to-US-Pentagon-officials-drop-three-surprises/Doubts-about-Iran-s-nuclear-ambitions
Doubts about Iran's nuclear ambitions
Despite the hype surrounding Iran’s pursuit of nuclear technology, the country's leaders are “not likely” to develop weapons unless attacked, the panel said.
The same goes for plans to close the vital Strait of Hormuz waterway, according to General Burgess. Though Iran can close the strait (“at least temporarily”), launch missiles, and even tap terrorist surrogates worldwide “if attacked,” military-intelligence officials assess that it is “unlikely to initiate or unintentionally provoke a conflict.”
What’s more, senior intelligence officials expressed some doubt that Iranian officials are actively interested in developing a nuclear weapon.
Said James Clapper, director of national intelligence (DNI): “There are certain things that they have not yet done and have not done for some time.”
On this point, the panel was robustly challenged by some lawmakers. “I’m very convinced that they’re going down the road to developing a nuclear weapon,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) of South Carolina.
Still, the Pentagon officials stuck to their analysis. Though Iran has enough highly enriched uranium to build a weapon “if political leaders chose to do so,” Burgess explained, he said that the prospect of stepped-up sanctions is frightening to Iranian officials. “I don’t think they want a nuclear weapon at any price.”
csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2012/0216/Threats-to-US-Pentagon-officials-drop-three-surprises/Doubts-about-Iran-s-nuclear-ambitions
Doubts about Iran's nuclear ambitions
Despite the hype surrounding Iran’s pursuit of nuclear technology, the country's leaders are “not likely” to develop weapons unless attacked, the panel said.
The same goes for plans to close the vital Strait of Hormuz waterway, according to General Burgess. Though Iran can close the strait (“at least temporarily”), launch missiles, and even tap terrorist surrogates worldwide “if attacked,” military-intelligence officials assess that it is “unlikely to initiate or unintentionally provoke a conflict.”
What’s more, senior intelligence officials expressed some doubt that Iranian officials are actively interested in developing a nuclear weapon.
Said James Clapper, director of national intelligence (DNI): “There are certain things that they have not yet done and have not done for some time.”
On this point, the panel was robustly challenged by some lawmakers. “I’m very convinced that they’re going down the road to developing a nuclear weapon,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) of South Carolina.
Still, the Pentagon officials stuck to their analysis. Though Iran has enough highly enriched uranium to build a weapon “if political leaders chose to do so,” Burgess explained, he said that the prospect of stepped-up sanctions is frightening to Iranian officials. “I don’t think they want a nuclear weapon at any price.”
Iran is not North Korea and their people are not starving .. Their elections may be a farce but their nuclear technology is not .. the USA could defeat Iran quickly but would never be able to successfully occupy .. Israel can not defeat Iran with out a Nuclear attack .and that would put them out of business ... the sanctions Iran have just imposed on France and the UK ..will hurt those economys .. far more than the sanctions now imposed on Iran ... Linsey Graham ..Joe Lieberman .. and other fear mongers would have America believe Iran is capable of useing Nuclear weapons on America
Ok, jonathan, I think you need to move to a heavier gauge in your tin-foil hat. The cosmic rays are getting through.
dman: You need better glasses than your seventh century desert ones!
I guess the Iranian leadership hasn't yet caught on that we've entered the information age. You can't suppress communication indefinitely.
Perhaps not communication, but they can control the people for a long time before something gives. I don't expect the regime to go down anytime soon, not when they're prepared to use violence to suppress opposition. I don't think Syria will go down anytime soon either, for the same reason.
Assad's autocratic rule is already doomed from within.
His regime's malicious censoring of the free-flow of information from and to his own people before the onset of a national vote is antithetical to Iran's constitutional democracy -- and the majority of the Iranians understand this -- but I suspect that most of them are afraid to speak up save for the rebels getting massacred.
And there's no point save a diversionary tactic in Assad's Machiavellian and badly-timed proposal of multi-party rule into a new constitution, when his opponents are forcefully silenced, jailed or killed off.
In such an oppressive militant regime, who wins? The Iranian Mullahs. They beat the drums of war because they know it immensely strengthens their power base coming from their masses of religious followers. The same thing is happening in the United States with one fourth of our electorate. The radical right-wing is beating the drums of war, irrationally encouraging our nation to invade Iran, because it rallies their power base in an election year coming from their conservative, Christian followers that consider every "patriotic," bible-thumping word they say in their campaign, as gospel.
And if the Mullahs get their wish of war against the west, they will regret it. They will be "thrust up against the wall," during the heat of mob rule in a civil war they promoted.
But I digress. In regards to Assad's reign, history show these types of tyrannical attempts to suppress their people's rights by force, only delays a landslide end to their government.
--------------------------------------
"The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers."
Regarding Assad, and history showing that "these types of tyrannical attempts to suppress their people's rights by force, only delays a landslide end to their government," actually history doesn't show any such thing.
Israel has denied the basic rights of an occupied Palestinian population by force for 44 years, with no end in sight. In fact, Israel continues to confiscate the property of the occupied population using a variety of devices and artifices, including Israel's illegal wall of separation and property theft, and even denies the existence of a Palestinian Arab population.
"There is no such thing as a Palestinian." --- Prime Minister of Israel Golda Meir, 1969
"Israel should treat the Palestinians the way Saddam Hussein dealt with the Kurds." --- Uzi Landau, on his appointment in 2000 to the Israeli Cabinet by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Landau's remark was greeted with thunderous applause and cheers from the assembled dignitaries.
And Israel's illegal occupation is rewarded and perpetuated by hapless, uninformed, well-meaning, diligent, hard-working, patriotic US taxpayers to the tune of more than $3 billion annually, and more than $123 billion in total US aid to Israel. Israel uses that generosity to buy, among other things, armored robot bulldozers from Caterpillar Corp. in Illinois. The bulldozers provide safety for their remote military operators as they destroy Palestinian homes and businesses, rip up olive groves and smash farm buildings, sometimes in reprisal for acts of resistance to the occupation, which Israel and its US neocon and news media followers call "terrorism." Israel also used robot bulldozers in its attack on Gaza in 2008-09 to wreak death and destruction.
And the Mullahs aren't the only ones who preach hate and violence. In addition to Israeli Cabinet Minister Landau, the radical Rabbi Ovadia Yosef has declared, "The Arabs are vipers, we must exterminate their seed." Rabbi Yosef is the founder and spiritual leader of the Shas Party of Israel, which instead of being shunned by Israeli society and the electorate, has now been welcomed into two successive Israeli governments.
Israel is now ranked as the most militarized, weaponized nation on earth, and the world's number six military superpower [Jane's Intelligence Review]. Israel can convert Iran, in fact all of its Arab and Muslim enemies simultaneously, into a burned out, irradiated cinder of sand and dust in a matter of minutes.
A quick quiz: In the last 250 years, how many of its neighbors has Iran attacked? Answer: None of them. Since its founding in 1948, how many of its neighbors has Israel attacked? Answer: All of them.
Now which country in the Middle East is a greater threat to its neighbors?
Iran is now following the Japanese model of nuclear development, with the important addition of IAEA inspectors being involved. Japan's program is peaceful, but with a weapons potential. Iran wants deterrence from the palpable threat from Israel, and also finding itself bracketed by the US occupations of Iraq to the west, and Afghanistan to the east. This is the strategic vision of the neocons: to target and contain Israel's enemies. Israel wants to continue to be the only bully on the block, able to attack and invade its neighbors with impunity, as it has always done.
On 9/11 the US was attacked for the second time on US soil (the first time in 1992) for three specific reasons, the most important being reflexive, obedient, unquestioned US support of Israel. The attackers told us this in blunt, clear, plain English, as Al Jazeera English and other Arab news channels reported. The last US President to successfully stand up to Israel was President Eisenhower, way back in 1957. Ike told Israel to get out of Suez or he would cut off all US aid. Israel got out of Suez. Obama, showing himself to be the weak, quisling, spineless alleged leader that he clearly is, caved in to Israel and its dictatorial lobby because he wants to get reelected.
When the USA adopts a Middle East policy made in America, not made in Tel Aviv and West Jerusalem, Iran and the Mullahs will be a non-issue and the American people will be safe.
I thought we are in information and communication technology (ICT) age.
Do the "information" have to come only from the Saudi paid pipers like human rights group Amnesty International and others like them?
Most of these rights groups, think tanks, UN, Crosses of all brands were slowly going out of business after Iraqi wars. Saudis and their agents did not have much use for them.
Syria and Iran have reached "critical" stages! "Oil" very critical! Saudis monies are most critical for some!
Now they are busy and back to their normal brisk business with "information", for which there are many in the world to clap and cheer.
Of course, there are many, who dance and shriek, based on the "information" provided by them too!
Um, and is this any of our business or just propaganda to stir up sentiments against the country?
It's just news, man. Sometimes countries do things that aren't nice, and reporters tell us about them. Not every story has to have an agenda.
How pitiful, a government that dares the world to mess with them,acts so big and tough are scared of their own people.
Shows how cowardly the Ayotollah truly is.
Theocracies should become a thing of the past, hopefully Irans turn will be soon.
Meanwhile, republican legislatures are trying their damnedest at voter suppression over here. Trying to take away constitutional rights that Americans have died to give us all.
That's a lie.
Really? You haven't seen all the voter suppression laws that have been passed in the twelve months? Or did you think I was lying about Americans sacrificing their lives to bring us that freedom?
That would be voter fairness to ensure only eligible votes are cast. Of course some peoples brains are toast from smoking all that damm dope, and wouldn't understand fairness if it bit them on the butt.
Sorry guys, but all the good intentions in the world don't justify the outcome of voter suppression. It's illegal, unconstitutional, and above all un-American.
So in order to fix a non-existent, hypothetical problem, you support voter suppression. I guess I can't change your mind about that, but I can tell you that I certainly wouldn't want to have something that evil on my conscience...
In any case, I'll ask you again: please give me one anti-American post I've ever made. My comment history is right there in my profile. Go on. Take your time if you need to.
Hummmmmmmmmmmmm ... chester12 ... you sound like Joe McCarthy! ..
LOL
Toasty McGrath wouldn't know the truth if it walked up, bent him over, and gave it to him raw.
I once saw him get into an arguement with a bunch of people about who was more violent, liberals or conservatives. He posted ten links to stories that were supposed to be about violent conservatives, and as I was intrigued, I decided to check them out. The thing was, NONE of the links he posted led to stories about violent conservatives. Not one.
After a little investigating, I found this to be par for the course for Toasty.
He's a liberal lunatic with no intellectual substance at all.
Also, with all the progressive liberals who bark at anyone who disagrees with them to "shut up" or "get off of newsvine", I'd say that it is they who are the ones working on oppression. ;)
So let me get this straight. A bunch of Ron Paul fanatics stomp a young woman's head into a cement curb... And you don't think that's violent? A nutjob flying his plane into a government building isn't violent? Cutting an elected official's gas line isn't violent? Shooting my congresswoman in the head isn't violent?
LOL
Like I said, no substance.
The "stomping" video was one person who started to act like an idiot, and was immediately corrected.
Joe Stack made it very clear that he was fed up with ALL political parties before flying into the IRS building.
You have NO PROOF that Jared Laughner is a conservative. You don't have to be conservative to hate liberals. All you have to do is be fed up.
Toasty Mcgrath, I agree with you on the republicans trying to surpress voters by passing ID laws. If you look at every state that has passed these laws their all republican controled. Here in Indiana the only one that has been charged and convicted was our great Charley. 1 count of voter fraud, 5 counts of felony who was elected to his office but it's taken 2 years to send his a@@, He got home suspention. Another republican for us
Ron Paul is in the news almost everytime that our free press mentions that piece of distended rectum Romney and the Crusader Santatorium. Iran voting bad USA good.
"TRUTH is the enemy of the STATE"
Paul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany
Thats why Ron Paul is ignored.
He's also a clown. That's the bigger reason he's "ignored."
I say vote everyone one of those F politicians out of office and put new ones in the ones we have now including the President are as worthless as balls on a moth and they all including the President have a F yellow streak down there backs.
Do moths not need balls?
How about this, a completely new Congress, a completely new President, completely new canidates for those offices, throw out the Super-Pacs and all the influence the mega-rich have on elections, and then maybe just maybe could we have a good government again.
How about this...Obama 2012 and E Warren 2016....and yes throw all the Republicanpukes and Teabaggers out...There all Idiots and morons.
Maze, for the better future of this country, please pack up your things and leave.
Jimmy learn to spell or shut up. On the second thought just shut up you're an idiot.
That's not the way to go, you need to look at their performance in their comunity and what they do in congress. Dick Lugar is a person that I respected till he stated toading to the teaparty. There are good reps in congress but we need to get rid of this teaparty mentality
Keep Your Eyes On The Ball
CNN (the voice of the CIA)
After selling Libya
They are now trying very hard to sell Syria.
They Say " Assad is killing his people. His whole intent is to kill those that want Democracy"
Fact:
The rebels (revolutionaries) are with Al Qaeda (who has been sending in suicide bombers into Damascus)
And they are using the civilians as HUMAN SHIELDS.
CNN keeps saying all the people just want Democracy and they are just demonstrating peacefully and Assad is killing them.
They could give a rats as- about Democracy! Al Qaeda just wants to kill Americans and anyone else that sets foot on Moslem territory that is not a Moslem.
We got Arab Brotherhood in Egypt. Thanks CNN
We got the people attacking us while we were in Iraq now in charge in Libya. Thanks CNN
What is the CIA up too.
Putting extreme pressure on Israel ? Their neighbors are radicals now.
Does Israel want this? The armies of all those countries have been destroyed. Maybe Israel wins everything with a war now.
Everyone that can think knows that if Iran had the atomic bomb it would be SUICIDE for their people if they ever used it.
Russia/China are aligned with Syria and Iran.
China is investing heavily in Afganistan and is therefore aligned with them.
12/22/2012 ?
Let me guess, you just happened to conveniently misplace all those credible citations you were planning to use to support your conspiracy theory?
What is 12/22/202 supposed to signify?
The WEB-BOT Program
Was devised to pick stocks on stock market.
Came up with something about aircraft hitting Twin Towers on 9/11.
After 9/11 they loaded all info into program.
Came up mankind termination date 22 Dec 2012.
Shinwa philosphers 300 C.E. of China predicted mankind would end on 22 Dec.2012.
Mayan Calender (Long Count Calender) ends on 22 Dec.2012. Also tells date at start of mankind on earth. Do not know if that has been verified or not. The date when Long Count Calender began.
Caldera Volcano at Yellostone Park has gone off with massive eruption has erupted every 80,000 years. It is 6000 years past due. The rock from volcano reches New York!
adum
just supposing you put down wrong date (12/22/202)
Iresponded to 12/22/2012? ?
precededing post misspelled reachs
u can Google All mentioned
It is late
only excuse for so many misspelled words
preceding for precededing above
Toasty likes Conspiracies
One you have not heard.
Remember the story of Secretary of War Stanton.
Telling Gen. U.S. Grant not to go to the theater when he was asked by President Lincoln ?
It aroused my curiosity. Did some research. Found a book written by some unknown author named Wisserman or Wasserman.
Seems he was Sec. Stantons secretary. He lived at Rutledge House. Heard John Wilkes Booth and conspirators planning assasination.
He told Stanton.
After Lincoln assasinated remember how quick they rounded everyone up .
And Secretary Of War Stanaton standing at the foot of the bed Lincoln lay on,saying when he passed, that now he belongs to the ages.
General Alpert Pike of Confederate Army was the grand-pooh-ba of Freemasons in U.S.
He needed a complete pardon since he had served the Confederacy. President Andrew Johnson gave him that complete pardon and Pike conferred on Johnson his 33Degree.
All was done in Freemason Lodge Washington D.C.
Good enough for to-nite.
Tomorrow I will tell the story of how J.Edgar Hoover attained his 33 Degree. A rank usually reserved for Presidents of U.S.
Albert Pike
Formed the Klu Klux Klan. Outline of organization.
Read a book or two on Worshipful Master of Freemasons.
He was an extremely LARGE (in size) human being.
I believe the Iranian leader. They want nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
Expect anything else from the leaders? Excuse me, criminals that run this backward country. Afraid of their own people.
Iranians have no reason to fear. God is making the decisions for them. So they must be right.
I also believe the Ayatollah. When he said that Allah spoke to him when the last Ayatollah died. Then a light came out of the dead Ayatollah then floated across the room and went into the new Ayatollah. Thus giving him the unquestionable authority to rule Persia. Allah be praised. God has blessed him. Iran doesn't need free elections. Gods will has chosen these leaders. Allah is great.
Sounds good to me! Why would anyone have a problem with that? ;-)
@ Leroy,, You are so funny, haha.
You don't have to go to Iran to hear this kind of stuff. last week on Glen Beck, Rick Santorum's wife said that it was God's will that they had done so well in the campaign. Maybe Rick is secretly an Ayatollah?
Well, if I were the Ayatollah I'd certainly tell everybody that God ordained me personally...
Leroy, your an idiot...
It's: Leroy, you're an idiot. At least spell it right. Least you be a poster child for how bad our educational system is.
Is anyone really suprised?
If the people don't like it they can rise up as the Syrians, Lybians, and the Egyptians did. Of course I'm sure many never expected the end result as they are all now worse off.
This is what Nazi did in the 30's.. now its just a different name........and a different form of commucation. They need to put a bomb up that guys a**
I would be paranoid too if I was an official there.
Where are the hacker groups now? This is the sort of thing they should be involving themselves with. They don't need to support the opposition, but they do need to stop the censorship of the Iranian (et al.) political system.
Well, I hate to say it, but Iran's leaders will never be stopped UNTIL it's people understand that they have to stop the government themselves. Protesting is everyone's right, BUT when they hold all the cards and they make people disappear. Well then it is time for the people to say ... ok, I'm not going to live like this. I will get my gun and walk up to those in power (The nut-ball President or the holy then thou leader himself) and send them to meet their maker. Yes it will cost them their lives most likely. BUT it sends a powerful message to would be dictators. The so called elected officials in Iran rule by murder and intimidation. They will ONLY be removed by the same tools they use to hold power.
Its just going to be blamed on George Bush and jews, anyway so whats the big deal?
The Ayatollahs days are numbered.
Will we see a Farsi Spring? Vote for Baby Hitler Ahmadinejad or be executed by Hezbollah.
Unfortunately for the good people of Iran, not as long as they have the secret police and army behind them.
“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”
George Washington
We are tired of MSN.Spain (News) they are not independient, they make "oral sex" to Spanish Socialist Party, from many years ago. You only need to see the news in this country. MSN USA, can you help us? Thanks.
..Yeah, and what about China, Saudi Arabia and the rest of our friends?
So: Iran is run by a bunch of paranoid fanatics. Meanwhile, the rest of the world offers it little but reason to be more paranoid. Hard to see how this can end well for average folks in Iran, or in America or Israel, for that matter.
i guess i am not sure why i am not understanding something here. take South america, and mexico, we got guys hoppin our fences all the way from argentina. why dont these people who do not like the government, like a differen ones better up and say im outta here? go to a embassy in Iraq, tell them you went to school and not sure if THEY realise it or not , he's off his rocker, and you aint going back. WHO wouldn't help you out? no record, all that schooling. it isnt like you have to trek across russia either, i mean really.
Mossdog: I, also, am "not understanding something here", and that is a single word you're talking about. I'm not even in disagreement with you, necessarily. It's just that I've read through your post and honestly cannot get what you're saying. Help me out.
I believe he's asking about why people in countries with rotten, repressive regimes don't emigrate to better countries.
The answer being, of course, that they DO. All the time. So much so that now other countries, particularly in Europe, are getting nervous about how many immigrants they have out of fear that the diaspora is allowing terrorist groups to flourish in Western countries.
But getting back to Moss's basic question, most of the best and brightest already leave these lousy countries for better ones. They'd probably have emptied out much more if all the good countries didn't impose strict immigration quotas and ridiculously extensive checks.
In the event that Iran collapse, then what? The very dictatators that the western world despises, are what holds these barbarians (only word that comes to mind) together, or keeps them inline. TOO many idealistic groups who cannot blend or cooperate with the others. Kind of reminds me of where America is headed.No unity!
porschemirror: I think the Iranian govt. is more barbaric than the average person on the street there. While the theocracy gained a foothold in reaction to the US-installed Shah, many Iranians recognize that the clerics are not acting, at all, to benefit the population.
I can to the same conclusion a long time ago. However, I think the current regime in Iran makes the Shah of Iran look like an amateur when it comes to controlling it's people.
For your answer, please look to Tunisia, Egypt, and Lybia.
They're all at different stages of the process, of course, but in general, that's what happens when an autocratic regime falls nowadays.