Some Iranian Clerics Split With Government

I don't believe these are top guys that have taken to the streets with protesters. But it makes a difference in that we're seeing such an open wedge among the clerics. See Donald for more, including news of a protest said to be on for 7:30 AM EST. That could be huge given the government-promised crack down. Then also head over to Gateway Pundit for some Twitter action out of Iran, said to be denouncing government appeasement efforts.

(CNN) -- A photo showing Iranian clerics prominently participating in an anti-government protest speaks volumes about the new face of Iran's opposition movement.

Clerics in robes and turbans join rallies to protest the disputed presidential election results in Iran.

 1 of 2 more photos »  In a blatant act of defiance, a group of Mullahs took to the streets of Tehran, to protest election results that returned incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power.

Comments

[mark l.]

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GNYVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_xEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4436,1833088&dq=carter+backs+shah

a blast from the past.

"In a statement designed to bolster the shah's position in the bloody protests, the White House said Carter "expressed his deep regret over the loss of life and his hope that the violence would soon be ended."

obama(w/berlusconi june 16):

"My understanding is, is that the Iranian government says that they are going to look into irregularities that have taken place. We weren’t on the ground, we did not have observers there, we did not have international observers on hand, so I can't state definitively one way or another what happened with respect to the election. But what I can say is that there appears to be a sense on the part of people who were so hopeful and so engaged and so committed to democracy who now feel betrayed. And I think it's important that, moving forward, whatever investigations take place are done in a way that is not resulting in bloodshed and is not resulting in people being stifled in expressing their views."

(In a statement designed to bolster ahmadinejad's position in the bloody protests...)

[syn]

The Meddler-in-Chief is completely occupied with meddling into every life in America to notice government-crackdown.

Free America and the World: Stop Big Obama occupation!

[apodoca]

This is the equivalent of a terrorist trying to escape capture by wearing a burqa. All of these guys are hardliner nuts. Right now, a few wet fingers are up in the air testing the direction of the wind. Some are trying to get behind the wind; but this is a tornado and there's no behind. Turbans and robes will be blown off.

[Rob Crawford]

"This is the equivalent of a terrorist trying to escape capture by wearing a burqa. All of these guys are hardliner nuts."

That's not absolutely known. Certainly some will be trying to save their own skins, but some may disagree with either the mullahs theory of government or its practice. In either case, you're seeing members -- no matter how low-ranking -- of the governing class siding against the government. That suggests either they're in agreement with the protesters OR they see the government collapsing.

(Or they're agents provocateur/spies inside the protest movement. But if the mullahs feel the need to sneak this kind of agent into the movement, it suggests they've lost their other sources of information.)

[Charlie]

Let the Iranian people have the freedom they deserve....its this oppression and the government crackdowns that has made legions of them the brain washed terrorists that blow stuff up.

[apodoca]

Rob Crawford: the guys in the burqas are all mullahs themselves. Minor mullahs but mullahs nevertheless. If they see the government collapsing and take to the streets with the crowds, then you are agreeing with my point. Wet fingers in the wind. The corollary to my argument is that if the system remains stable the men will not wear burqas. The men are wearing burqas; therefore, they are concluding exactly what you are: the government is collapsing and its time to save their skins.

Nobody heard of these guys when young women were being hanged for defending themselves against rape. Now, when they might be dragged out of their robes and torn to pieces or guillotined, self-preservation dictates the burqa.

Your other argument, a fifth column inside the liberation movement, is an interesting one.