I'm glad that the Iranian people are getting to express their discontent over their regime. This is much more effective and beneficial than if the U.S. had gotten directly involved in things.

Well, I suppose you can call it a movement toward democracy. But the Ayatollah runs the country along with the clerics... and nobody votes for them.

My father left Iran in the late '70s while his three brothers and parents did not. I have been emailing regularly with my cousins, students in Tehran and Tabriz, since that is the only reliable form of communication at the moment. I have been receiving first-hand accounts daily since the election. I am working in Salem in the Capitol and watching this situation unfold as we wrap up the legislative session. That is my Oregon connection. While I do not see any preconception amongst my cousins that these protests will move them close to regime change (Mousavi is himself a candidate approved by the Ayatollah), they are driven to protest by the blatent corruption and abuse of power by the regime.

Even though they are just twitters, I would add the following two to your list. http://twitter.com/madyar http://twitter.com/makesalt

They are providing links to videos and pictures with near real time information. Did you know there was a massive (and I mean massive) protest in Isfahan (or Esfehan)? Check out the pics linked in both twitters. This stuff is not just happening in Tehran

Harbinger of things to come - here.

What Would Have Happened if the "Bomb Iran" Contingent had its Way? at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/06/16-1

Kari, I agree. Twitter has gone from an annoying joke to a serious player in global communications in just a few days. Remarkable.

Anyhow, the Mullahs have now proven that they are lying cheating politicians rather than Holy Men. That is something.

Not to sound like an apology tour but I wish more Americans really learned about the Middle East. The fundamentalist backlash in Iran did not have to happen. Ahh, screw it. What's the point? Events have a way of forcing people to see through the propaganda whether they want to or not. Stay tuned.

   I'm just as guilty with South America. Every time I venture into our doings there, I immediately get the feeling that I don't really want to know.

  Suffice it to say that we're still paying for mistakes in the Middle East made decades ago. Just as we'll pay for Iraq for the rest of our lives - especially all the young Americans who were sent there for an unnecessary war.

  Iran didn't have to go like this. It was on a path to be one of the most promising countries in the region. Somewhere I have a picture of my Mom and sister walking around Tehran back in the 1950s. They couldn't be more safe.  Iran pretty much loved us after WW2 and we did a lot  to earn their hatred. We inspired the blow-back. We're one of the main reasons the clerics are in charge. That's not an apology - it's just a fact.

 What's the use? I'm weary of the Middle East. I was born there and it's been one long high-maintenance heartbreaker my whole life.

I have just read where Peter DeFazio voted in favor of the supplemental war funding bill. He was not one of the few Democrats to vote no.

Is there something more important that Peter has to get done that he couldn't if he voted against these wars? Is Obama going to make it difficult for him to get re-elected or to pass bills in Congress?

Does Peter have some argument that justified his vote in favor of this war being funded or the IMF being funded?

What did Peter get in return for his vote?

You can interact directly with the Counter-Revolutionaries here:

http://twitter.com/NewIRAN

Also check out: www.rottengods.com www.fireonquran.com

Show your suppport for those brave people. Tea Parties my ass, the Iranians are showing the world what true courage and civil disobedience means.

Ditto - re: Twitter. The most amazing thing about this entire situation is not just how Iranians have used Twitter and other social networking sites but also how normal people (not just governments) all around the world have been helping them by setting up proxies, passing on information, etc. Unbelievable.

Also, I've been muttering this to myself for the past 4 days - Thank God the Bush/Cheney/McCain/Lieberman crowd isn't in charge right now. They would have royally fracked this up on day 1 (if not earlier). Someone needs to remind them who was President when the little munchkin got himself elected in the first place.

An Oregon connection to be considered is that a bill which would divest Oregon's public funds from Iranian companies passed the Oregon Senate by 27-3, despite a reasoned op-ed against which was written by Rep. Larry Galizio and appeared at BlueOregon. I don't know if the House vote has been taken on this bill.

So it's clear that the result in Iran is highly questionable.

Let us not forget why this gets so much press in the U.S., however: because at issue is a country which has often opposed U.S. policy and has practically always opposed Israeli policy.

Where's the coverage/outrage when Egypt's torturer-in-chief, who happens to be bought off by the U.S. to the tune of $3 bil. annually, runs one of his rigged elections?

Just found this via twitter, live video stream with sound...pretty cool stuff:

http://persianq.com

No mention of Michael Totten? He's both an award-winning Portland-based blogger and someone who's well-traveled in the Middle East and elsewhere, including Georgia, Kosovo, and Albania (though not Iran, as far as I know). Tons of Iran-related stuff here.

I'd also take issue with your characterization of Juan Cole as "not excitable" (attributing his loss of the "Best Middle-East or Africa Blogger of the Year" award -- to Totten, no less -- to some sort of "right-wing conspiracy was both exceedingly petty and more than a bit arrogant), but that's neither here nor there.

thank you.

Update, from Iranian twitterer persianq:

RT Iran CONFIRMED:the army is called off,police have been seen wearing green and protecting protesters from besiji

23 minutes ago from web

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