SwiftVets.com

[SBD]

A report from the celebration of the Festival of Fire from cities around Iran

http://www.iranpressnews.com/english/source/003897.html

Iran Press News: According to received reports from various cities in Iran, today which marks the first celebration of the Iranian New Year's Festival of Fire was met with celebrations as well as huge protests and demonstrations against the Islamic regime of Iran. The protestors chanted: "We need no Sheikh or Mullah, we curse YOU - RUHOLLAH!"

A report from Tehran: Young celebrants today set scarecrows in the likeness of various Mullahs, such as Khamenei, Rafsanjani, Khatami, Sharoudi, Jannati, etc. on fire in the streets. They cried out slogans such as: "Referendum, referendum, this is the people's dictum."

In various parts of the capitol, celebrations and parties rage on. As a part of this celebration which is held on the very last Tuesday night of the year, dry bundles of bramble and shrubbery are set on fire and people jump over them. This is in order to purge their spirits of all the sins and tribulations of the passing year, in order to start the new year, with a pure heart. This is an ancient Persian (Zoroastrian) tradition, one that the Mullahs have done their best to eradicate since their takeover in 1979.

An eyewitness reported that despite severe crackdowns by the Revolutionary Guards and storm troopers, people bravely came out of their homes to celebrate. The sound of bursting firecrackers (which is a part of the celebrations), fireworks, toy rockets, confetti and various other celebratory trajectiles can be heard all over Tehran and smoke has filled the streets.

In one of the grassy knolls, in a suburban area of Tehran, large bonfires were lit and people danced around it and continued chanting the various slogans in defiance of the Mullahs and their henchmen. It is reported that the local Mullahs in various areas of several areas have locked themselves in their mosques fearing the crowds who continually and collectively shout out their slogans.

In several other parts of Tehran, revolutionary guards who have blocked off roads in order to stop cars carrying passengers of various groups from joining others. However people have begun parking their cars and have joined their fellow celebrants on foot. The guards however have become frightened by the force of the people. In this specific area several non-Iranian journalists were also present with their film crews, reporting.

In another area of the city people took to setting the French flag on fire while chanting: "Europe is finished and so are their Mullahs." OR "Bush, Bush, where is Bush?" (In Persian this rhymes: Bush, Bush, kush, kush!).

Like last year's celebration, the brave women who also participating in the celebrations removed their headscarves, stomping and dancing.

In the town of Karaj, near Tehran, people chanted: "Death to Khamenei" as the brutal revolutionary forces took chains and batons to people, severly beating and injuring many.

In the Southern city of Ahvaaz, on the Iran/Iraq border and the surrounding townships celebrants also came out in droves, confronting the regime's thugs. In the Shi'ite holy city of Mash'had, the city closest to the border of Afghanistan, where anti-regime and anti-Mullah fervour has always been most impressive, large groups of celebrants were arrested and detained.

SBD

[SBD]

What kind of support do the people of Iran however, especially the youth request from President Bush?

http://www.iranpressnews.com/english/source/003524.html

A special report from Iran

Iran Press News: President George W. Bush has repeatedly pronounced the Iranian people to be a freedom-loving people and has said that his administration backs the freedom movement of the people of Iran. In his last speech (the State of the Union Address), he reiterated this point once again. The President however, in spite of the Islamic Republic's equivocation, referred to the regime [of Mullahs] as a supporter of international terrorism and a member of the Axis of Evil, describing them as a dictatorial rule, which has deprived the people of Iran of freedom.

What kind of support do the people of Iran however, especially the youth request from President Bush?

To answer to this query a few young Iranians (inside Iran) were asked to provide short hand-written responses so that their concerns can be submitted to the President. Below, are translations of just a few of notes they sent us here at Iran Press News.

Mohammad - High School Senior writes President Bush: We are grateful that you have repeatedly supported us, the oppressed people of Iran who face the bloodthirsty Islamic regime of the Mullahs, daily. However, this is not enough. A serious solution must be devised. We, the Iranian people will not be able to succeed in achieving our freedom unless we have support from the international community. At this juncture, everyone recognizes that "Reform" was nothing more than a ruse. So what are you waiting for? This is the same regime that has supported terrorism from it's inception; it's the same regime that has done nothing but imprisoning and suffocating it's opposition...So what is the basis for your adjournment and procrastination on the one hand and European support on the other?

Saeed - Dental Student writes President Bush: I have no idea how you can save us from the clutches of the ruling Mullahs. They have taken our rights to clothing, talking and breathing even away from us. Sometimes, looking at Afghans and Iraqis who have been liberated by you and the coalition forces, I wish were either Afghan or Iraqi.

Maryam - Young writer and activist blogger offers the President an option other than war: We the people of Iran are quite capable of toppling the Islamic regime and in this cause, we do indeed require your support. However, support without war! I am aware of the fact that you have radio broadcasting capabilities in the Middle East and Persian Gulf countries. I understand that these are able to deliver the freedom-seeking message of the people of Iran. However, these broadcasting stations, which have been created [with sizable budgets, approved by the government of the U.S.] in order to deliver the news and messages of freedom for the people of Iran, unfortunately do nothing but play music, deliver extremely shallow reports and often even deliver regime-supporting commentary. Radio Farda is not that voice of freedom that we were hoping to hear from the United States. Instead, many of the activists, freedom fighters and Iranian media members who reside in the U.S. haven't the means to broadcast inside Iran; the ones who are in fact able to broadcast into Iran cannot be heard by everyone as satellite dishes and such other such means are not available to the greater public. How wonderful it would have been that instead of playing music and songs [from short wave radios], which are useless, the voices of freedom fighters were broadcast regularly and around the clock. We are sure that you are able to make this happen and that it would be effective.

Gloria also has a similar suggestion for the President: Mr. Bush, please support the voices of Iranian freedom seekers. We don't need music or science and cultural news from you; access to this sort of information is very easy these days and music can be heard through cassettes and CD's. Instead of broadcasting music 24 hours a day, broadcast political analysis and commentary! Let our activists speak. Let the messages of freedom fighters be broadcast via your technical facilities that are set up in the region. Please recognize that this is the best and easiest method to topple this regime and it is the least path of resistance...

Mehdi - University Senior, graduating in the Spring with a degree in Political Science, writes: We are grateful that you do not keep quiet in the face of the atrocities committed against the people of Iran; this is a line that some of our own fellow compatriots even cannot be bothered to toe. Furthermore, in the face of the cutthroat Islamic regime, a much more uncompromising and sagacious response is necessary. Tehran's Ayatollahs have not only been noxious for their own people but now they have begun subjugating the world. Up to now, they have used all the tools at their disposal to wreak bloody havoc throughout the world. Up to now, they have managed to perpetrate extensive terrorist missions with the simplest implements but now at the threshold of the mobilization of nuclear arms development, one can only imagine what a world we will face with the advent of atomic Mullahs. Stop them, otherwise the fires of derangement and oppression will engulf the world...

Shaqayeq and Shayda - sisters: We are not the ones who you see on TV. Do not consider those bearded terrorists you see, to be Iranian. We Iranians with our rich culture and history, perpetually wish to live in peace and serenity. Our rulers are not Iranian. They are in no way endowed with the Iranian disposition. It is due to this that they and their lackey agents have unleashed such a plague on the world and us. Mr. Bush, Ms. Rice...please come to our aid. A people are on the path of destruction and decline and furthermore the world is uneasy with an oppressive regime entitled the Mullacracy.

Soheil - Art Student provides insight for President Bush on aspects of the blueprint for a referendum: We are seeking a referendum to choose our nation's fate. Our aim is to have a free election such as the ones held in Afghanistan and Iraq so that we can choose another form of government and it's own constitutional law. Please help us realize this aim.

Sarah - Accounting student has written 5 pages for the President of the U.S.! In sections of the letter, she states: Iranian opposition outside Iran has not been able to create a united front against the Mullahs. The first measure that the government of the U.S. can take in supporting the freedom-loving people of Iran can be to gather the various forces and consolidate a caucus in exile; also helpful would be to assist in organizing a referendum for another form of rule...We, the people of Iran, have struggled for the last hundred years in order to obtain democracy, however in no period [in our history] had we suffered to the extent that we have under the rule of Mullahs nor had we galvanized our struggle to this extent. Now that you have become our supporter, we would like to ask you to help unite the world with our goals and hopes; it is in this way that we can be rid of a plague such as this Islamic regime. I realize that this regime however is the "pet" of certain Western countries and that these very same countries also benefit from the perpetuation of such a plague! Sitting on one's hands in the face of the expansion of such a regime is tantamount to imminent defeat! These [Mullahs] are busy building nuclear weapons. This is a fact that the whole world is aware of and I cannot understand why, is reluctant to confront.

Finally, Farhad, Shima, Mahmoud, Pantehah, Payam, Shahnaz, Behnam, Goudarz in similar messages, explicitly ask President Bush to consider military action against the Islamic republic. Payam also adds: I am exhausted by these existing conditions. Mr. Bush, please come and fight fanaticism, inhumanity and persecution with your most sophisticated military equipment and confront them with much worse than what Mullah Omar, Bin Laden and Saddam experienced! Iran and Iranians are desperate, drained and downcast by all this pain, executions, massacres, profanity, poverty, corruption and suffocation...we hope for your arrival.

We are thus waiting for the receipt of more messages for the President, which we will print.

[PhantomSgt]

Time is on our side and the USA should not rush in until the situation is right in Iran. The report (if true) of elements of the Iranian Air Force capitulating to the side of the demonstrators is a positive sign of regular military dissatisfaction with the Mullahs in power.

If the Iranian military forces move on the Special Islamic Guard of the Mullahs, this would be the point to offer help to the pro democracy elements and assist with cleaning out this nest of despots.

We must have a clear invitation before we attend this party in Iran.




_________________
Retired AF E-8

Independent that leans right of center.

[Uisguex Jack]

I am a great admirer of the Persian civilization.

I'm betting when it goes down for real they will have not a 'velvet' revolution, but a 'silk' revolution. Most my Iranian pals are very, very sophisticated and very, very smart. I think they will do their utmost to make sure as few people as possible get hurt in the process.

One morning the mullahs will wake up and find they no longer have any control at all, in their place a constitutional democracy.... or maybe even something more enlightened.

This might have something to do with all those Carriers moving around the globe, eh?

[shawa]

SBD
When I read your post yesterday I didn't know whether this was real or not.
Surely, we would have heard something in the MSM about such dramatic
Happenings!!
NRO reports it today. Seems it is quite an uprising! I only hope we will
support these brave people.

http://www.nationalreview.com/ledeen/ledeen200503170753.asp

[PhantomSgt]

President Bush is playing a skilfull hand of draw poker with the Iranian situation. By supporting the Euros as the lead negotiators with Iran, he has placed the burden of success on them.

Failure and breakdown of negotiations with the Mullahs clears the way for whatever will follow to guarantee Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. The Euros having their best efforts turned down by Tehran will have little choice but to endorse military action and regime change in Iran.

The French are scrapping for credibility with an Iraqi government that knows the level of support they provided to Saddam and his henchmen.

They can’t afford to make that mistake again, as the average Iranian citizen knows what they have done to support the Mullahs. Having that much of the Middle East oil reserves in the hands of free people who basically detest you is not good for your economy. Watch for them to perform a 180 away from the Mullahs and support the emerging revolution in Iran.

The British led by Tony Blair are facing a tough round of elections of their own and Blair by being seen as a peacemaker and statesman will gain poll points with the liberal left in his own country. President Bush would like to see this guy reelected for continued support of his efforts around the world. Blair may distance himself from the USA in the coming months to gain Labor votes, but rest assured this is “just politics” after all.

Germany will follow along with Chirac and fall inline whenever he tugs on the leash. The Germans have enormous problems with unemployment, debt and all the problems that instantly assimilating a third world country (East Germany) entails.

All the while President Bush waits to play his hand at the right moment in time.


_________________
Retired AF E-8

Independent that leans right of center.