Despotism and desire for democracy in Iran

Nir Boms has the despotism story:

In the background of new reports about Iran's ability to produce its own nuclear centrifuges and while Olli Heinonen, the International Atomic Energy Agency's No. 2 is making his way to Tehran in order to observe the "transparency" of its nuclear program, Iran's security forces appear busy with more pressing matters.

The regime's agents broke up a sit-in marking last week's anniversary of the mass student protest that started on July 9, 1999. Loyal to the Iranian tradition, the police responded to the demonstrations by breaking into a university dormitory and storming the offices of a pro-democracy student group, killing one person and injuring 20. A day earlier, Iran's judiciary confirmed that a man convicted of adultery has been stoned to death in the province of Qazvin. Jafar Kiani, a man in his late 40s, was stoned to death following his adultery conviction. Mr. Kiani spent the last decade in jail and the sentence was carried out despite a moratorium on stoning that was declared by Ayatollah Mahmud Hashemi, the head of Iran's judiciary, in 2002.

The hardline administration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad faces rising pressure for failing to deliver on promises of greater prosperity from soaring oil revenue. Iran's current economy is so stressed that although Iran is the world's second-largest oil exporter, last week it began rationing gasoline. At the same time, the nuclear standoff with the West threatens to bring new economic sanctions. Hence Tehran is using American support for a change in government and the possibility of military attack as a pretext to further liquidate its opposition.

Iran appears to be in the midst of one of its most ferocious crackdowns on dissent in years, with the government focusing on labor leaders, universities, the press, women's rights advocates, a former nuclear negotiator and Iranian-Americans, three of whom have been in prison for more than six weeks. The untold stories of Iran are taking place within the walls of its prisons. One story is that of Khaled Hardani and his family, members of Iran's Arab minority, who attempted to escape Iran in 2001 by commandeering an airplane. Mr. Hardani was under intense pressure to sign his order of execution. While in prison, he established a prisoner group that attempted to disclose information on Iranian prison conditions. As a result, he was charged with "Battling God" and an execution date was set for July 4. Nothing has been heard from him since.

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Men who think they are on a mission from God can be self riotous. Dick Morris and Eileen McGann look at the desire for democracy in Iran:

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* Iranians oppose the institution of an "unelected Supreme Leader" by 61-27 and favor democracy by 79-14. So when liberals assail neocons for having a naive faith in peoples' aspirations for freedom, they are just wrong - even in Iran.

* Iranians want nuclear power more than nuclear weapons. Suffering under gasoline rationing and falling energy exports, three-quarters said that developing nuclear power, without weapons, was "very important." By contrast, only 37 percent said developing nuclear weapons was a similar priority. Since the Iranian regime says that it wants nuclear power, not nuclear weapons, its stated position accords with its people's views. (The government, of course, is lying and wants to get a bomb.)

The survey underscores the need to separate nuclear power from weaponry in the minds of the people and make clear that Western sanctions are designed to prevent Iran from getting the bomb, not power or energy.

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* Only 33 percent said supporting terrorist proxies Hezbollah or Hamas was a priority, and 55 percent are ready to endorse full recognition of Israel and of a Palestinian state if they could get "normal trade and full recognition" from the United States. Almost two-thirds - 64 percent - said that they are willing to end Iranian assistance to armed groups in Iraq and 51 percent would forgo nuclear weaponry and accept full international controls and inspections in return for normal relations with the United States.

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Morris goes on to say that the disinvestment move among state pensions is also impacting Iranians view of their government. Unlike the Palestinians who elected a death cult like Hamas, the Iranians only pretend to have democracy that reflects the will of the people. They have a glorified student counsel white a principle ready to over rule any thing that he disagrees with.