Thursday
Nov262009
Iran: Text of Mousavi Statement to Basiji (25 November)
Thursday, November 26, 2009 at 15:54 
Translation by Khordaad 88:In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
5th of Azar (26 November) is the anniversary of creation of "Basij of the Poor" by Imam Khomeini. This anniversary is an opportunity to have a second look at this influential institution in the history of the Islamic revolution: What was the Basij? What is it now? and what should it be? What force created the Basij, and gave it a name and recognition? What made it a hero of all the different tastes and inclinations [of different classes] in a period of the modern history of this land?
The Latest from Iran (26 November): Corridors of Conflict
That glorious history and great success known as Basij was not achieved through extensive budgets, and expensive weapons. It was not excellent institutionalized organization techniques that made the Basij as glorious as a tale of magnificent proportions. It was not military power that formed Basij. Instead, it was deep and pure intentions that created this high tower and nurtured role models whose names are remembered as if they were loyal friends of the prophet.
In addition, in the history of the revolution, Basij is the symbol and centerpiece of courage and persistence of our nation. Thirty years ago, Imam created "Basij of the Poor" to stand against probable military assault of superpowers. This act was the most influential step taken to prevent any such attacks. In the past three three decades, powers great and small carried the most destructive of weapons. The only thing that stopped them from assaulting our soil or made them regret their assault was that they had seen the courage of the people who were not afraid of the strength of the powerful. They had seen people who did not stop at anything to defend their rights and ideals. Basij was a window through which this aspect of our nation was displayed.
Basij was a manifestation of the union of [social] layers and different appetites among our people. When our caring father [Imam Khomeini] was planting this tree, he said: “A country that has 20 million youth, must have 20 million Basij members.” How could have this been achieved if Basij belonged to only one mode of thinking, one group or one class? What he meant by the 20 million army was the color and capacity that could represent if not all, at least a big majority of the colors that exist in our society; something like the flags of prince of martyrs, [third Imam of Shiite] that is yearly raised everywhere throughout our country, and all of our social layers even some of the religious minorities gather around it.
If Basij has turned into one of our nation’s greatest achievements, it was because of attention to such secrets. Otherwise, a name [Basij] can not by itself achieve such almost artistic relics of greatness: The art of changing normal people to an army who relies on God, the art of resisting and winning [the war] empty handed and the art of becoming the source and axis for the union and for the pride of a nation.
Today too, it’s the same story. It is not orders of labels and symbols, words and appearances, neither is it types of discourse and accents nor sentences or magic that creates such schools [Basij or purposeful togetherness] of love, and great humans. All the Basijis, whether known or nameless, who are the pride of faith and land, did not become heroes because of their words. They were tested. Of course, there is not one person in this world who is not tested with choosing right from wrong.
“Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, ‘We believe’, and that they will not be tested?"
“We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false”
The time has reached for the inheritors of Bagheris and Bakeris [high-ranking Revolutionary Guard military commanders killed in the Iraq-Iran War]. A new generation who are called Basijis and are in the middle of the darkest suspicions and upheaval. Is this new generation similar to those who have fought along The Commander of Faithful in the Battle of Camel [a battle that took place at Basra, Iraq in 656 between forces allied to Ali ibn Abi Talib (First Imam of Shi’ites and the Commander of the Faithful) and forces allied to Aisha (widow of Prophet Muhammad )]? Or are such similarities pointless because those who make them want Basij to be an oppressive machine to hit, capture, hurt and even kill the human beings whom their only sin is asking for justice?
Who knows the answer to such questions? What is the real identity of the institution which is currently called “Basij (Mobilization) of the Oppressed”? Is this an erratic institution that closes its eyes and breaks the arms and legs of its brothers and sisters when they are ordered to do so? Or is it an institution with the deepest insight that can distinguish the right way from wrong way in the darkest nights of upheaval. The night of upheaval is like a days for those who have doubts in their answers to these questions.
“Whenever you are faced with Fitna (Upheavals) like parts of a dark night, Quran is yours [to get refuge and find your way]”.
Hear the response of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to all these doubts that when upheavals gets into you like parts of a dark night you have to look through Quran! Quran is an intercessor that its intercession is always accepted, and if it becomes a witness against anyone its testimony is accepted. A book that will lead to paradise anyone who considers it as a leader and will drive to hell anyone who goes against it. A book that guides to the best of ways. Quran is a book that clearly and explicitly orders us to be with the truthful.
“O you who believe, fear Allah and be with the truthful”
However, if the truthful were known, the night of upheaval would have ended. On the other hand it is clear that the truthful never lies. Those who lie in their most important political campaign are certainly not truthful. God-consciousness is not their companion and faith is not compatible with them. Haven’t you heard lies in the past months?
“O you who believe, fear Allah and be with the truthful”
What was the Basji, what will be, and what is to be done?
The Basji that the Imam wanted would not stand against the nation, but would stand behind them and with them. A Basji whose actions would go beyond political factions and its broad shoulders would protect all, a Basji that would enjoy the friendship of the people, a Basji that would be seeking people’s friendship and unity. A Basji that would overlook the differences of opinion and protect the life and liberty of the masses, that would see them all as brothers or one in creation. A Basji that would protect the privacy of people. Imam did not want the Basji as a tool of authority, but a place for people to project their own power, a place that would allow them to have a part in their own future. It was supposed to be that the actions and behavior of the Basji would be an example to the people, not to have the power of the Basji crush the people. The Basji was not supposed to be on the government payroll and was not supposed to receive bonuses for arresting people for participating in demonstrations. It is a sad day if the Basji becomes just another political party. This is not what the Imam wanted for the Basjiis. The Basji was not supposed to be an instrument to take away people’s freedom in their votes.
My Basjii brothers! What where the faults or flaws in Imam [Khomeini]’s aspirations for Basij that you have abandoned them? Why should you ruin the image created based on the efforts of those before you? You are from the people and with the people. Why do the concepts that our people favour based on their nature, cause such hatred among our Basiji friends? What is bad about freedom? Why talking about freedom causes so much disgust in the heart of some our Basiji friends as if freedom is a unforgivable sin? We know that many of our cities’ major crossroads are called freedom. Don’t we say that subjects like human rights, women rights, minorities rights, and as such are exploited by great powers to hypocritically associate themselves with these concepts and demonstrate a good face?
So why should those, who are the main and noble owners of such values and ideals, distance themselves from them? Do they want their school of thought to look detestable? Why do you ban these concepts and consider them as criteria for being non-religious? Religion is like a favourite flower bestowed upon people. Its teachings are moderate and in agreement with people ‘s nature. Don’t turn it in to a torn bush, that everyone who touches it gets harmed, like what our youth experience [nowadays] in the streets.
Thirty years ago Basij came to existence just like a flower and a blast of light. If one desires to return to that luminous original era, does that mean he has turned his back on the [Islamic] Revolution and intends to turn over the system? Isn’t it a call to justice if one requests to return to the original version of Islamic revolution? If one demands the pure Islam of Mohammad, the one that Imam [Khomeini] was its mouthpiece and referral; if one expresses distaste toward superstitious and superficiality, which is sold to people in the name of religion; if one follows all the articles of the constitution; if one asks for the loyalty to the vows made based on belief and humanity? Is it legitimate to smack such people in the streets, to torture them in the jails, to sentence them to long terms in prison? Do Islam and Koran teachings allow killing of the people who peacefully ask their rulers to be just?
“And they kill the people who asked them to be just. So warn them of a severe punishment."
What was [the essence of] Basij before and what will it turn into if it continues on the road laid for it? The force that once represented the courage of our nation is now used to terrorize Iranians? It is evident that the newest and the latest strategy adopted by the authoritarian minority is to create fear in people. They wear terrifying apparel and gather in military formations in the city streets to frighten their countrymen? They terrorize people because they themselves are terrified? Or they convict the sons of this revolution to 7 , 10 and 15 years in prison to console themselves? And they don’t realize how they are jeopardizing the national security with these short-sighted behaviors?
It is sufficient for great powers to see [our] people frightened to harass our nation. To see our people’s courage undermined and their strength and their endurance uncertain to believe their dreams of the last 30 years [against our nation] are coming true. Look at our two neighboring countries that are occupied by foreign forces. In both countries they attempted to terrify people and people were terrified. On the surface the [great] powers stepped into these countries with the promise to set them free. But they did not hide their greed in [seeing] horrified faces of people when they established places like Abu Ghraib. They told people of these two countries with outmost clarity that you are the people who were scared of Saddam and Taliban; now it is justified to be more scared of our terrorizing weaponry. Even the radical terrorists still savagely kill these people hoping they can rule them based on their fear as the bloodthirsty [dictators] did before them . The victims of the brutalities of Saddam and Taliban are still paying for their lack of courage. But our nation owes its security and peace to courage and strength shown in the last thirty years.
Now some people in the country want to take this [social] capital away from us. [Our] people are either not frightened by their displays --- which they are not and they will take away this last weapon away from them --- or they will be scared. In that case will these war toys keep this country intact?
In our contemporary history Basij was not just a name , it was a conduct that we will always need. [This is true] to the extent that if those responsible for Basij forget their duties and assignments we need to carry them out ourselves. It is a necessity, even more important than the goals of our movement , that forces us not to let anyone show greed in our fear.
And we should know, there is no color beyond black. [Creating] fear is their last effort. Your opponents made a mistake and used what they had as the last resort against your peaceful strength. The true solutions to their [quandaries] are yourselves. The day you ask your opponents: “are the colorful flags you carry in the support of implementing the full constitution?” and they answered yes, welcome them. That day we will all be Green.
Mir Hossein Mousavi
Reader Comments (33)
another proof of my sayings. mousavi simply wants to IR to be more stable and at leas exist. sad that this man is the man of the opposition. only when the opposition gets rid of people like mousavi can iran be something close to a democracy.
arman... what else do you expect him to say to the Basij people? Talk about secularism and human rights?
I personally think that Mousavi just signed his arrest warrant with this statement. He is breaching one of the most important red lines of the regime. The Basij and Sepah are Khamanei's only lifeline. Take that away from him and he is a nobody. Breaching this red line - as Mousavi is doing by his statement - will have consequences.
Arman, many of us want the IRI to become more stable, more HUMANE and more FREE w/o collapsing all together and at once. Sudden regime change is NOT being promoted by many of the activists inside Iran.
And a letter like this is more directed to the basij - not you and me. As Anthony said, you expect him to talk to them about secularism, the merits of the separation of church and state, etc? This is the tone you use to at least TRY to reach out to these folks and I think Mousavi does a good job.
What a silly man this Mousavi. Yes as we all know the Basij was a liberal, reformist organization until that evil man Ahmadinejad transformed them into thugs. They used to be devoted to that great liberal reformer and Green precursor Imam Khomeini and now they follow the opressive, dictatorial, anti-Islam Supreme Leader Khamenei.
Interestingly the MoK who now a bit about Govt. crackdowns don't seem to remember the great tolerance of the early Revolution presented by Mousavi.
This is what they say about Mousavi's great friend Khatami and his actions during that time:
Name: Mohammad
Family Name: Khatami
POSITION IN 1988:
Minister of Islamic Guidance ,Director of Cultural Affairs at the General Command of the Armed Forces
CHARGES RELATED TO THE MASSACRE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN IRAN IN 1988:
-1 Khatami participated in the session in which Khomeini, for the first time, discussed plans for the execution of all political prisoners.
-2 In governmental meetings, Khatami consistently opposed those worried about the social and international backlash of the massacre and strongly defended Khomeini's edict. As Minister of Guidance, he was responsible for suppressing any news of the massacre or criticism of it by various circles. As Ressalat and Iran News ,state-run dailies, recently reported: "This edict was issued and enforced when Mr.Khatami was Director of Cultural Affairs at the Armed Forces General Command and he resolutely defended His Holiness the Imam's decision."
-3 Abusing his powers as President, he has tried to cover up these mass murders ,especially his own role in them. The daily Gozaresh, dated April 9, 2000, reported: " Arya daily was closed down on the explicit, personal order of President Khatami, enforced immediately by the Ministry of Guidance, after it carried a story about the massacre of political prisoners in 1988."
http://www.iranhumanity.com/#3
Samuel is unwittingly doing Ahmadinejad's work for him. Keep it up!
@ Anhtony
Mousavi, Khatami and his sacrosant reformists are all part of the problem, not its solution. You definitively should stop to defend them, 30 years of lies are enough!
Interesting short notice on the Haghani circle around Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi (also known as Temsah = crocodile), especially the name list of his affiliates:
http://droi.wordpress.com/the-haghani-circle/
Anthony
You may not have noticed - but Samuel is not doing AN's work for him UNWITTINGLY.
Barry
This man Samuel, is a chameleon...
Arshama, last time I checked the Iranian people were still shouting pro-reformist names during their protests. Whether the reformists are criminals or not is irrelevant at this point. They have good deal of support.
Like many of you I am a dedicated supporter of Democracy Movement in Iran, Green or otherwise. But I part way with those who believe Mousavi or other so-called reformists are Iran ticket to democracy.
The more I have listened and read about Mousavi and other so-called reformists the more I have become convinced that Iran will be better off without them. I have said this before and I say it again Iranians should thank their lucky star that IRGC stuffed the ballot boxes for AN. AN and Mousavi are cut from the same clothe. AN is legally insane. And Mousavi is a demagogue stuck in a Khomeini web of deceit. The man does not even know how to address a Persian nation. Why the heck he is speaking in Arabic. He is not in a pulpit in a mosque.
The fraudulent election was a gift to Iranians, a wakeup call for them to rise and that they did. I hope they stay the course and get rid of these frauds, Mousavi included. Every member of this regime, former or a current, has blood on his/her hands. They should all be prosecuted for treason and crimes against humanity.
I dream of seeing Iran as country whose people are free to practice any religion without government mandate. I hope to see the day we can call our homeland Iran Constitutional Republic or Democratic Republic of Iran.
Anthony,
If Mousavi respects people will and their rights for self-determination, he should look at jail as a badge of honor. Nelson Mandela spent 27 years of his life in jail. Many people smarter than Mousavi and many times better than him either gave their lives or are in jail for protesting in his favor following June election. Why the heck is he not risking all he has for the sake of democracy? His blood is not more red that those who were killed or will be killed.
Pedestrian,
“Sudden regime change is NOT being promoted by many of the activists inside Iran.”
Where the heck do you get your statistics to make such off-the-cuff remarks? I was listening, on the radio, to Isa Khan Hatami, a political activist, a publisher and editor of a magazine/ newspaper that was shut down by AN government two years ago. He was calling from Tehran (that is considered inside Iran last time I checked). He said political activists, intellectuals, students, and ordinary people of all socioeconomic classes were fed up and wanted separation of state and religion. That is a sudden regime change.
“many of us want the IRI to become more stable, more HUMANE and more FREE w/o collapsing all together and at once.”
You got to be joking. What the heck is more STABLE and more HUMANE and more FREE IRI ? How does a corrupt mafia government stabilizes or becomes more HUMANE and more FREE? Do you mean it adds air conditioning to Kharizak prison? Or do you mean it would first kill you and then rape you as oppose to rape first and then hang you? Or you may mean it would change the color of chador for women from jet-black to bright black. Wow, these are really nice!!
Dude, some nations are taking steps to colonize the planet Moon (there is water on it) and many of you are still content with stabilizing an eight century system of mullah government that runs like a drug cartel? It is sad to hear this kind of nonsense from people who claim to be the educated class in Iran.
IRI had 30 years to stabilize and become HUMANE and afford FREEDOM to people who trusted them. But it choose to be a corrupt mafia kind of government. It is time to put rotting IRI in a trashcan and close the lid so tight until it is no more.
By the way, do you not get enough traffic on your own blog? Invite Samuel, another staunch supporter of this mafia government, to your blog and he will keep you busy. You two are a match made in dog’s heaven.
Megan, you are entitled to your opinion. But I find it so hilarious that you sound SO much like Ahmadinejad when you claim to be SO against him at the same time.
I hope you will try to learn and observe more before making such sweeping statements and i-know-all speeches, spend some time learning about non-violent movements which can never aim for immediate regime change. How many of the dozens of students recently arrested do you personally know? Are they not one group of representatives for this movement?
No actually, I've seen this so often in the expat community that it's not hilarious (if you're Iranian). It's actually scary. Somewhere down the line when trying to fight extremism, we are susceptible to becoming the very forces we are trying to fight. That is what Mousavi, student activists, Sahabi, etc are trying to warn of. Reminding ourselves of these things would do all of us a world of good.
You could easily replace some words in your little comment and it could be a worthy Ahmadinejad speech.
As to where I get my stats: first of all, I repeatedly say that this movement is anything but homogeneous and no group can claim ownership of it totally. As for my effort to understand more: I went to university in Tehran, I know and am still involved with many activists and students including a number of those who were recently imprisoned, I've been to almost every Khatami, Ahmadinejad, Ramezanzadeh, etc speech up to January 2009, I do volunteer work in the south of Tehran, I don't measure "Iran" by some a satellite channel or my family dinners, and I still don't claim to know all that much. But yes, that man who called in is a pretty accurate indicator. Call-in shows always are.
(rolling eyes).
pedestrian, it's good that there are participants in these discussions who are committed to positive political change in Iran but manage to steer clear of the kind of absolutist good guys/bad guys all-or-nothing us-versus-them rhetoric that is of little help in making sense of the diverse political forces and motivations at work. thanks for your contributions and keep them coming...
Megan
As I have said, we have to pass a little change ( and as you see how it is difficult ) to arrive at a bigger one and it will be step by step ; I am conviced that all the leaders of opposition are conscious of the
" will " of our people about "CHANGE" and if we succeed in having the " victory ", they won't risk to endenger this dreamed outcome, for which they were obliged to fight eagerly !!
Samuel,
People change and Gorbachev was an indication of that. It is called reform. Your correct to bring up the hypocrisy of some of the Green Movements leaders but you fail to grasp that they may have changed. I have always been suspect of the true motives of the leaders in the Green movement and Khatami is one. However, I believe the people's voice has caused many to rethink their agenda. Some will use it for power while others like Moussavi and Karroubi look to be honestly affected by it. Only the future will tell but comments like yours are quite indicative of efforts to effect a divide strategy. As we all know the best way to end a movement effectively is to have it destroy iteself.
Thx
Bill
Bill Davit,
Change is always possible but this clearly is not the case with the Green Leadership. Remember they try to contrast the present which they consider opressive etc., with an imaginary past. They present an Imam Khomeini who was a liberal reformer, a Khomeini who never existed on planet earth. The fact is that the Khomeini was much more of a hardliner than the current Supreme Leader and that Khatami is personally responsible for acts that make Ahmadinejad look like a liberal pacifist.
To use your Gorbachev analogy it is as if Gorbachev had been an important Stalinist official responsible for implementing Stalin's acts. Then he comes along several years later and portrays Stalin as a Ghandi like figure and the Stalin period as a precursor to his own Glasnost as he tries to return to power.
Of course I am in no way comparing the crimes of a Stalin with the policies and legacy of the Ayatollah Khomeini. I despise communism but I recognize Lenin as an important historical figure with positive qualities. Stalin was a different story.
Samuel
They use Khomeiny's name to get round the obstacles and to succeed in getting their target !! ( it's called having the common sense ) ; you are right to say that he was very merciless !! I will never forget , when arriving at the Tehran airport, he was asked : " what's your feeling " ?? and he said "nothing " !! after spending many years in exile !! I will never forget all those people dead after the revolution !! they rise his banner , and, on behalf of him, they follow their fight ; it's a trick to close the mouth of these fools that lead our country !
Please Samuel, don't defend the pasdarans and Nagdi 's race, they are so diffferent belonging to the race of the killers and the terrorists ; you are well educated , able to write books, having a large knowlegde ( which has to be channeled ) ; I want you to defend people and their will , the" democracy ", and thanks to who you are, you could serve our homeland in a good way
ange,
There is some controversy about the quote "nothing". Some believe that the Ayatollah was annoyed at getting so many questions from reporters and just said "nothing" so they would leave him alone. Others think that it shows that he cared nothing about his homeland or its population only about Islam.
The truth is that Imam Khomeini cared a great deal about Iran. Whether he was in Turkey, Najaf or Neauphle-le-Chateau, France, he kept working to return to Iran and always kept in close contact with his followers. In his writings he often refers to what imperialism, British and American, have done to his homeland over many decades.
Of course none of this detracts from his devotion to Islam in general or Shiites in particular whatever the nation in question. Islamic Iran has a particular interest in protecting Shiite communities abroad whether in Lebanon, Iraq or elsewhere. Perversely the opponents of the Revolution now take special pride in denouncing ties to Shiites abroad, in effect divorcing Iran from its Islamic and Shiite identity for a pure (whatever that is) Iranian one.
If not for the Revolution the Shiites in Lebanon would have been massacred by the Zionists, the ones in Iraq massacred by the Wahabbis (as many thousands sadly were). Today the Shiites of Yemen (who are not even Twelver Shiites) look to Iran for help as they try to preserve their religious traditions in the face Saudi agression.
It has been mentioned that the Supreme Leader (himself half-Azeri) considers the Arab Hassan Nasrallah (leader of Hezbollah) like a son. It is known that Naghdi was born in Najaf and did not come to Iran until he was 20. Sistani (whose quietist philosophy I detest) is an Iranian who has spent most of his life in Iraq. The Lebanese Shiites were first organized politically by an Iranian Cleric, Musa al-Sadr, long before the Iranian Revolution. There is nothing wrong and much good in those ties and loyalties.
In a sense it is the Revolution which has a broader worldview than the narrow minded, insular, purely Iranian Nationalists. Religion and patriotism have always been intertwined in Iran.
In their fanatical attempts to gain the love and approval of the West the reformists fail to recognize the historical record. There is also a fair amount of anti-Islamic and anti-Arab bigotry in their statements.
Samuel
You have to channel your energy ! I didn't ask you about neither the genealogical tree of Nagdi (or others) nor lebanon and hezbollah ! I wanted to know why a smart and clever boy as you , don't support the power of people called "democracy" , this "Ocean" seen in the streets of the country after the elections and instead, you defend the cheaters, and these merciless killers , who deserve not even to lead our country because of their mismanagement and this terrible economic situation and what they do the best , is to put the country's money in their pocket !!
Pedestrian,
I do not share your views. I do not need to try a dead-end road more than once to know it will lead to nowhere. You may want to try it for another 30 years and that certainly is your prerogative. I only asked you not to present your views as if it is the view of large majority and that you have an inside track. It is intellectually dishonest.
I am not interested in engaging you on this forum or any other for that matter. I avoid people whose ego gets the best of them. I, however, would like to leave you with some parting comments.
1. You found my words sounding like Ahmadinejad? Thank you for making it easy to return the insults. You are dumber that I thought, Mullah Pedestrian.
2. I do not buy any of your BS that you are in Iran. It is shameful that you keep exploiting that to give credibility to your nonsense.
3. Listening to people speeches does not make your take the correct one. You may sell that to people who do not speak, read or write Farsi. I do not need your translation to understand what they had said.
4. You do volunteer work in South of Tehran? Doing what? Snooping on people and taking their pictures? Or you are the Hejab police, hajji khanoom (rolling eyes gave you away)
5. If having gone to Tehran University makes one expert in student movements some of us have been both student and professor at Tehran University.
6. Do not try to label people as expat which in your small world is synonymous with not knowing the situation on the ground in Iran. Many you call expats have done their residency in Evin. Have you?
7. You personally know students that have been arrested and are in jail? Where were you when they were arrested? How come you have not been arrested hot shot political expert and activist?
8. No, we do not get our information only from satellite radio or at family dinner table. Many of us have been activist and in the trenches.
9. Only an ignorant person will write to a person whom he does not know “I hope you will try to learn and observe more before making such sweeping statements”. And you did.
10. If you stop harassing your readers every time they make a comment and if you stop being a pompous ass, your readers will come back and you will be busy.
ange,
I've explained my support for the Revolution before but certainly part of it has to do with the reasons outlined above.
But let me ask you why did you find the "nothing" quote so offensive? Isn't it because you think that the Ayatollah Khomeini cared nothing about Iran only Islam?
Samuel
Not at all ; I think when your are ( or I am ) absent from your country for long time, if you are able to go back there, your heart beat wildly and the first thing you do arriving on the ground of your homeland, it's to kneel down and to kiss it !! and I am not joking ! He was full of rage and bloody furious; one thing made him running and living : " to revange" ; it was terrible !!
I couldn't understand your reasons above, as if you spoke in chineese; look at the "people", the power of the nation, without them nobody could be successful; look at this amazing "ocean"!!
Megan,
Me & you are on 99% of the pages
I read most of all comments and have a few things to point out some of you may have covered already
1st of all, I don't think the Mousavi type of political idealogies (or his cover idealogy) is what people want, but still, he is very helpful. Just this letter, I'm sure will have very positive effect on some of the Basjies
You can't convince a fully brainwashed Basiji to bite the hand that feed them in any better language than that, they'd ignore anything he says otherwise,
Its totally aligned with the regimechange theories I've been analyzing for years
You can't crush a mega mafia brutal armed and well funded regime in one piece, you must first split it in half, make one 1/2 fight another 1/2, then it'll be much easier to bring regime change.
To be hounest, I don't buy all peaceful revolution stuff because in dealing with the IRGC controled IIran, you must fight to get the country back, but the most effective violence is the violence within our enemies, regime vs. Regime. Support of the people from one side will lead to a bipolar system 1st & finally 1 side fighting another
2nd never thing you could read a Persian's mind, we are the most secretive people, when Arabs invated Iran, they forced us to speak, read & write only Arabic and even abandon our ancient religion & traditions. Right about the time they thought Persia was fully Arabianized, they got kicked out and Persians even established their own virsion of Islam. Millions of Zoroasterians who pretended as converts to Islam in order to avoid their wives & doughters being slaved by the Arabs, started practicing their religion again (as a historical fact, untill 700 years ago, the beginning of the Safavid dinesty, over 50% of Iranians were Zoroasterians later on forced to convert or killed in several genocides done by the Safavids whom tried to make a 100% shia country)
I've seen Iranians very religious always going to musques alcoholic
Continue)
I assume, Mousavi and many other regime supporters want regime change, too. Maybe he is keeping it a secret and that's the only way to stay alive and free while opposing and leading the opposition
As a matter of fact, Mousavi is not leading people at all !!!! People created mousavi and are leading him, he is a follower of the peope
Iranians anger baloone from 30 years of IR regime was bubbled up growing, Khatami released some pressure as much as regime could afford. Ahmadinejad's 1st term, trippled the size of the bubble to the point it was ready to be burst, Mousavi wasn't the type of characters they would evr allow to become a president, specially after seeing how he was getting emotional by people's support, no way.
So, when he lost the election, many who even didn't vote for him took advantage of the situation and you knw the rest
Also Iranian people are very secretive, they chant Iranian Repuublic, call for separation of religion from government and then some suggest they want reform not regime change
Come on, use your brain, a democratic / Republic regime, is not Islamic Republic, once you take out Islam from IR, what you need is a whole new political system, all IR institutions must be eleminated and replaced. W/ new gov w/its own coconstitution,al laws, etc
IRGC & Basij for example, the backbones of the regime, will not have any use in a democratic system, because one was created to protect Khomein & co (IRGC) and another to recruit hight school students to carry suicide missions and other services during the Iran-Iraq war (Basij)
Basij has been pain in the ass of Iranians since the endo of the war actually, they've done nothing but harrasing people there
I left Iran as a teen in the late 90's, remember just because of dressing up stylish hollywood style as they used to call it, have long style hair and being a player, I used to gett arrested, beaten up. By the basij and IRGC based forces (Komiteh, Yegan Vijeh, amre-be-maroof, etc) or harrassed on weakly bases, most of my friends the same. In return, we had to organize our gangs to beat up basijies ;) I was harasses many times by the basijies, but new how to get a way w/them most of the time, since I knew many of their names, all I had to do was to lie to be causin of one of their top thougs or talk their own language (like Mousavi is doing) no logics or human language would work on them, very hardheade, only using Islamic terms, refering to Ali, Khomein and other crap they belong to would signal on their num brains
I used to know a few of them before & after they became basijies. The brainwashing is to powerful to go away so easily. The guys I used to sell russian vodka to, 2 months after joining the Basij, wouldn'd drink and even wouldn't listen to Persian music anymore. Basijies become ZOMBIES, don't even know their own brothers anymore.
One example was 2 identical twin brother we grew up in the same neighborhood, one was sharper, more intelligent and social, the other one shy & slower, before one brother (the shy) joining the basij for educational advantages, their own mother used to be mistaken how similar in look, bhavior and even the way they talked, I didn't see them for few months, one day saw the cool brother who didn't join the basij sitting on their door steps, when he saw me he geated me and we set talking, he was lucky to have highe scoress and accepted to university easily, his brother decided to take shortcut & joined the basij (guaranteed acceptance) and he was so ashamed to tel me that, I asked him were he was and he said he was in the Musque, I said what??!! It was a shock, because it's very rare to see the post revolution generations going to Musque during normal days, most iranians would never or only few times a year go to musques, it's like a dihouner to go to musque for most city kids
Anyway, while we were talking, the brother returned, he was a totally different animal, wearinf a long plain shirt hanging on his basiji style pants, basiji style hair, unshaved face looking at his twin brother & responding to him as he was a strainger or a sort of racist looking at a diff race.
The brother said, "I kept telling the asshole, don't join the shit, but he was hard headed and did, my old father had heart attack a few times seeing his ass like this"
Another members was a kid in during class in my 9tj grade, he was a nerd and shy type of kid