Students demonstrate in Iran against Ahmadinejad

[Gurdur]

I realise that at the moment there are serious war-drums beating for a war against Iran. It's wrong and idiotic. I also realise that Bush is a flatfooted twat who if invited to speak unscripted in front of Iranian students would probably all dismay them with his stunning incoherence and incompetence.

Nonetheless, let's not forget one important point, shall we?

Iranian students protest against Ahmadinejad (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7033634.stm)

A rare anti-government demonstration has been held in the Iranian capital during a speech at Tehran University by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. There were scuffles as hundreds of supporters and opponents of the president gathered outside the venue. Eyewitnesses said police used tear gas to hold the demonstrators back.

Student leaders had challenged Mr Ahmadinejad to meet them after he spoke at Columbia University in the US of the freedoms enjoyed by Iranian students.
.................
Mr Ahmadinejad faced similar dissent during a speech in December 2006 when students at Amir Kabir Technical University called him a dictator and set fire to his picture.
................

And in Iran, people really do face torture from the secret police.

[Oliver]

I realise that at the moment there are serious war-drums beating for a war against Iran. It's wrong and idiotic. I also realise that Bush is a flatfooted twat who if invited to speak unscripted in front of Iranian students would probably all dismay them with his stunning incoherence and incompetence.

Nonetheless, let's not forget one important point, shall we?

Iranian students protest against Ahmadinejad (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7033634.stm)

And in Iran, people really do face torture from the secret police.


Did they protest against the head of state as well? You know,
the guy in charge of the Nation and the nuclear issue? :)

And did you recognize that we have a lot of Iran-threads
already? :confused:

@Admins: Can someone move this into one of the Iran threads?

[Gurdur]

Did they protest against the head of state as well? You know,
the guy in charge of the Nation and the nuclear issue? :)

And did you recognize that we have a lot of Iran-threads
already? :confused:

@Admins: Can someone move this into one of the Iran threads?

Oliver, shut up. This is your open attempt at a derailment, and will be reported as such now.

[Undesired Walrus]

Iran is a great nation. Doesn't surprise me at all.

[Oliver]

Oliver, shut up. This is your open attempt at a derailment, and will be reported as such now.


Okay. So they have Demonstrations now and the next thing
probably will be - democracy and Free Speech. What's your
friggin point and while we're at it - why did you felt the need
to start a new thread about Iran?

BTW: Here's the video about the demonstration:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolavconsole/ifs_news/hi/newsid_4890000/newsid_4891900/nb_wm_4891968.stm?scope=nolavconsole&tab=nolavconsole&q=Iran%20&edition=ifs&mediaformat=nb_wm_&start=3&order=

[Gurdur]

Shut up, Oliver. Further trolling by you will be ignored here.

[marksman]

And in Iran, people really do face torture from the secret police.

I think Amnesty International's 2007 report (http://thereport.amnesty.org/eng/Regions/Middle-East-and-North-Africa/Iran) on Iran is illustrative:
The human rights situation deteriorated, with civil society facing increasing restrictions on fundamental freedoms of expression and association. Scores of political prisoners, including prisoners of conscience, continued to serve prison sentences imposed following unfair trials in previous years. Thousands more arrests were made in 2006, mostly during or following demonstrations. Human rights defenders, including journalists, students and lawyers, were among those detained arbitrarily without access to family or legal representation. Torture, especially during periods of pre-trial detention, remained commonplace. At least 177 people were executed, at least four of whom were under 18 at the time of the alleged offence, including one who was under 18 at the time of execution. Two people were reportedly stoned to death. Sentences of flogging, amputation and eye-gouging continued to be passed. The true numbers of those executed or subjected to corporal punishment were probably considerably higher than those reported.
(Emphasis added.)

[Oliver]

Shut up, Oliver. Further trolling by you will be ignored here.


I still don't get it. 0,00001 % of Iranians protested. So what? :confused:
There are hundreds of protest all over the globe every day.
(Well, besides in barbaric Saudi-Arabia which doesn't even
allow anti-government demonstrations at all)

Are you just shedding Anti-Iranian propaganda or is there a point
to your (additional to the ten other already existing) Iran Thread(s)?

[Pardalis]

nevermind...

[egslim]

I still don't get it. 0,00001 % of Iranians protested. So what? :confused:
Because for every protestor there are many more who agree with him but don't publicly protest, for a variety of reasons. And in Iran this figure is most likely much greater than in western countries, because the people here don't have to fear prosecution for such actions.

[Thunder]

100 protestors in Tehran. I guess that now means if we invade Iran, we will be greated as liberators huh?

[T.A.M.]

War drums may be beating, but where on gods earth, before the end of 2008, is Bushie gonna get the troops? Some missile strikes, maybe, but if this provokes a conflict, he will have to leave iraq in order to mount any kind of "boots on the ground" offensive...

TAM:)

[steverino]

I still don't get it. 0,00001 % of Iranians protested. So what? :confused:

Apparently that is huge in Iran, as even that tiny percentage is perceived a viable threat to those ruling that nation, considering the protesters got international press and the tear gas treatment.

[KoihimeNakamura]

100 protestors in Tehran. I guess that now means if we invade Iran, we will be greated as liberators huh?

No? It's just an story about an article of people proresting.

[Popinjay]

You can get arrested for taking an opinion poll in Iran. Those polls have shown, the people brave enough to participate in one, are strongly against the Iranian theocracy. The largest middle eastern refugee population in the United States consist of Iranians. People Like Hitchens who have been to Iran would agree with me. Sadly, it is going to take a nuke on your doorstep to wake you up. Let's just hope it hits the Viacom headquarters.

[JoeEllison]

You can get arrested for taking an opinion poll in Iran. Those polls have shown, the people brave enough to participate in one, are strongly against the Iranian theocracy. The largest middle eastern refugee population in the United States consist of Iranians. People Like Hitchens who have been to Iran would agree with me. Sadly, it is going to take a nuke on your doorstep to wake you up. Let's just hope it hits the Viacom headquarters.
You can't be serious... and you aren't funny.

[Popinjay]

You can't be serious... and you aren't funny.


Practice makes perfect.

[fuelair]

Because for every protestor there are many more who agree with him but don't publicly protest, for a variety of reasons. And in Iran this figure is most likely much greater than in western countries, because the people here don't have to fear prosecution for such actions.Oliver knows little (I am generous to a fault here) of marketing (re: your first point), truly large scale politics and a number of the obvious subjects (though he does ok on occasion). Not his fault, he is from a country-state with very different external challenges so has no real chance to see the differences and their effects.:)