It is 7:30 pm, since about a few minutes age there have been hit and run clashes here. There are too many suppressive forces here so people cannot gather in large groups but they form groups of 10 to 20 south of north of the square. They chant slogans and use the absence of suppressive forces to close the route and light fire. As soon as they light fire in some point agents attack.

This is Azadegan St. we have engaged in clashes with SSF but the crowd attacked them and they ran away.
This is small street and about 200 to 300 people have gathered. They have torched public trash cans here.
Every body is present; men, women, old people and children. Every body says that we do this to defy Khameni’s Fatwa.

We are now in the middle of a war watching the scene.
Unfortunately in some places forces are concentrated but they have not covered some other. We are in West 56 of Tehranpars.
I see a neighbor’s son giving bags of explosives to people from the trunk of their car. There is no SSF here. My sister who resides in 150 of Tehranpars we were there today and each ten steps there was a SSF stationed.

Available videos

Sadeghieh Tehran - Crying out Death to Dictator
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap14aIIdBG8

Sa’adat Abad Tehran - Burning the picture of the Dictator
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMcy4fri1JU

Javadieh Tehran.wmv
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9ozJmlMDEM

Amir Abad Tehran - March 16, 2010.wmv
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CFkfpOJ7KA

burning pic of khamenie - March 16, 2010.wmv
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoTi9HlPnEc

Ekbatan - Cry out ‘Death to Dictator’ March 16, 2010.wmv
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3urFXKIMxbo

Feast of Fire in Iran - March 16, 2010.wmv
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS94A1mxjxA

Firdus Blvd. Tehran 1 - March 16, 2010.wmv
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbXPUIu98h8

Tohid Square Tehran - Feast of Fire in Iran - March 16, 2010.wmv
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx6pO6tYJOM

Analysis. These last ones are coming so fast they are not even in the usual format. They are just plain text. It is also on the spot reporting. I got an email form a correspondent who says that the main stream media is not covering the Feast of Fire. Neither, it appears, is the English language Arabic media. I looked at Asharq al-Aswat and Al Arabiya just a few minutes ago (0420Z, 17 Mar 10). There was one article referencing Karroubi and that was it. Draw your own conclusions.

Tehran A number of people are clashing with security forces in the Haft Hoze region in Narmak.
There are large crowds in Sa’dat Abad and there was a heavy presence of security forces as well. People threw anything they could get their hands on at security forces. They would leave the scene and then come back again. Security forces shot tear gas at protesters.
There are also clashes in the Piruzi and Gheitarieh regions.

Mashhad In Azad Shahr Street, the regime has stationed special force units and this area is filled with security forces.
The people have lit fire to tires in the four corners of the street and there is a motorcycle burning in the middle. They are chanting and there is a lot of commotion. They are chanting death to dictator and death to the principle of the ruling clergy.

Orumieh People set fire to a storage building which belonged to the municipality. No one was arrested for the fire. The fire department put out the fire.
Ilam and Javanroud Young people have lit fires in Ilam in an area that used to be an airport and Falahat Park in Javanroud and security forces have arrested several people.
Khoram Abad The people celebrated the Fire Festival in Kio Street near the Seda and Sima building (official state-run TV station). They chanted anti-regime slogans. There were security forces present on the scene.
Hamedan There are strict security measures being taken out in a regions called Ostadan. The sounds of the explosion of Molotov cocktails and hand grenades can also be heard throughout the city.

Khoram Abad – Kohdasht Young people have set off grenades in this area. There is a high presence of security forces.

Rasht Protesters set fire to a place next to the Manzarieh Body Building Institution but the fire department put it out.

Babolsar More than 1000 people have gathered in a park next to the sea. They are setting off all kinds of firecrackers. There is a large presence of security forces. A number of people have been arrested. People chanted slogans against Khamenei. Officials cut off the electricity in this area.

Sanadaj Protesters set fire to a car in Haji Abad. The atmosphere is explosive in 6 Bahman and Sharif Abad. Regime forces have closed 17 Shahrivar Street, and Feiz Abad and Golnaz Pich regions.

Javanroud – Sarpol Zahab – Ilam The people have lit a bonfire in the main street in Javanroud and security forces have dispatched forces to this area.
A number of people were arrested in Sarpol Zahab, and the 300 Dastgah region.
In Chamran Blvd. there are clashes between security forces and the people. A building has caught fire next to a nursery in Javanroud.
Security forces have lost control of the Pasdaran Street in Ilam and are nervous and distressed and SSF officials are chastising their forces on why they do not deal with the people and why they do not enter the scene.

Orumieh This province has witnessed its most unprecedented Fire Festival in the past few years. The people showed that they will defy the regime and celebrate the Fire Festival like no other year. The sounds of explosions are so loud that security forces do not dare come close. People have lit small fires in alleys and larger fires in big streets where they set fire to tires. People throw eggs at cars that try to prevent them from celebrating.

Tehran Young people have took over the Ikbatan region in Tehran and have thrown security forces out of this region. They are chanting death to dictator and burning pictures of Khomeini and Khamenei.
In Tehran regions like Motaheri, Torkemanestan in Shariat Street, Gisha, Sadeqieh and Tajrish the commotion is still going on. In Gisha people set fire to trash cans but security forces extinguished them right away. In Seyed Khandan the sounds of explosions can be heard from several blocks away.
Three brave teenagers set off firecrackers in the middle of Enqelab Square. A few minutes later, regime forces attacked them took them to an unknown location.

Ahwaz People set fire to a car in 14 Street.

Isfahan There is also a lot of unrest in Isfahan and the sounds of firecrackers and explosions are very loud. People are throwing objects from their rooftops and balconies.

Ilam The whole Haft Tapeh region is filled with fire and firecrackers and security force officials have warned their forces demanding an answer as to why they have not controlled this region and have let it get out of hand.
In Azadi Blvd. Malekol Shoaraye Bahar, outside Payame Nour University and Bastan Street there is also a lot of commotion and unrest and security forces have called for backup.

Temporary Council of Laborers of Isfahan’s Iron Melting Industry reported that laborers of this industry went on strike on March 8. They protested because their wages are low. These workers who are hired through straight agreements tore their pay checks for month of Bahman (January-February) and demanded a raise in their wages.

March 16, 2010
Tehran People in various Tehran neighborhoods like Valiasr Street, Valiasr Intersection, and Shahrak Gharb have started lighting firecrackers and chanting Allah O Akbar from their balconies from last night. Officials have announced the names of a number of jailed students that they will release tonight. It seems they are doing this in a bid to force their families to come outside Evin Prison and not participate in the Fire Festival ceremonies in other areas.

Tehran 2 pm Clashes started between security forces and protesters near Rodaki Street.

Tehran There is a lot of commission in various Tehran regions like Satarkhan Street, Enghelab Square, Imam Hossein Square, Salsabil, 196 Street, Ikbatan, Sadeghieh, and Haft Hoz Square and Mirdamad and young people have set off firecrackers and sound bombs. Large groups of people are out on the streets.
There are also clashes between people and security forces in Madar Square in Mirdamad and security forces are arresting people. In Rodaki, which is the scene of severe clashes, people are booing security forces and the security forces are trying to escape from the scene.
Young people are setting off firecrackers under the feet of security forces in San’at Square in Shahrake Gharb.
Security forces, Bassij forces and plainclothes agents are also out on the streets in full force trying to quell the unrest.
Three people were arrested in Enqelab Square while trying to set off explosives.
A SSF soldier was severely beaten and arrested by security forces for defying orders. He disobeyed his superior officer when told to attack young people who were setting off firecrackers.

There are also other reports from Shiraz, Karaj, Ahwaz and Orumieh that people are also out on the streets setting off firecrackers and other explosives in defiance of the government.

Ilam & Kermanshah There is a lot of turmoil in Sepah Square and 300 Dastgah regions in Javanroud and there is a lot of noise coming from that area. Several suppressive units have been dispatched to this area. Security forces have announced that they cannot control 300 Dastgah and need backup.
Security forces have been warned to use their cameras and other equipment. There is also a lot of commotion in Malek Ashtar region and security forces are looking to arrest protesters as well as in Sadughi Blvd. and Islam Abad intersection.
Security force officials have threatened their forces that no one is allowed to leave the scene (it seems their forces are running away out of fear.)

Mashhad The streets sound like a war zone. Security forces are on the scene with their motorcycles but they cannot control anything and run away. Young people throw fire crackers in front of cars that they think belong to Bassij forces and then quickly leave the scene.

Tehran Security forces cannot control the commission and unrest in Shad Abad, Yaft Abad, Ibrahim Abad and Narmak and other Tehran regions.

This will be the first in a long series of posts covering the events of the Feast of Fire. I will let our friends in Iran speak for themselves with only minor editing for spelling and continuity. All times are local time in Iran and all locations are Tehran unless noted otherwise.

Tehran, March 15, 2010
Khamenei: Feast of Fire has no base in religion’s canon law and causes a great deal of damage and corruption.
On March 14, Khamenei whose talisman is broken, just two days before the national uprising of March 16 said from: “Feast of fire not only has no base in religion’s canon law but also it causes a great deal of damage and corruption, so it is appropriate to be deserted”.
The anti-Islamic Fatwa of Khamenei who is the greatest enemy of Muslims shows both his anti-Iranian nature and the nature of its wicked regime oppose to nationwide uprising of Iranians. He is negligent that not only his Fatwa has no effect any more like his cannon, tank and Bassiji (people’s slogan: cannon, tank, Bassiji have no effect any more) but also it doubles people’s will to participate in the uprising.
In addition to Khamenei, his subordinates other official sources of canon law such as Jafar Sobhani, Makarem Shirazi, Hosseini Boshehri, Mahmood Rajabi and some other mullahs in Qom have called the day against religious canon law, superstitious and against logic in their fear of the nationwide uprising on the day.
Of course it is for years that anti human mullahs have shown that they are against anything that would make Iranians happy and gay. But during the nationwide uprising of the recent months people well know that the ruling mullahs only care for their own survival. When threats of the highest rank elements and officials of the regime and their suppressive organs and their “operation of discovering and confiscating explosives” as well as their sham cries for damages of the feast for youths had no effect in preventing the public enthusiasm for participating in the national uprising of Feast of Fire then Khamenei directly came into the scene.
In reaction to the hysteric measures of the mullahs people are getting prepared and are welcoming this national feast since two weeks ago. They are preparing themselves for the great uprising of Feast of Fire as a token of the wrath of Iranians towards the clerical regime. Sound of the explosion of feast-explosives in every city, street and alley makes the regime even more horrified.

Tehran, March 14, 2010
In fear of hand-made bombs made for Feast of Fire by youths, the clerical regime has escalated its suppressive measures.
About a month ago Union of Paint Sellers have issued a directive for all the sellers that selling any kind of bronze powder and syringe is prohibited and the sellers must post this directive on the windows of their shops. It has also stationed its agents recently in Narmak region’s metro and when youths are entering the station they are bodily inspected to prevent them from having any kind of explosives with them.
In Kharamabad too the clerical dictatorship has established Neighborhood Police. These mercenaries are from RGC and they have warned people especially youths that any kind of act against regime’s security will be confronted with.

Ghaemshahr, March 14, 2010
Habashi the head of Ghaemshahr’s SSF (north of Iran) while worried said: “people sell explosives underground and in their houses. They pour pebbles in the hand made explosive and this makes them as a tool for war. He also threatened the youths and said: “SSF will confront any kind of chaos, disordering and bothering the residents. If a vehicle is confiscated because of this it will not be given back until the end of the holidays of the New Year.

Kashan, March 13, 2010
The representative of Khamenei in Kashan, Mullah Abdolali Namazi in fear that Feast of Fire might turn to a nationwide uprising said: “the young generation must be aware that participating in such ceremonies will damage them and might have negative results”. He added: “parents, teachers and professors must prevent youths from participating in such superstitious ceremonies”.
Regime’s Friday Imam in Kashan also pointed to the day as enemy’s subject for striking on the System and said: “officials must confront those who intent to misuse this day”. While interviewing with regime’s official news agency he reminded: “the issue of this day has been spread after the Islamic Republic by the enemies. The dissidents are using it as a political tool”.

Debka is reporting that Palestinian groups are planning civil unrest tomorrow leading to perhaps another intefada against Israel.

Although Monday, March 15, went by without an unusual level of Palestinian violence, aside from sporadic rock-throwing incidents against Israelis, Fatah factions opposed to Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas called on the Palestinians of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as well as Israeli Arabs to mark Tuesday as a “Day of Rage.”
In the Gaza Strip, Halil al Haya, speaking for the ruling Hamas said “rivers of blood must be caused to flow,” while the radical Muslim leaders of the Israeli Arab communities threatened to descend on Jerusalem in force.

Please read the entire article for more information.

Analysis. Feast of Fire. Maliki attacked. Palestinian Intefada. Connected? Only your ayatollah knows for sure. But a real messy day in the Palestinian territories and Jerusalem tomorrow will sure take the coverage off of the Feast of Fire problems that will occur in Iran. Not that it takes much of an excuse for Hamas to get all wound up about firing projectiles into southern Israel. Besides the usual threats for Hezbollah to take action if Israel comes down hard on the Gaza, I would keep my eyes open for something messy happening in the Persian Gulf area.

The latest from our friends in Iran.

Despite of all limitations imposed by regime’s security and SSF, purchasing of feast combustive materials and explosives has escalated. Streets, sidewalks, Bazaar and central regions of the capital are flooded with such materials. People have vastly welcomed these goods so plenty of them are at hand. Beside their purchase of sweets and clothing and nuts for the New Year, firecrackers and fire-jets are amongst the most important purchases though SSF severely punishes the sellers. People’s tendency to buy these goods for Feast of Fire Day has made all the controls useless.

Students of Sharif University distributed leaflets for Feast of Fire day. Also on March 11 one of the students sprayed paint on all surveillance cameras so that they were out or order for 24 hours. Regime agents had to collect the cameras.

In order to confront protest of youths on March 16 the clerical regime intends to establish safe houses in different regions of Tehran to station its suppressive forces in them.
A man working in Khamenei’s place said that Khamenei has meetings every day with one of the heads of the state and RGC commanders. One day it is Rafsanjani, the other day Radan or Larijani and etc. These days RGC is stationed in all regions.

Other cities- March 12
Kermanshaا
On March 12 about 1030 to 12 pm residents of Nobahar chanted slogans in commemoration of Neda, Sohrab and other martyrs of the Uprising. They chanted: “we remember Neda and we swear to Sohrab’s blood that we will die to gain our freedom”.
Ahwaz
It is for five days that since 7pm sound of firecrackers are heard from regions of Zayton Karmandi, Zayton Kargari, Kyanpars, Kyanabad and Koroush. To confront these acts motorbike patrols start patrolling since 7 pm.
Ahwaz
Each year on Feast of Fire Day there has been vast clashes between people and SSF and it is more than four years that this day takes a political gesture in Ahwaz.
Since March 11 military arrangements have a new formation in Ahwaz and the whole battalion of (anti) Mohammad Rasolallah has entered the city and is in combat formation.

Regime’s arrangements for the Uprising on March 16.
1-At the beginning of the recent week a session was held at the base of (anti) Mohammad Rasolallah Corps. The subject was measures for prevention of March 16 uprising. After this session commanders of RGC held another session with SSF to harmonize their acts with them.
2-In the session it was decided that RGC forces will be present in plainclothes.
3-In their session with SSF, RGC commanders decided that NAJA (Security force of Islamic Republic) and its especial units must be 100% on alert and the Especial Units will block the streets and main squares. Traffic police will also help them in that regard.
4-According to the decision taken RGC has appointed some locations in the city as the gathering points of its forces and if needed it will ask SSF and Especial Units to help in confronting people from these locations.
5-Neighborhoods’ Bassij patrols will continue and act for identifying dissidents by their check points. It was determined that RGC forces would be mostly on motorbikes on March 16 patrolling the city so that they can easily go from one point to the other. Using cars would be at minimum.
6-The duty of Plainclothes is determined as such: if there is an insurrection in the streets and people start chanting against heads of the regime they have to engage and disperse the gathering and suppress the protestors.
7-Prevention of using feast explosives has been determined as the task of police stations and fire squads.
8-Tehran is divided into regions and it is determined that to confront people in each region, Bassij forces of that region will be used.
9-Number of RGC forces present in Tehran would be 30000. But they will use local forces of Tehran province that are stationed in the mosques too. Suppressive forces of Especial Units will also be used.
10-The detained youths of that day will not be kept in police stations and centers of suppressive forces in the city because regime fears people would attack these centers to free the arrested youths. Some remote bases are appointed for the purpose. The detainees will be transferred later to official prisons.
11-RGC and SSF must conduct psychological war and enlarge the suppressive measures taken before March 16 so that it can prevent the vast and active presence of people in Feast of Fire Day.

Controlling communication on March 16
Tehran, March 11, 2010
1-According to information gathered regime is imposing different limitations in regard with communication on Feast of Fire Day and the days close to it. In particular it is imposing limitation in connecting to news sites, in sending and receiving, in receiving data as well as limitations on cell phones.
2-These imposed limitations are not for some personalities, elements and organs affiliated with the regime.

Using Hackers!
Tehran, March 11, 2010
It is easy for regime to target the sites that their service providers are in Iran by hackers. The hackers can easily enter the sites and manipulate them. But those sites that their service providers are stationed abroad are not easy targets though it is still possible to hack them.
One of regime elements in Ministry of Communication said: “it is not easy to hack those sites that their service providers are located abroad. It is not easy to enter them grasp a letter or read it. Technically it is possible but the act is a difficult one.
They can be attacked. It is even possible to enter them and fish some information but entering them without anybody noticing it is very difficult”.
About two weeks ago elements affiliated with RGC had a gathering in Tehran’s Shahrak Qods. Safar Harandi regime’s Minister of Guidance participated in the gathering and held a speech.
These hacking acts are conducted under the supervision of RGC and its hackers.
Regime evaluated that it was a mistake that the minister participated in the gathering because this will reveal government’s participation in the act while this is illegal and can be legally pursuit according to Internet laws.

The latest from our friends in Iran.

In order to confront the uprising of March 16 the clerical regime is using deception and psychological war through Internet in addition to the suppressive measures taken throughout the city. Regime’s intelligence organs are guiding this quest and by spreading guidance such as “we shouldn’t do something to give excuse to those eager for violence”, “we shouldn’t upgrade our demands” and “we shouldn’t chant slogans against the establishment” invite youths to silence and passivity. They also spread imposturous messages such as “boycott Feast of Fire” to deceive youths and make them passive.

They also advertised that Feast of Fire is superstitious and is against Islam but they found it fruitless. So they are now ridiculously advertising to embolden some passive aspects of this feast. Regime’s media is trying in vein to encourage people to hold those aspects of this feast that would embed no danger for the regime.

Iran’s Communication Enterprise, under RGC’s control, is imposing a vast filtering on Internet. Since March 9 Internet lines have turned very slow and they don’t work properly. By the directives issued by Tehran Province’s Council of Providing, cell phones will be cut in regions of clashes. Internet bandwidth will be minimized so that connecting to sites, sending and receiving of emails as well as posting news of protests and clashes would not be possible. The heads of suppressive forces emphasize that Internet should not be completely cut but it should be very slow and disrupted to that Internet users would lose a great amount of time.

But Iranians will not keep silence and are finding solutions to confront the regime in this Internet war to convey news and video footages to outside Iran. Students Committee in Iran intends to send news and footages of uprising on March 16 to out of Iran by any means and it is finding the solutions. Our request is to help us to convey the cry of freedom of our people to the free world. With so much limitation that we have, we do our best to keep you updated with films, news and … regarding the coming events on March 16.

Analysis. I would really like to believe that the United States would find in its interests to support people who are fighting and dying for their freedom. This is one case where regime change by revolution is really in the best interests of the World. How about a little help Barak?!!!

Click here for my latest Pajamas Media article. The Muslims of the Americas group has been accused of using its isolated communities (which are massive–”Islamberg” is 70 acres large!) for paramilitary training. The Christian Action Network has videotape to prove this is the case, but people still question whether the video captured an isolated incident and whether every single site is involved. They are missing a more important point: The ideology behind this group and that’s what I explore in this piece.

This from our friends in Iran.

In reaction to the fact that Iranian youths welcomed (People’s Mujahadeen of Iran) PMOI’s call for a nationwide uprising on March 16, Khamenei’s band announced: “in its newest message for it followers in Iran PMOI has demanded full preparation for causing disorder and insurrection on the excuse of Feast of Fire Day”. Rajanews affiliated with Khamenei’s band added: “recently Monafeghin (the term regime uses to call PMOI) have sent a part of their message by (Short Message Service) SMS to their followers and other citizens demanding them to turn the Feast of Fire into a Blazing Uprising”. Horrified Khamenei band warned its mercenaries: “the named group has also encouraged its followers inside the country to torch public trash cans and public and governmental buildings. Satellite networks have put trainings for organizing youths to start clashes and riots in their agenda”.

Youths of Uprising have innovations for calling people to March 16 uprising. They write slogans in that regard on bills and behind the seats in buses and invite people to participate in the uprising.

The sound of handmade grenades, firecrackers and fire-jets fills all regions of Tehran day and night including streets of Takhtetavoos, Abbas Abad, Heshmatieh, Naserkhosro, Sadi, Narmak, Tehranpars, Sadeghieh, Foerdos Koy, Babhomayon, Ghaemmagham, Nyavaran and regions such as Shahrak Ekbatan, Aliabad, Yaghchiabad and Rahahan.
The sound of dispersed explosions is confusing the suppressive forces. Youths say this is our Ace because SSF and Plainclothes cannot surround us and our voice of protest is heard in all the neighborhoods, alleys, streets, townships and cities.

In Tehran’s Eshratabad region because of the vast presence of the youths and the intensity of the sound the SSF is bodily inspecting passing by youths and Bassij forces search cars with young passengers on this excuse that the residents have complained from these sounds. In Isfahan sound of firecrackers and other feast explosives are heard in Vafaee Intersection, Charbagh Khajou and Manouchehri. A permanent SSF unit is stationed in Enghlab Sq. of Isfahan the traditional location for celebrating the day. People have also distributed leaflets in Shiraz, Kermanshah, Rasht and Lahijan to call on people for their participation in the uprising and have welcomed the day by using feast explosives.

Analysis. Earth to Khamenei and Ahmadinejad. Good bloody luck stopping this.

Over the past few days U. .S. - Israeli relations have taken a severe hit. This appears to be the chronology. First, U. S. Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell arranges indirect talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. These talks receive the blessing of the Arab League. Second, the Israeli Interior Ministry announces that 1,600 new housing units will be built in East Jerusalem. The decision was made by Shas leader Ellie Yishai. Debka postulates that this was done in retaliation for the U. S. pretty much telling Israel not to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. Third, Secretary of State Clinton calls Netanyahu and tells him to get in line with the U. S. position on Iran. Now Debka is reporting that Israel may be denied the weapons necessary to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Asharq alAswat is reporting essentially the same thing as Debka regarding Clinton’s call to Netanyahu. Ditto alarabiya . In a previous post I discussed the summoning of Defense Secretary Gates to Saudi Arabia to discuss the Iran situation. I also posted the information that the U. S. is implementing informal sanctions on Iran’s refined products imports by pressuring the companies that sell Iran those products. Then we have the continuing civil unrest in Iran which we will see again in three days during the celebration of the Feast of Fire.

Analysis. Israel, and by extension its Arab partners in this endeavor, may well have been closer to attacking Iran than is known. Biden went to Israel to tell Netanyahu “no”. This was what brought Gates to see the Saudis as the senior Arab partner in the combined operation. At the same time Ellie Yishai did the one thing guaranteed to mess up the whole idea of Israeli-Palestinian Authority talks of any kind when he announced the construction of 1600 more housing units in East Jerusalem. He knew very well that even with Arab League cover the PA could not negotiate directly or indirectly with Israel until those 1600 units are canceled.

Nor is Netanyahu in a position to cancel those units. It is most likely that Shas would leave the coalition and bring down Netanyahu’s government if those units are canceled. Islam is not the only religion with crazies. So now Netanyahu has to figure out how to handle the Eretz Ysrael (Greater or Biblical Israel) crowd and keep his government. He can only do that if he can swap Kadima for Shas. I doubt that Tzipi Livni will go along with that if she smells blood in the water.

Meanwhile back at the ranch (Iran), the regime is busy trying to stop the major protests against it that will occur in three days. As of this writing we have received no updates from our friends in Iran. I presume that the government is blocking the Internet as much as possible to control the news coming out of Iran. If Debka is correct about the unofficial POL sanctions (and I will presume that in this case they are as this is a logical move), the regime is also figuring out how to keep the country running and stifle the unrest they know will come with the cut in gasoline supplies. That may have been the reason for the reduction in the subsidized gasoline ration from 100 liters per month to 80 liters per month.

Simultaneously Iran continues its preparations for war with most of the rest of the area. The recent recall of the previously fired members of the Iraqi Army is also a warning sign. Those recalled are the professional heart of what was the Army and the Republican Guard but not the Special Republican Guard, Saddam’s private army. This indicates to me and to a few friends that the Iraqis plan to greatly increase the size of their Army very rapidly. There is no reason for Iraq to do this absent a direct threat from Iran that the Iraqis believe is eminent. It takes less time to remember that which is already learned than to teach it fresh.

Based on what is at best incomplete information about all I can say with confidence is there are a lot of people in the Middle East looking at Iran and saying, “Oh s*** oh dear” or the local equivalent thereof. A lot of people here in the United States have likened President Obama to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. You can conceivably say that the unofficial POL sanctions are equivalent to FDR’s embargo on Japan in July, 1941 that precipitated the Pearl Harbor attack. If so, what is the Iranian equivalent of Pearl Harbor?

Fantastic reporting from Stephen Schwartz. Click here to read about the moderate Muslims of Kosovo. He opens with a story about how an Al-Qaeda-tied imam claimed to have no connection to the terrorist organization, but then 6,000 local Muslims signed a petition listing all the incidents they have had with him.

Click here for it. The American public needs to put pressure on these guys. Large companies are already ditching Iran because of the fear of forthcoming sanctions. This is a battle that the American public can take on and win handily. Don’t delay.

From CAN:

On February 6, The Austin-American Statesman newspaper published an article by Eileen Flynn that described Mohamed Elibrary of the Freedom and Justice Foundation as “the country’s leading Muslim deradicalization expert,” drawing criticism from Robert Spencer of JihadWatch.org.

Flynn writes that the Washington Institute for Near East Policy has published a paper that mentions how Elibrary helped intervene with the sister of a Muslim suspected of being tied to a Pakistani terrorist group. Elibrary convinced the man to return to the U.S. and abandon extremism.

Read the rest of this entry »