ÿþ<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1"> <title>OnlineColumnist®.com: Putin Punishes Georgia</title> <meta name="generator" content="Adobe GoLive 4"> <style type="text/css"> .style3 { height: 68px; } .MsoNormal {} h1 {margin-bottom:.0001pt; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; font-weight:normal; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; } .style4 { font-size: large; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial; } .style5 { font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; } .style6 { text-decoration: underline; } </style> </head> <body bgcolor="white" vlink="black"> <center> &nbsp;<table cool width="624" height="2719" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" gridx="16" showgridx gridy="16" showgridy> <tr height="79"> <td width="133" height="118" rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"> <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="110" width="62" src="images/discobolos.logo.transp.gif" border="0"></a></td> <td width="7" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="482" height="79" colspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="140"><img height="75" width="450" src="images/banner.GIF"></td> <td width="1" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" height="79"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="79"></td> </tr> <tr height="39"> <td width="182" height="39"></td> <td width="300" height="39" valign="top" align="left" xpos="322"><a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="14" width="267" src="images/divisionofNEW.GIF" border="0"></a></td> <td width="1" height="39"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="39"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="624" colspan="6" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0" class="style3"> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="black" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#99ffcc" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4"> <tr> <td align="center"> <div align="left"> <a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> HOME</strong></font></a><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> &#8226; <a href="articlesindex.html">ARTICLES</a> &#8226; <a href="books.html">BOOKS</a> &#8226; <a href="teflon.html"> THE </a><a href="teflon.html">TEFLON</a><a href="teflon.html"> REPORT</a> &#8226; <a href="mailto:letters@onlinecolumnist.com"> REACTIONS</a> &#8226; <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">ABOUT DISCOBOLOS</a></strong></font></div> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr height="2"> <td width="133" height="2"></td> <td width="489" height="2576" colspan="3" rowspan="2" align="left" xpos="133" content valign="top" csheight="2573"> <p class="style4">Iran Fingers U.S.-Israel</p> <p><b><font face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica">by John M. Curtis</font></b><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="books.html"><br> </a></b></font><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b> (310) 204-8700</b></font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><i>Copyright Jan..18, 2010<br>All Rights Reserved. </i></font>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <bAbout the Author</u> <p class="MsoNormal"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="style5">&nbsp;E</span>ngaged in the biggest crackdown since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iranian authorities blamed the United States and Israel for the Jan. 12 assassination of 50-year-old Tehran University physics professor and opposition leader Massoud Ali Mohammedi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Mohammedi died from a remote-controlled motor scooter bomb, blaming the U.S. and Israel, vowing retaliation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Iranian President Mahmoud Ahamadinejad blamed Israel and the U.S. while his Revolutionary Guards continued their relentless persecution of protesters loyal to Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Ahmadinejad s main rival in the June 12, 2009 disputed election.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Since the election, protests have raged in Tehran, prompting Ahmadinejad to crackdown on protestors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Thousands of protesters have been arrested, detained, tortured and murdered since the disputed June 12 election.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Mohammedi defied Ahmadinejad s warnings.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <![endif]>Widespread protests inspired by Mousavi prompted fierce warnings from Iranian officials, threatening brutal consequences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Tehran s police chief Gen. Ismail Ahmadi Moghaddam warned opposition protesters they would face unforgiving punishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> In dealing with previous protests, police showed leniency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>But given that these opponents are seeking to topple [the ruling system] there will be no mercy, said Moghaddam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Iran s top prosecutor echoed Moghaddam s warning, promising to prosecute protesters to the fullest extent of the law, including torture and death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Strong action must be taken against seditionist elements, said General Prosecutor Gholam Hossein Mohseni.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Ahamadinejad continues to blame Israeli and U.S. officials for Mohammedi s death, despite the more logical explanation pointing to the mullah-dominated regime of Ahmamdinejad and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <![endif]>In a stunning bit of propaganda, Iran promised to take revenge for the physics professor s death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>With paranoia running deep in Ahmadinejad s regime, five-protesters were put on show-trial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Pointing fingers at the U.S. and Israel diverts attention away from the Iranian government, having a vested interest in suppressing protests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Show- trials are a neon sign to protesters that further protesting will be met with swift and effective retribution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Iranian authorities blame the opposition group named the Peoples Mujahedeen for conducting the assassination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Ahmadinedjad hasn t explained why Israel or the U.S. would be interested in killing an opposition-leader and critic of Ahmadinejad s regime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Rest assured that Iran will take revenge for the blood of martyr Ali Mohammadi from you, said Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammed Naijar, warning Israel and the U.S.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <![endif]>Blaming the U.S. and Israel for Mohammedi s death provides the perfect alibi, when the real culprit points toward Ahamadinedjad s regime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Faced with growing opposition since the June 12 fraudulent election, Khamenei and Ahmandinejad have led a relentless crackdown, viewing protests in the same light as those in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Five opposition protesters were arrested, charged with  mohjarebeh or waging war against God and stand trial in Tehran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> One of the punishments of  mohjarebeh is execution and it will have to be determined by the presiding judge, Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi told the official IRNA news agency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Airing footage on state TV indicates the government wants to send a loud message to protestors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Despite the intimidation and mass arrests, Mousavi s opposition protests continued to gain momentum.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Iran s attempt to pin Prof. Mohammedi s assassination on the CIA or Mossad serves the government s purpose of covering up the government s Gestapo-like crackdown against election protesters, rejecting Ahmadinejad s vote-fraud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Since launching protests last June, hundreds have protesters, including 17 journalists and 10 Mousavi aids, have disappeared, face prosecution or have already been liquidated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Washington and U.N. officials are well-aware of Ahmadinejad;s cruel repression, taking Tehran s actions into account before considering a tough new round of sanctions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Despite denials about weaponizing enriched uranium, Ahmadinejad refuses to heed U.N. demands to stop the enrichment process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Nuclear experts believe it s only a matter of time before Tehran has enough fissile material for a nuclear bomb, an unthinkable nightmare for the West.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Blaming the U.S. or Israel for the assassination of Prof. Mohammedi diverts attention away from the government s brutal crackdown on antigovernment protesters. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</span>Televising show-trials continues the intimidation tactics to break the protest movements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>All fingers point toward Iran s Basij militia, a pro-government secret police that works closely with the Revolutionary Guard to protect Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his band of radical Shiite mullahs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Mohammedi had close ties to Mousavi, not the CIA or Mossad, drawing the persecution and likely murder at the hands of Ahmadinejad s tyrannical secret police.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Motemmedi also had no ties to Iran s nuclear industry, making him no assassination target for the U.S. or Israel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>His only tie was to anti-government opponents, protesting Ahmadinejad s June 12 election fraud, looking for a regime change in the Persian capital.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span class="style6">About the Author </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <b>John M. Curtis</b> writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author <i>of <a href="books.html">Dodging The Bullet</a></i> and <i><a href="books.html">Operation Charisma</a></i>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> &nbsp;</p> </td> <td width="1" height="2576" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" height="2"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2"></td> </tr> <tr height="2574"> <td width="133" height="2574" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"><img height="172" width="111" src="images/johninframe3.jpg"></td> <td width="1" height="2574"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2574"></td> </tr> <tr height="1" cntrlrow> <td width="133" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="133" height="1"></td> <td width="7" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="7" height="1"></td> <td width="182" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="182" height="1"></td> <td width="300" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="300" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="597"> <tr> <td><font size="1" face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica"> <hr noshade size="1"> </font><a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> Home</strong></font></a><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> || <a href="articlesindex.html">Articles</a> || <a href="books.html">Books</a> || <a href="teflon.html">The Teflon Report</a> || <a href="mailto:letters@onlinecolumnist.com"> Reactions</a> || <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">About Discobolos</a></strong></font> <div align="left"> <p><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">This site designed, developed and hosted by the experts at</font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> <a href="http://www.cmeonline.net" target="_blank"><img height="30" width="138" src="images/cmelogoANIM.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></a></font></p> </div> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">©1999-2005 <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"> Discobolos Consulting Services, Inc.</a><br> (310) 204-8300<br> All Rights Reserved. </font></td> </tr> </table> </center> </body> </html>