IDEAS

Nasser Shirakbari: Well

Nasser Shirakbari: Well said. But you don't need the bazaris to shut down. You just need a discussion to develop on the major mainstream media about the people not buying from the Ayatollah businesses. Someone needs to make a list of all the main ones and tell people to go to other ones that are not affiliated to the Ayatollahs as much. Soon enough the boycotts will take root and it will spread like wildfire.

Ali Mostofi

//www.alimostofi.com

Violence VS Peaceful Change

On the first instance it is obvious that Islamic Republic is not going to turn over the key to the government because of a million or so taking to the streets.  The construction of IRGC/Security apparatus and Basij is to deal with this in the most efficient way, brutal force.  What is at work in favor of the people is as follow:1.     Time is in favor of the people and working against the regime.  They can only hire and buy so many million loyalties.  But the rest of the seventy four million require jobs, and feed their families.  The number of disaffected is growing far beyond control when it erupts.2.     Iranians should not seek help from the west.  As you know every service in the west comes with a price.  U.S. /UN aren’t bombing Libya for nothing.  If it wasn’t for a piece of the action, they wouldn’t be there.  We don’t need their help.  That is the price for independence3.     There is growing evidence that Islamic Republic government is deeply divided in all units.  The Hardliner, Moderates and Green Reformist.4.     Government control over prices and elimination of subsidies has placed unprecedented pressure on Iranian small business.  The cost of operation has gone up while they cannot recover their cost in form of higher prices.  Someday the Bazar i’s are going to join everyone else.  That would be the day of reckoning.  (The matter of subsidies and its effect is the subject of my next article).5.     Most and above all is what has happened with the regular military for their support of the people as opposed to IRGC, but a decent within IRGC resulted in 250 of them being dismissed.  (Subject of an article on its own…I have not connected all dots yet).6.     Once the volcano erupts, the final show down is going to occur between the Military proper with the backing of Iranians VS IRGC, and its foreign goons.  The pot still is cooking.  When the time comes I am sorry to say that blood will be shed.  Islamic Republic is not going to walk away peaceful.  7.     Let it be done not by us on the outside or Western forces, but by Iranians who have lived through it.            

Paykar: so you think that

Paykar: so you think that the Ayatollahs didn't worry when the IRGC commander was shitting in his pants when people decided to have a mass ceremony in Persepolis. People are under siege, but they now know that they have a common thread that that has slowly dissolved any siege on our land for thousands of years. And fyi an Astrologer called Jamasp predicted all this. Lol

Ali Mostofi

//www.alimostofi.com

comments

which armed group you are talking about, that was Mousavi who called off every thing, because he saw that his beloved Islamic regime is going down the tube. there are over 12 million Iranain in Tehran, only you need 3 million only for two days and every thing will be over.

as far as I know, every group and every one should put their political problems a side and start working together and work toward toppling Regime and now which ever way is suitable: VIOLENCE OR NON VIOLENCE

1 + 1 = 2

How many well-funded armed groups did we have since revolution?  Did they have any success?  Didn't they leave Iran and left their families and relatives in hand of Iranian government exposing the ralatives/families to regular interogations?

I think everybody knows that a gun kills, but nobody knows how to influence people and how to manage the pscychology of Iranians who live in Iran.

Alimostofi

Fool's optimism is the simple answer to your nonsense. So you are basking in victory because you see people celebrating Nurouz, allbeit under siege. Stick to astrology son.

Shushtari: there was a very

Shushtari: there was a very crucial moment in Iranian history when the country was threatened and the Imperial Army was ready to act, and it was stopped by a traitor. Do you know the story?

Ali Mostofi

//www.alimostofi.com

Love the photograph!

One of my favourites taken during  the post election 2009 uprising in Iran.

The islamist regime would in no way go "peacefully". They uderstand , respect, obey and fear  one language only: The language of what comes out from the barrel of an AK47. 

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."

agree completely!!

and it should have started in 1979.....when that filthy stooge, khomeini, should have been assassinated in iraq or paris or mehrabad airport.....

when you have existential threats to your country and people, you take care of it is one full swoop.....this nutcase wanted to do the same thing in 1963!!!

how many chances are you going to give a lunatic?!!

imagine if savak had taken care of khamenei, rajsanjani, khalkhali, rezai....and the rest of the murdering thieves in 1978 or so....

do you think we would have lost 500K young men in the war?? or had 10s of thousands of brave patriots been murdered and tortured? or trillions wasted and a whole generation of young people without jobs or without a future???

I doubt it! in fact, we would have been far ahead of s korea or even europe by now 

Afshinazad

"occupying the streets by millions and everyone should be prepared .."

How?  How many more years are we going to suggest that? 

Iranians who live inside Iran are well aware of what will happen if they do that (my previous comment). 

Why did the green movement stop?  Because Irani government knew how to stop them.  The government's only reason was because demonstrators were armed member groups!!  If those armed member groups did not existed, the movement was still going on and navigated to a stronger and more realistic movement than "green".

Afshinazad: Street

Afshinazad: Street theatrics was not necessary during Noruz ceremony and the Ayatollahs could not ban it. In the same way Iranians could all stay at home and show the same unity more often.

But there is an easier way. Get the mainstream to ask what could the Ayatollahs do if no one left home to work. Just the discussion itself would be provocative enough.

Ali Mostofi

//www.alimostofi.com

Absolutely

Violence is the ONLY solution. No 'if's. No 'But's. 

Self-Defense is central

The question of self-defense in non-violent struggle is verycentral.

To defend ourselves, we don't need to bring guns, knives or'panjeh boks' (brass knuckles) to thestreet demonstrations and protests. But, for one example, what about fishingnets thrown on top of an oncoming group of motorized regime thugs?

Completely non-lethal and, at the same time, simple devicessuch a large fishing net can DISARM the enemy (think Judo) and spread confusionamong them, even if just for a short time. The point is to get them to thinkingthat their violence is not going to have a completely free reign.

Or, another example, why not identify Basiji houses, tagthem (as in, spray paint their house/gate) so as to shame them openly in theirneighborhood? Or, even, identify 'safe houses' of the Basij members (where theyget housed and get together before taking street actions), and tag them? (Or,you can weld the gate shut, so they can't get out!)

Also, as someone pointed out, mass or localized labor strikes are also aform of self-defense. So, self-defense and displaying violent actions are notnecessarily the same things. 

The point is a simple one. If youplay basketball, you know that when the other team is attacking, you don't runaway and hide! (I know, it's a very bad analogy; but the point is true! Staywith it ... ) When the other team is attacking, you get in their faces, you tryto throw their game off balance by your own movements, by covering key players,and when they're about to take a shot, by jumping up and down like mad in frontof them, blocking their view as much as possible, waving your arms like crazy.In other words, you defend by not giving the other team one single relaxedmoment while they're on your half of the court.

In this way, you give them less time to think, you make themmore harried and rushed, so they're more likely to make bad decisions, whichthen open up opportunities for you; you make the other side less confident, lessbalanced, less effective. In short, you reduce their fighting ability as muchas you can.

If mass a movement is what we need in Iran (which we do) andis something that we already DO have, then proper tools for its growth andcoming together more effectively must include tools that help the movement tobreak the concentration, balance, confidence and effectiveness of the otherside and weaken or break their morale. A good self-defense helps in thisdepartment. 

Violence or non Violence

Most of us don't like Violence and we would like to have a peaceful demonstration and go on and continue the same thing and hope that Regime will cave in and will change and seems we all forget that this Regime doesn't understand nothing but violence and if you are demonstrating about Environmenl about lake Urmia, you get attacked and arrested and they ship you to prison and god knows what's next. and now if non violence is working against us and so what if the regime will get some complain from human rights or from American or so what public will hate the regime more and more and what is the end game and what is that we have accomplished so far? they are putting fear in that you won't dear to come out again and what about our people, shouldn't they should a put a fear in them that if face the public, they should be prepared to get what they deserve.

There is one way and only way we could change the regime and that is by occupying the streets by millions and everyone should be prepared to stay on and take over the TV stations and police stations and Basiji post and others. Otherwise we will have no chance in hell with complaining and non violence method is not working with this regime and in 1978-79 those of you who remember Tehran streets, was it peaceful or people were armed and were violent, so why preach of peace now.

Loveofliberty: What you ask

Loveofliberty: What you ask is very simple to answer. The fact that certain people chose a wrong path riddled with lies meant that they got into wars and died. So yes that religion did self-destruct. Let me tell you of another one which if you are an Iranian would relate to. Long before Islam came a man called Kartir murdered many who became Christian and it lead to a chain of events that brought Salman and Islam to destroy Zoroastrianism. I have plenty of good ones too. But we would be off topic. Actually I have just thought of the most important one and is on topic. The release of the Jews from captivity by Cyrus the Great meant that people like Sir Henry Rawlinson would look for old Iran and decipher our old language and get our identity back. So we gave Jews their identity, and we got ours back later.

Ali Mostofi

//www.alimostofi.com

alimostofi,

While your supposed "Law of Karma" sounds like a natural form of justice, I doubt that you can point to any objective evidence that supports the existence of such an alleged "law."

For example, where was this alleged natural form of justice for the many millions of people who died during WWII?  Or, during Stalin's or Mao's bloody purges?  What about these people?  And, please tell me exactly how your alleged "Law of Karma" brought a sense of justice to those tens of millions of people who died at the hands of others?

If you ask me, your conscious might rest easily at night with the belief that somehow there is a form of nature justice in the world.  But, I personally cannot look my loved ones or neighbors in their eyes and tell them, "Sorry, but I cannot help save you from persecution or death because I might be persecuted or killed in the future if I do."  And quite frankly, your supposed "Law of Karma" is rendered essentially meaningless when such a philosophy isn't adopted by one's adversaries.

In short, while I might agree that your philosophy of Karma is noble, it is demonstratively unrealistic.

Contempt?

"The man, in his crude, barbaric way, was trying to make an important point". I thought he put it rather well.

I am against any violence

I am against any violence action, but this is for those who support.  This is what happens when you or a group of people encouraging violence from outside of Iran.

(1)    Many people in Iran listens to you and contribute in sort of violence action.

(2)    They become arrested, tortured and might be executed.  I hope it ends here.  The number 3 is what most of you don’t know.

(3)    After they left Evin they have to introduce themselves for harsh and bad mouthing interrogation starting from every week during their whole life.  In almost all cases this includes all relatives one-by-one.  Their phone is controlled and you tell me the rest.  I know most of them wish to have been executed in the first place.  I am totally against execution worldwide, but when I hear those people I think maybe dead penalty needs to be encouraged in those countries, which is less painful.  We live in a world of ideas and tricks.  Let's use these two approaches, which place us in a different and more efficient angles from enemies.

A Critique of Violence

By Walter Benjamin:

//www.scribd.com/doc/52027537/Critique-of-Vio...

Benjamin here also referes to the notion of 'sovereign violence' : as manifested by workers and the general population during a General Strike. 

Jahanshah Javid: What if the

Jahanshah Javid: What if the Shahanshah had mowed down every one, especially your Communist friends. Let's say the Ayatollahs were just as tolerant as the Shah was. Then what would you say. Fact is that the means to an end is more important, as no one really knows what that end is. At least we know right now that the whole population is together in the context of a Noruz movement. Noruz means Peace. Noruz is the only principle that unites all Iranians. No one will respect anyone violent, and Noruz is the only symbol that is sacred. Better believe in it if you want to be on the right way. Using Noruz as means to get Iran's dignity back is the only way to get regime change without bloodshed. The Ayatollahs have already admitted defeat as they could not ban it. Why because it is massive.

Ali Mostofi

//www.alimostofi.com

end and means

Ironically the end has justified the means for Islamists in the most ungodly, merciless fashion. They are hypocrites AND savage. Meanwhile look at our good friends in the west, the prophets of democracy and human rights, how they support and fund dictatorships out of pure greed and self-interest. This global hypocrisy is happening right in front of our eyes in the age of instant information. It doesn't take years, months, weeks or days for the public to find out the truth. Governments and religions need to lie a lot better because what they say and what we see are becoming like night and day. The curtains are falling fast :)

So if some feel the need for violence, killing, destroying, bombing... to achieve peace, tolerance and democracy, or theocracy, just go ahead and say so. At least it will look honest.

No victory in sight with current tactics.

"...people will take more chances. Odds are slowly shifting in favor of the movement through non-violent resistance."

Ari jaan, I fail to see evidence for your statement. Adopting a non-violent approach, even if remotely successful, guaranties the survival of Islamic state. The Mafia nature of the regime is further hightend by idealogy of martyrdom and dreams of world domination.

A great majority of people in the Green movement are still clinging to kind of Islam Shariati put forward over three decades ago - absolute sophistry and rubbish. Salvation comes by rejecting the leadership in the movement and taking a militant approach. Fight fire with fire.

...

April 6 movement in Egypt began by students who were in support of striking textile workers. Tunisia's federation of unions has been acentral part of all that's happened in there. There's a lot more grass-roots democracy going on right now in Egypt and Tunisia that mainstrean press simple doesn't cover. Spokes Councils and particiapatory democracy is not as 'sexy' as carbombs!

Capital Punishment is what

Capital Punishment is what it is all about and the article below is a fine piece of work. Read it all. You will realise that you can kill a bad idea, and education is the bottom line.

//www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/thoughts.html

Ali Mostofi

//www.alimostofi.com

Loverofliberty: John Stuart

Loverofliberty: John Stuart Mill was an eccentric, who contradicted himself. He also said, the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community against his will is to prevent harm to others. So he would harm some more than others. And by what criterion can anything justify killing? A true God never kills. Anyone who says otherwise is not speaking with The Good Mind. That person will suffer the same fate as the law of Karma dictates. Common sense states that what goes around comes around. Kill and be killed. Live and let live. This is basic stuff.

Ali Mostofi

//www.alimostofi.com

“But war, in a good cause,

“But war, in a good cause, is not the greatest evil which a nation can suffer. War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse.  When a people are used as mere human instruments for firing cannon or thrusting bayonets, in the service and for the selfish purposes of a master, such war degrades a people.  A war to protect other human beings against tyrannical injustice – a war to give victory to their own ideas of right and good, and which is their own war, carried on for an honest purpose by their free choice – is often the means of their regeneration.  A man who has nothing which he is willing to fight for, nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.  As long as justice and injustice have not terminated their ever-renewing fight for ascendancy in the affairs of mankind, human beings must be willing, when need is, to do battle for the one against the other.”

John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), “The Contest in America.” Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 24, Issue 143, page 683-684. Harper & Bros., New York, April 1862.

Darius, "opportunism"

To we Iranians predicting such a chain of events is second nature. This is because we know that our country is a very valuable asset and a significant force in shaping the politics of the region; the temptation for foreigners wanting a piece of the Iran action is (and has been) irresistible. So we are unlikely to start a serious assault on the regime without first surveying the stiuation with skirmishes, and setting the odds to our favor. This way we will avoid being blackmailed by foreigners into giving up our independence. 

But you know our history at least as well as I do.

alimostofi jaan Did I ? ;0)

BREAD & CIRCUS: It Ain't about Democracy or HR Stupid, It's About Show Business

Barvo Siamak!

I love this piece! Been thinking this for a while but you make is so funny too! So sick of the bs and all the dokoondars and 'experts'. We so badly need simple commmon sense and not so simple courage.

Darius Kadivar: You miss the

Darius Kadivar: You miss the point. Ask this question? Why now? All these years and nothing had happened in North Africa and suddenly the people go mad. Why? With that thought, think why don't we get spontaneous uprisings in Iran? Now with all your interest in film, you should know it is all about media. The moment the reporters were there and facebook was buzzing then the situation was hot. But in Iran where we had a peaceful non-violent ceremony more synchronized and than the Royal Wedding wll ever be, no one in the media bothered. If it was a Mslem event that had 200 million people across 11 nations, then Obama would have made political capital about it. Or the Jews would have fretted about it, and the world media would have started. But the most important factor is that the US military has no where to go and nothing to do soon as they pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan. They and their suppliers need the people of the Unites States to keep the funding. That is why they are creating uprisings all over place. And perhaps the very most important reason is that the US wants to use oil shales and they can only become profitable if the oil price sky rockets. There you are all explained. Ah and now for the grand finale. The great benefit to all this will be Iran, as there will be new bogey men for the US to bomb and we will get out of this whole Jewsish Islamist Ayatollahs catch-22 we have had. Once the US has other new Vietnams it will leave Iran alone.

Ali Mostofi

//www.alimostofi.com