“..the interior ministry said no rally anywhere in the country was authorised and warned that “those who violate this will be confronted according to the law.”

You can bet o-blah-blah’s DHS Janet babe is taking notes on this mandate.

“Your national duty tells you to refrain from provoking illegal gatherings,”

A new line for o-blah-blah in responding to the TEA parties.

o-blah-blah: “Ahhh, errrrr, ..Your national duty! .. tells you .. uhhhhh .. to refrain from provoking .. uhhhhh .. illegal gatherings.”

So there is cause for hope even though this is obviously extremely depressing. In Asia in the 1980s, the overthrow of Marcos in the Philippines set off a wave of democratic movements which culminated in Tiananmen. Some revolutions like So. Korea succeeded, while others, like in China, obviously didn’t overtly succeed but nonetheless pressured people to make gradual changes.

Nobody can predict but I wouldn’t be surprised if Iran’s events set off sparks of other calls for reforms in other parts of the Middle East.

That was my thought on reading the first few lines.. The ol “one breaks off and the rest shall fall” deal.

I hope their youth keep up the pressure.