News from Iran? Good? Bad? Who knows?

[The Minsky Moment]

SABINA AMIDI, Special to The Jerusalem Post ,

. . . .

The interview took place by telephone, and on condition of anonymity. It was arranged by a reliable source whose identity can also not be revealed.

This line seems to the hallmark of a Sabina Amidi JPost article.  She is a junior at Sarah Lawrence who went to iran for a school research project, the JPost gave her a gig and a byline, and she has been busy churning out stories for them - the principal characteristics of which are that they are very explosive, un-sourced, and unverified.

I would be prepared to believe just about anything about the SAVAK of the Islamic Republic, but it would be nice to have some hard journalism here.

[Sheilbh]

I did like how the Iranian experts here at the University are still encouraging 'diplomacy'.

I am all like 'diplomacy to do what?'

But, of course we fundamentally disagree in this situation.  You want Obama to do...something or another...like say Iran is very very bad and like we don't like it.  I don't really see what good empty gestures will do.  Unless you see something decisive we can do to bring down the Mullahs I think it is best to await events.

Yeah.  I think the best thing would be to do nothing for a while.  There's no point talking when it's not entirely clear who's in charge of the state.  That's just a waste of time.

[Neil]

I did like how the Iranian experts here at the University are still encouraging 'diplomacy'.

I am all like 'diplomacy to do what?'

But, of course we fundamentally disagree in this situation.  You want Obama to do...something or another...like say Iran is very very bad and like we don't like it.  I don't really see what good empty gestures will do.  Unless you see something decisive we can do to bring down the Mullahs I think it is best to await events.

Yeah.  I think the best thing would be to do nothing for a while.  There's no point talking when it's not entirely clear who's in charge of the state.  That's just a waste of time.

It's pretty clear who's in charge:  The guys with the guns.  So long as they have a monopoly on the legitimate use of force, they are in charge.  That's what being in charge is.

[KRonn]

If that article from the Basiji guy is true, that's pretty messed up stuff. So what did these people, the young girls especially, do that needed execution? Sheesh...

And the monsters marry and rape them the night before killing them. If true, what horrors.

[Neil]

If that article from the Basiji guy is true, that's pretty messed up stuff. So what did these people, the young girls especially, do that needed execution? Sheesh...

Murder, burglary, robbery, espionage, treason, lese-majeste, drug abuse, drug trafficking, arson, piracy, pickpocketing, writing a threatening letter, appearing armed in a park or warren, carrying a concealed firearm.

And the monsters marry and rape them the night before killing them. If true, what horrors.

I have a hard time feeling bad for criminals.  Rape happens in prison.

[grumbler]

If that article from the Basiji guy is true, that's pretty messed up stuff. So what did these people, the young girls especially, do that needed execution? Sheesh...

And the monsters marry and rape them the night before killing them. If true, what horrors.

Frankly, this story has been around (with various different perps) for ages.  Naturally, it is going to be told with the Basji as the perps this time, as they are the villians de jour.

Not that I am saying this story is false, mind you.  I am simply saying that one unsourced report doesn't make it true.

[jimmy olsen]

If that article from the Basiji guy is true, that's pretty messed up stuff. So what did these people, the young girls especially, do that needed execution? Sheesh...

Murder, burglary, robbery, espionage, treason, lese-majeste, drug abuse, drug trafficking, arson, piracy, pickpocketing, writing a threatening letter, appearing armed in a park or warren, carrying a concealed firearm.

And the monsters marry and rape them the night before killing them. If true, what horrors.

I have a hard time feeling bad for criminals.  Rape happens in prison.

Nobody believes you mean it when you say things like this and the shock value has long worn off, so why bother?

[Neil]

If that article from the Basiji guy is true, that's pretty messed up stuff. So what did these people, the young girls especially, do that needed execution? Sheesh...

Murder, burglary, robbery, espionage, treason, lese-majeste, drug abuse, drug trafficking, arson, piracy, pickpocketing, writing a threatening letter, appearing armed in a park or warren, carrying a concealed firearm.

And the monsters marry and rape them the night before killing them. If true, what horrors.

I have a hard time feeling bad for criminals.  Rape happens in prison.

Nobody believes you mean it when you say things like this and the shock value has long worn off, so why bother?

Should I weep for the criminals, like some kind of faggot?  Why would I?  Obviously, it would be nice if they were raped less often, and the backwardness of Islamic law increasing the number of rapes is reprehensible, but I will not sympathize with people who refuse to live in an orderly society.

[KRonn]

If that article from the Basiji guy is true, that's pretty messed up stuff. So what did these people, the young girls especially, do that needed execution? Sheesh...

And the monsters marry and rape them the night before killing them. If true, what horrors.

Frankly, this story has been around (with various different perps) for ages.  Naturally, it is going to be told with the Basji as the perps this time, as they are the villians de jour.

Not that I am saying this story is false, mind you.  I am simply saying that one unsourced report doesn't make it true.

Agreed, and that's why I say "if true". Who knows for sure. But I guess the thing is that I asssume this type of thing, if not this exact story, is normal operations for the Iranian government's goon squads. That could go for any govt where radicals rule and have absolute authority. Though I have to admit I kind of figured the Iranian leaders probably weren't/aren't as bad the Taliban or AQ mind sets.

[KRonn]

If that article from the Basiji guy is true, that's pretty messed up stuff. So what did these people, the young girls especially, do that needed execution? Sheesh...

Murder, burglary, robbery, espionage, treason, lese-majeste, drug abuse, drug trafficking, arson, piracy, pickpocketing, writing a threatening letter, appearing armed in a park or warren, carrying a concealed firearm.

And the monsters marry and rape them the night before killing them. If true, what horrors.

I have a hard time feeling bad for criminals.  Rape happens in prison.

Nobody believes you mean it when you say things like this and the shock value has long worn off, so why bother?

Should I weep for the criminals, like some kind of faggot?  Why would I?  Obviously, it would be nice if they were raped less often, and the backwardness of Islamic law increasing the number of rapes is reprehensible, but I will not sympathize with people who refuse to live in an orderly society.

I don't understand what you're getting on about. People in a regime like Iran aren't necessarily killed or imprisoned for crimes, or normal law enforcement type stuff. Some of this is part of the reign of subjugation, control and terror they impose. Huge human rights abuse. Just like it's wrong headed  to say the Taliban were just keeping an orderly society or some such nonsense.

[Neil]

I don't understand what you're getting on about. People in a regime like Iran aren't necessarily killed or imprisoned for crimes, or normal law enforcement type stuff. Some of this is part of the reign of subjugation, control and terror they impose. Huge human rights abuse. Just like it's wrong headed  to say the Taliban were just keeping an orderly society or some such nonsense.

Do you have any examples of these regimes executing someone without accusing them of a crime?  It's certainly possible, but I have a hard time believing that they just execute random people 'pour encourager les autres'.

[KRonn]

I don't understand what you're getting on about. People in a regime like Iran aren't necessarily killed or imprisoned for crimes, or normal law enforcement type stuff. Some of this is part of the reign of subjugation, control and terror they impose. Huge human rights abuse. Just like it's wrong headed  to say the Taliban were just keeping an orderly society or some such nonsense.

Do you have any examples of these regimes executing someone without accusing them of a crime?  It's certainly possible, but I have a hard time believing that they just execute random people 'pour encourager les autres'.

Pretty much what the Iranian regime has done in quelling the election protests, for one thing. Am I supposed to say that repressive regimes are just following their laws, nothing to see here? But you know all that already...

[Neil]

I don't understand what you're getting on about. People in a regime like Iran aren't necessarily killed or imprisoned for crimes, or normal law enforcement type stuff. Some of this is part of the reign of subjugation, control and terror they impose. Huge human rights abuse. Just like it's wrong headed  to say the Taliban were just keeping an orderly society or some such nonsense.

Do you have any examples of these regimes executing someone without accusing them of a crime?  It's certainly possible, but I have a hard time believing that they just execute random people 'pour encourager les autres'.

Pretty much what the Iranian regime has done in quelling the election protests, for one thing. Am I supposed to say that repressive regimes are just following their laws, nothing to see here? But you know all that already...

That's not very specific, and so it's hard for me to argue against.  I know they've shot some rioters, which is probably legal.

At any rate, if they're following the law, then I can't really complain.  Maybe the law should be changed, but that's up to the Iranian leaders.

[grumbler]

Nobody believes you mean it when you say things like this and the shock value has long worn off, so why bother?

Should I weep for the criminals, like some kind of faggot?  Why would I?  Obviously, it would be nice if they were raped less often, and the backwardness of Islamic law increasing the number of rapes is reprehensible, but I will not sympathize with people who refuse to live in an orderly society.

Unlike Timmay, I continue to enjoy your schtick. 

[grumbler]

Agreed, and that's why I say "if true". Who knows for sure. But I guess the thing is that I asssume this type of thing, if not this exact story, is normal operations for the Iranian government's goon squads. That could go for any govt where radicals rule and have absolute authority. Though I have to admit I kind of figured the Iranian leaders probably weren't/aren't as bad the Taliban or AQ mind sets.

Agreed.  the scariest thing about these kinds of regimes is not so much what the leaders intend to do to the people, but rather what zealous or unprincipled underlings can get up to because the regime "needs" them to keep the people in line. Hell, societies like the US cannot seem to keep freelance psychopaths from enacting private hells (see: AG), and it isn't a US thing - see: Canadian Paratroopers.  Imagine what those kinds of people can get away with when they work for a regime like the Taliban or Iran's.