Debbie, unfortunately the Jews in Iran may number up to 25,000 souls. I’m not sure why there isn’t a major evacuation, as with the Ethiopian Jews, Moroccan Jews, etc. The Iranian Jews are all but hostages and make it difficult to bomb the shit out of Tehran.

shleppy on March 14, 2006 at 7:42 pm

Yea…it’s a start

KOAJaps on March 14, 2006 at 8:38 pm

I was under the impression we did evacuate all of the Persian Jews –to Beverly Hills.

code7 on March 14, 2006 at 9:53 pm

The people love their leaders so much they just can’t suppress their joy over them. s/o Yes, it is a start. It is nice to see anything over there not going the muslim fanatics way.

ColfromColorado on March 14, 2006 at 9:55 pm

Call it “People Power”, “Orange Revolution”, whatever you want but it will fail in Iran just as it did in China in the early 1990’s. For the leadership in Iran to be ousted the following must happen “First, most of the population must want democracy. Second, the security forces must be willing to stand down in the face of mass demonstrations. first condition applies in Iran, the second doesn’t.” Any large scale unrest or mass demonstration will be meet with crushing power, this is Iran we are talking about not Europe. So while the protest are nice and I would love nothing more than a internal change of the theocracy, people should wake up from this dream because it is not happening anytime soon. If anything the US should be playing on the rift between the Iranian leadership itself. Iran’s new president is economically destroying the country and isolating it from the West, something many old hardliners understand will have a long term negative impact on the economy. The country has but one card left to play, that nuclear ace in the hole. Attack and the leadership gets a boost in support, do nothing and they get the bomb, either way it spells problems with the West and the Arab World.

JMadison on March 15, 2006 at 11:02 am

Reports on What Happened During the Festival
============================================
The Next Secular Revolution?
“Government militia respond brutally, and violent clashes with demonstrators continue into the night. The episode is not isolated but appears to be part of a trend in which large numbers of Iranians are taking to the streets…”
-Austin Dacey
Ref: http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=library&page=Dacey_25_4
Traditional “Pagan” Celebration Turns Into Street Fights Against Regime Forces
“Violent clashes rocked, this evening, main Iranian cities as brutal militiamen attacked Iranians who transformed the already hardly tolerated celebration of the traditional “Tchahr Shanbe Souri” (Fire Fiest) into protest action and show of “un-Islamic” joy. Most areas of the Capital and cities, such as, Esfahan, Mahabad, Shiraz, Rasht, Kermanshah, Babol, Sannandaj, Mashad, Khoram-Abad, Zabol, Tabriz, Hamedan and Oroomiah (former Rezai-e) were scenes of sometimes unprecedented street fights between the regime forces and groups of Iranians.”
-DoctorZin
Ref: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1364211/posts
UPDATE: Several Celebrators killed and hundreds injured or arrested in Iran
“Several protesters/celebrators have been killed and hundreds have been injured or arrested following the violent clashes that rocked most Iranian cities, yesterday night, at the occasion of popular riots during the “Pagan” Tchahar-Shanbe Souri (Fire Fiest). These clashes happened as brutal militiamen attacked Iranians who transformed the already hardly tolerated celebration into protest action and show of “un-Islamic” joy. Most areas of the Capital and cities, such as, Esfahan, Mahabad, Shiraz, Rasht, Kermanshah, Babol, Sannandaj, Dezful, Mashad, Ahwaz, Marivan, Khoram-Abad, Zabol, Baneh, Tabriz, Hamedan and Oroomiah (former Rezai-e) were scenes of sometimes unprecedented street fights between the regime forces and groups of Iranians.
…
More concordant reports are stating about an astonishing use of force in the Capital’s areas of Rey, Guisha, Narmak and Reja-i Shahr leading to many injured, arrested and few believed deaths. Other neighborhoods, such as, Shahrak Gharb, Madar Square, Haft-Hose, Gohardasht, Tajrish and Pasdaran were also transformed into unprecedented scenes of apocalypse and giving prelude to what can happen the last night of the rule of Islamic regime during a general uprising.
In Esfahan, Tabriz, Shiraz several demonstrators were seen with broken heads laying in their blood following the brutal assaults of the regime’s forces in Tchahar Bagh, Ab-Ressani, Sajad and Azadi (Freedom) avenue.
Hundreds have been reported as admitted to hospitals due to wounds inflicted by heavy objects (clubs or chains) and even plastic bullets. Hundreds more are missing following the massive wave of arrests after the regime forces charges on Iranians. Reports from their quick transfers by full buses with military escort are coming from several cities.
Several regime vehicles, such as, anti-riot trucks, patrol cars and even firefighter trucks with water cannon have been destroyed in Esfhan, Mahabad and southern part of the Capital. Tens of militiamen have been also injured, some seriously, by armed masked individuals or groups of young using pieces of stones and incendiary devices, such as, Molotov Cocktails or hand made grenades.
…
Many celebrators were seen shouting slogans against the regime and its leaders, such as, “Marg bar Jomhoori e Eslami” (Down with Islamic Republic), “Marg bar Taleban e Iran” (Down with Taleban), “Toop, Tank, Feshfeshe, Bassiji bayad Koshte She” (Gun, Tank, Fire Cracker, Militia must be killed) and “Referendum, Referendum, in ast Shoar e Mardom” (Referendum, Referendum, this is the people’s slogan) by making reference to a genuine election, expressed so many time since three years ago, and after the total fall of the Islamic regime and without giving any chance to some so-called redempted ‘former’ factions of the regime to surf again over the popular aspiration.
Other slogans stating about a dangerous level of the popular exasperation, such as, “Bush, Bush, kush? Kush?” (Bush, Bush, Were’s He? Were’s He?) were also shouted along with some unprecedented public attacks against EU members, such as, France and Germany.”
-DoctorZin
Ref: http://regimechangeiran.blogspot.com/2005/03/update-several-celebrators-killed-and.html
I don’t know what the Bush administration is doing to support these folks, but here’s what Congress is attempting to do:
US Congressional Committee Approves Iran Democracy Promotion Legislation
“A U.S. congressional committee has approved legislation seeking to strengthen existing U.S. sanctions on Iran and put more pressure on Iran’s government on the issue of weapons of mass destruction, while providing greater support for Iranian democracy groups.
The Iran Freedom Support Act declares it should be U.S. policy to support human rights and pro-democracy forces in the United States and abroad opposing what it calls the non-democratic government of Iran.
…
The legislation would authorize funding for groups pressing for democratic reform, human rights, and civil liberties in Iran…The legislation would also fund independent democracy and radio and television broadcasters for Iran. The U.S. government finances Radio Farda, which broadcasts to Iran, as well as television and radio broadcasts by the Voice of America’s Persian service.
The Iran Freedom Act is likely to be approved by the full House International Relations Committee. Similar Iran legislation is pending in the Senate. Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen says Bush administration support will be crucial to chances for approval by both houses of Congress.”
Ref: http://www.iran.org/news/2005_04_14ifsa.htm
H.R.282 http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h109-282
Action: http://www.ou.org/public/actionalerts/2005/b7.htm

Phil Brown on March 26, 2006 at 5:29 pm