Media Wedgy: Why is Ahmadinejad's media burning Khomeini's photos?

See the end for updates.

I was planning to ignore this one. After all, one cannot get too serious about every stupid interaction the Coup D'etat thugs force on the protesters in Iran. But then I thought the IRIB's pulled on Greens underwear, trying to give them a wedgy!

Again, it seems like the IRIB has resorted to the very Russian device of Montage: they have intercut images of a burning picture of Khomeini with green protester. There is no continuity of image here; and for majority of people (who are IRIB watchers) it is the continuity of narrative that precedes the filmic sequence. After this video, that is shown to a bunch of fossils in the "holy!" city of Ghom, mayhem has begun; everyone on the left and the right sides of the spectrum is going whoohaaa! The Ahmadinejadists are accusing Greens of Khomeini-burning and the Greens are accusing Ahmadinejadists of news falsification and media provocation.

Truth is, with pulling this latest trick, Ahmadinejad's trying to expose the private crack of the movement.

First I should say that it is virtually impossible that anyone in the Green side will have ignited Khomeini's picture. This is not because all who are on the green side are Khomeini devotees. Au contrair, many are not. Many of those who are now joining and cheering the Greens are victims of Khomeini's order of mass executions in the 80s. Many are war-refugees who were forced to exile because they didn't want to fight a war on the premise of "Jerusalem's path goes through Karbala". Many of them are monarchists who have had their lives shattered and their relatives pierced with "revolutionary bullets" of the 10-minutes long revolutionary courts resided by 20 year old fanatics that have turned into Ahmadinejad-like characters. However, these groups have been disciplined in staying in the background. Their discipline has not come from their own good judgement. To borrow from our great poet Shamlou, that generation--who has suffered IRI perils long before these Green kids were born--"doesn't have a good historical memory; they are in a slumber leaning on one arm, and when that arm gets tingly they roll over the other one"--instead of getting up. Therefore, much of their staying in the background is an outcome of the decisive will of the new Greens to not give them the front-lines, and insist on the line of "the past is past, we are going to live present differently to built a future that you failed at building." The Greens will not have ignited Khomeini's picture because Karoubi and Mousavi, their elected leaders, were closest associates of Khomeini, much closer to the revolution leader than Ahmadinejad or Larijani's would have ever dreamed of. Out of respect for the spirit of unity of the Green camp, to which they have been so consistently devoted, they will not have done this.

But, this is precisely what Ahmadinejadists know and aim at breaking. Increasingly, different pro-Khomeini institutions, including the centre for publication of his his works, is blaming this on the IRIB and suggests this is a propaganda that falsifies truth. But Ahmadinejad's agenda is to draw a wedge between the pro-Khomeini Greens (i.e Mousavi and Karoubi) and the other ones--perhaps even the majority of greens, who cannot forgive IRI's crimes under Khomeini's rule. This is putting Mousavi and Karoubi and many other opponents of the IRI at odds with eachother. Mousavi and Karoubi cannot come out and "apologize" for crimes that took place when Khomeini was alive and they were at the helm of power. This doesn't mean they don't regret it, nor does it mean that they had much control over the megalomanic in chief. But, they CANNOT come out and side with those who denounce Khomeini.

On the other hand, those who are opponents of the concept of "velayat-e faghih" are in stark opposition to Khomeini--who AFTER holding a referendum to ask people if they wanted an Islamic REPUBLIC, tricked the nation into "absolute juriprudence" by modifying the constitution. So far, the Greens have been able to keep united by pointing the arrow in the direction of Khamenei; keeping the dead one alone and voicing their opposition against the killings that took place under this new supreme leader's watch. But the coup d'etat camp has now done a clever deflection of hatred (the undergarment of the Green movement) from Khamenei onto Khomeini.

Of course, Ahmadinejad has another objective too: showing Khomeini picture ablaze is a BIG taboo. In a country where burning flags of America and Israel has been used as symbolic propaganda, to suddenly show Khomeini pictures burning is a "cultural shock." It is a declaration of war, so to say. It is a promise that they are intent on using this as an excuse to oppress the opposition even more violently. In fact, today one of these savages has said: "If Agha [supreme leader] suggests, I will chew their [greens] throats." These kind of provocations fit Ahmadinejad's schizophrenic prophecy of the "proximity of the return of Imam-e Zaman" and the ensuing apocalypse.

But, that is not all!

Ahmadinejad has been long aiming to position himself on the same platform of "grandness" as Khomeini. (Khamenei's sticking to Ahmadinejad because in the image of Ahmadinejad he sees projection of HIS power, but this is not the case. It is now clear that Khamanei is the puppet of Ahmadinejad's camp) What best way to get on Time and Newsweek covers almost as frequently as Sarah Palin than to make outlandish claims such as "wiping zionism off of the map", "having proof that the US's presence in Iraq is to prevent the return of the messiah", "having a halo of light surround him when he mesmerized his UN audience", and of course "showing off his yellow cake"? These days, they have become even more explicit in claiming their "global leadership" and superseding Khomeini's "fame"--or infamy, if you will. I stumbled on a vide last week, where one of IRGC's commanders was speaking to university students (of Ahmadinejad ilk) and telling them how when he goes abroad and talks to Muslims no one knows Khamenei or Khomeini and that everyone talks about Ahmadinejad![video in Persian] (Actually, in some of those Imam-Zaman awaiting mosques, books have been circulating that describe a man "in the physical appearance of Ahmadinejad" that will be accompanying Imam Zaman!

It seems to me that the bully is trying all of his tricks; first pulling a scarf over the head of a male movement leader and next pulling the underpants of the Greens up their neck ...

What have they up their sleeves next? ... shooting Columbine?

Update: Larijani, the parliament speaker, and the head of legislator shifts to students side: "Our students, of any opinion, will not sink to such low to burn Imam's picture".

• Larijani, an ultra-conservative (and from the opportunist Larijani clan) used to run the IRIB; he was also the nuclear negotiator of Ahmadinejad who resigned after a rather public disagreement with Ahmadinejad over the nuclear issue. Last week, Larijani also criticized "certain movements that were trying to eliminate Hashemi Rafsanjani from the political scene".
• Ahmadinejad's efforts to make backdoor deals with the 5+1 powers over the nuclear issue (such that they can all save face by sticking to their lines, but in private soften up their positions) is becoming a liability for the hardliners. In these situations, the best way to save Ahmadinejad's ass is to create a crisis and distraction.
• Dr Soleimani-pour, the CEO of the financial group that bought 50% of Iranian Telecom Organization (the controversial deal of Iran's economic history) was found dead with his wife in his house. This man was overseeing the most powerful of the IRGC's cartels at the time of death, but also used to be a high ranking member of IRGC with focused participation in communication security and information. Investigations about the cause their death has not concluded.
• Speaking of telecommunications, yesterday this organization issued a statement that they will be upgrading one of the BSC centers that services several Tehran regions (the heart of conflict, I would say!) and that mobile networks will be disconnected for three days!
• The Guardian Council dumps the proposed resolution to spend 20 million dollars to expose America's human rights abuses. The parliament, on the other hand has decided to not make public the results of an inquiry made into the violations of human right abuses in Iran after the June election. If you remember, when this endeavor began, they were gun ho about what a liar Karoubi was. That they have decided to discuss the report in private is a proof that they have found stinking rats amongst themselves!