updated
And his body has reportedly disappeared, with assassination looking more and more likely.
According to the report, it is possible that the government is behind the disappearance, as an attempt to stop the family from holding a mass funeral. – Tehran: Body of opposition leader’s nephew disappears from hospital.
Ayatollah Ali Khameni is up against it, with yesterday’s Ashura finale, coming on the 7th day after Montazeri’s death, adding to the sights we saw on YouTube and heard through web reports. Now another moment sits on the horizon for more confrontations. The 7th day commemoration of Seyed Ali Habibi Mousavi Khameneh, the nephew of Mir Hossein Mousavi, who was killed by Iranian police yesterday, as symbolic a murder as the momentous killing of Neda last summer. Offering another moment for Iranians to react and rebel against a government that has lost its grip.
These building forces foreshadow a distinct possibility, if the world and the U.S. handles the situation carefully. That Ayatollah Ali Khameni could indeed fall through the people’s push, even if it will be a long, drawn out play the proceeds it.
Steve Clemons offers a quick and to the point take of this moment in time:
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has become the new Shah — hated by so many within the country that it seems implausible that Iranian elites will ever be able to operate without much distrust and fear of each other.
The United States needs to be very cautious — and not do anything on the ground in Iran that would allow the incumbent government to to evade “the death to the dictator” chants directed at it by distracting the country with evidence of credible external interventions.
… But as Iran expert Barbara Slavin just wrote to me, things don’t look good for Khamenei and his government. She wrote to me via Facebook: “[Khamenei] is stuck. If he begins to compromise, he’s lost — and if he doesn’t, he’s lost.”
Well it looks like civil war could be in the cards for Iran. Other then the fact they have Nuk capabilities, but at least not weapons yet I say sit back and pass the popcorn.
It is nice to see a popular uprising against the religo/authotarian bunch for a change.
To reiterate what you wrote, Iran is not a nuclear threat, with civilian capabilities something quite different. With Iranians very nationalistic about their right to have nuclear power. Weaponizing it is the be all, a goal that has not been proven Iran has, much to AIPAC’s frustration.
Could I have the butter flavored oil stuff on mine please?
Assassinating a Seyed during Ashura is one boneheaded move. Not even the shah….
re: Napolitano
(no comment button on that diary)
In other countries a person this incompetent would resign. What’s keeping her?
Hey DonBacon, my error, but fixed it. So please feel free to jump in up there, folks.
http://www.taylormarsh.com/2009/12/28/napolitano-eats-her-words/
Looking more and more like the real deal here! As many experts now seem to be saying, this would be a good time for the U.S.A. to be very cautious about trying to “help” events unfold in Iran. I also think that a cautious holding pattern in other parts of the Middle East would be wise. For example, a U.S. military strike against Al Quaeda in Yemen — could the Iranian govt use such a thing to whip up anti-American sentiment, and thereby blunt the force of the insurgency? Who knows, but why take the chance?
“For example, a U.S. military strike against Al Quaeda in Yemen — could the Iranian govt use such a thing to whip up anti-American sentiment, and thereby blunt the force of the insurgency? Who knows, but why take the chance?”
If we see AlQaeda or their lil helpers KILL them.
Iran is going to play out along the fracture lines in Iranian Society no matter what WE do externally.
America should stay WAY clear of any involvement in the internal conflict that is growing, WAY clear. But by the same token we shouldn’t stop going after those who are part of the organization that actually DID attack us on 9/11.
Remember Iran actually condemned the 9/11 attack.