Mike PouraryanKP Week-End Notes (11/22/2009): Tidbits From Iran & Afghanistan
November 22nd 2009 20:20
I have been assessing Iran and Afghanistan and what has been happening. I have heard Karzai's committment to fight reform. I have seen the Defense Minister committing to double the size of the Afghan National Army. I am with Juan Cole when he notes how one can raise an Army from Conscripts that can't read or write.
Moving on to Iran, the country continues to be in a state of flux. Today saw the conviction of the Former Vice President of Iran, Ali Abtahi, of inciting violence. He was sentenced to six years in prison. As I saw this newflash, I realized that if he had not "confessed" to his sins, he probably would have been executed. The fact remains that people have been executed and people continue to be tried.
On another note, the former Controversial Interior Minister of Iran, Ali Kordan died of lung cancer and complication of influeza. He gained his 15 minutes of fame when he claimed he had a Doctorate From Oxford when in fact there was none. I reviewed his resume on Iran's Official News Site. It was clear that he was one of the ex-military men who helped to in effect insure that Iran became a defacto military state.
Throughout the past week, I have also been continuing to see the thinking and the subtle psychological war against the so-called official opposition. I saw a dispatch today about how Mousavi was in effect a coward for not having appeared on State Television to refute the continued allegations against him. There is of course the big military manevours by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards to guard against a perceived air attack. Ahmadinejad, though, has hit the road. I hope he's having fun.
Moving on to Iran, the country continues to be in a state of flux. Today saw the conviction of the Former Vice President of Iran, Ali Abtahi, of inciting violence. He was sentenced to six years in prison. As I saw this newflash, I realized that if he had not "confessed" to his sins, he probably would have been executed. The fact remains that people have been executed and people continue to be tried.
On another note, the former Controversial Interior Minister of Iran, Ali Kordan died of lung cancer and complication of influeza. He gained his 15 minutes of fame when he claimed he had a Doctorate From Oxford when in fact there was none. I reviewed his resume on Iran's Official News Site. It was clear that he was one of the ex-military men who helped to in effect insure that Iran became a defacto military state.
Throughout the past week, I have also been continuing to see the thinking and the subtle psychological war against the so-called official opposition. I saw a dispatch today about how Mousavi was in effect a coward for not having appeared on State Television to refute the continued allegations against him. There is of course the big military manevours by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards to guard against a perceived air attack. Ahmadinejad, though, has hit the road. I hope he's having fun.
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