The Mullah's Strategy

Really interesting and also sad to see the extreme crack down on all protestors as well as mass arrests throughout Iran. There was supposed to be a big Mousavi protest today outside the Iranian parliament. Just a couple thoughts:

• The Ayathollah is no doubt influenced by the strategies used in the 1979 revolution. The protests went on for a year and the Shah really refused to crush any protests. This allowed the protesters to organize and grow stronger. I think the Iranian regime is hoping that if they crack down hard now they can prevent this counter revolution from taking hold.
• The most significant thing about this movement is it potentially represents a counter revolution to one of the most anachronistic and backward regimes on the planet outside North Korea. The Iranian revolution in 1979 some would say was on the same level as the French Revolution. It laid the seeds for extreme 8th century religious movements across the middle east. Many of the forces inside Iran are calling into question that there is anything in Shia Islam that calls for a government by priests.
  
• It's interesting to note a lot of the writings of pre 1979 Iran. A lot of these people were angry because they viwed Iran as backward. They would compare Iran to Japan and ask how Japan had gotten so far ahead. How would those protesters change their views now if they saw how bakcward and isolated Iran has become over the past 30 years. It's really been pretty horrible.
• Amazign to see Russia come out and support Ahmadi-Nejad. Stands to reasosn that the Russian eletions themslelves are not much less crooked.