Academic

MICHAEL LEDEEN: A bloody Saturday in Iran? Let?s hope not. But there?s this: ?Tens of thousands ?

By Glenn Reynolds

MICHAEL LEDEEN: A bloody Saturday in Iran? Let’s hope not. But there’s this: “Tens of thousands of Revolutionary Guards have been brought to Tehran to put down the demonstrations. These are older, well-trained and presumably loyal soldiers who will not shrink from attacking the crowds. . . . This is all the regime has left, because the demonstrations have revealed its hollowness, and the nightly chants of ‘God is great’ from the rooftops of all major cities in Iran have exposed the collapse of its central doctrine: that the theocratic fascist system is blessed by Allah. Millions of Iranians are openly rejecting that. . . . Meanwhile, there were cracks in the regime?s instruments of repression, and reports of action against the Basij thugs in the night time streets of Tehran.” Even Iranians don’t know what’s coming next, which means that speculation on our part is likely to be wrong.

UPDATE: If I were the protesters, I think I’d arrange attacks on some of the mullahs’ commercial interests. That would probably lead to a lot of regime bullyboys being detailed to protect them, and leave fewer available to go after the protesters . . . .

Full post as published by Instapundit.com on June 20, 2009 (boomark / email).