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democratic Donating Member (486 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Dec-08-04 03:02 PM
Original message
Students give Khatami turbulent reception
- The Iranian people see the reformists and hard-liners as the same breed. Khatami is just like the rest of them. They want a real democracy and will achieve it IF LEFT ALONE!

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_7-12-2004_pg4_19

TEHRAN: Iran’s embattled reformist President Mohammad Khatami was given a mixed reception from university students on Monday, winning some cheers but also a tirade of jeers for his record in office.

In a difficult appearance to mark national students day, the beleaguered president even complained to students — once the main supporters of the reform movement — of being “humiliated and destroyed”.”.

As Khatami joined the gathering in the downtown conference hall, some 300 out of the 1,500 students bombarded him with slogans such as “Khatami shame on you”, “Khatami we detest you” and “Khatami, our votes were wasted on you” — a reflection of widespread frustration with the perceived weakness of the mild-mannered cleric..

“I see the Islamic revolution as the most popular revolution,” Khatami added, in a comment that instead drew chants of “Referendum!” from parts of the audience. But Khatami defended what he said was ultimately a tolerant government, asking the crowd: “Where else in the Third World do they humiliate or destroy a president like this.”

The noisy gathering was also marked by some limited scuffles between security guards and students who were unable to enter the hall. Moreover, President Mohammad Khatami said that university students are inheritors of the longstanding battle against foreign hegemony and dictatorship.
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Sandpiper Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Dec-08-04 04:41 PM
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1. They had a democracy in 1953
Edited on Wed Dec-08-04 04:45 PM by Sandpiper
That was overthrown in a CIA coup.

The reason? Nationalizing the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company.

True democracy in the middle east is the last thing the U.S. wants.
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democratic Donating Member (486 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Dec-08-04 06:01 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. Exactly

And he was a secular deeply popular prime minister.

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bemildred Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Dec-08-04 07:02 PM
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3. Hang in there. Those old farts days are numbered.
Awesome display of democratic sentiment, too.
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MrPrax Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Dec-08-04 07:45 PM
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4. Not sure Khatami is all to blame...
What if Iran wasn't named an 'axis of evil'?
What if their neighbour, Iraq, weren't illegally attacked and occupied?
What if invading Iran wasn't a front burner item for the PNAC?

Unfortunately, in such a climate, Khatami can't really pursue reforms. The actions of the US and Israel have ONLY gone to strengthen the fundamentalists and have given very little leverage for the proverbial 'moderate' in that part of the world...

Which, of course, was planned--US foreign policy in no way or form wants 'moderates', 'democracy' or anything else that smacks of 'automony' in that part, or any part, of the world.

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Bono71 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Dec-08-04 08:13 PM
Response to Reply #4
6. Khatami was pretty bad before any of that
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fbahrami Donating Member (154 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Dec-08-04 08:00 PM
Response to Original message
5. this is not an apology for the "Islamic Republic of Iran" ...
many injustices have been done since the 1979 revolution, but ...

it's significant that

1) Iran had a 90% voter turnout 8 years ago when Khatami was elected 2) people talk much more openly and intelligently about politics there than here, and 3) now this and the other stuident movements.

Like the previous reviewer wrote, if left alone we/they can figure it out!

peace
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