Thursday, April 07, 2011
Monday, April 04, 2011
To Zimbabwe Through Ivory Coast
Image via WikipediaNew York Times: U.N. and France Strike Leader’s Forces in Ivory Coast: The United Nations and France went on the offensive Monday against Ivory Coast’s strongman, Laurent Gbagbo, striking his forces in a significant ratcheting-up of the months-long campaign to force him to cede power. ..... France, which has over 1,500 troops stationed in the former colony, announced that it would carry out attacks on Mr. Gbagbo’s military hardware at the request of the United Nations, joining an operation “aimed at neutralizing heavy weapons that are used against the civilian population and United Nations personnel in Abidjan,” a statement from the French presidency said..... Mig-24 helicopters had been deployed against Gbagbo military bases to “render harmless” the mortar-launchers “that are firing” on the United Nations headquarters in Abidjan and on “the civilian population.” ..... Mr. Gbagbo has refused to step down after losing an election last November to Alassane Ouattara, who was recognized as the winner by international organizations. .... Gbagbo, a former university historian who has transformed himself into a hardline autocrat over the course of a long political career.This was never just about Tunisia. Egypt was a huge victory, but it was never just about Egypt. This thing could really grow. I want Mugabe out. I am thinking China. I am thinking Russia.
The techies of the world have to aim for the Chinese firewall. There has got to be a way in. They have managed to block sites. But they can't take the internet down. So break in. Just do it.
This is about Syria, and Iran. This is about Jordan.
But the Arab world is not enough. This democracy wave has to also engulf Africa.
The Fuck With Mugabe
Libya was a major turning point. The world sent a clear message that when people peacefully protest they will be protected.
Image via WikipediaA Rwanda Was Prevented
When the Russian president reprimanded Putin that is when I knew this wave will also crash against the Russian shores. But Russia is a big country, and we will have to build plenty of momentum elsewhere. Elsewhere is the Arab world and Africa.
Reports signal growing rift between Russia’s governing duo
Russian President Criticizes Putin's Libya Remarks
Medvedev criticizes Putin over Libya remarks
Medvedev Criticizes Putin For Calling Libya Action Crusade
Obama 2012 Is On
New York City
Obama 08: NYC Video: 10 Hours
Today is the official launch of Obama 2012. I am in because I was never out.
Barack almost took Brooklyn in February 2008. The summer before I made a promise to Michelle in person: "You give us Iowa, we will give you New York, we will make it quick and painless for Hillary." I tried hard to deliver. Things got so bad Congressman Weiner urged Hillary to make an appearance in Brooklyn before the primary, and she did. Minus that I think we had it.
Third World Guy
How My Grandfather Became Mayor The First Time
The First Time I Heard The Obama Name
Barack The Glass Walls, Ceilings, Smash 'Em
Image via WikipediaMichelle Obama Is Just Fabulous
I Stand With Michelle: Iowa Must And Can Be Won
I Touched Obama: Babel, Barack
Maya Soetoro-Ng
June 4, 2008 Court Appearance: Prepared Statement: Final Draft
June 3 Immigration Court Date
The Madonna Of Global Politics
Hello Barack, I Was In Chicago
Independent For Bloomberg
Before Michelle And I Became Rich And Famous
Brooklyn And Santogold/Santigold
But first and foremost for me Obama 2012 is about 2011. I believe 2011 just might end up the biggest year in world history for democracy. But the arc does not bend on its own like Barack never tired of quoting MLK on the 2008 trail. We have to make it happen. And I want to play my part. Democracy has to sweep the Arab world, and Africa, and China and Russia.
Time For Nonviolent Protests In Libya
A Rwanda Was Prevented
Ultimately It Is About Iran, Because That Is Where It All Started
Syria's Turn
The Anatomy Of Revolutions For Democracy
Obama 08: NYC Video: 10 Hours
Today is the official launch of Obama 2012. I am in because I was never out.
Barack almost took Brooklyn in February 2008. The summer before I made a promise to Michelle in person: "You give us Iowa, we will give you New York, we will make it quick and painless for Hillary." I tried hard to deliver. Things got so bad Congressman Weiner urged Hillary to make an appearance in Brooklyn before the primary, and she did. Minus that I think we had it.
Third World Guy
How My Grandfather Became Mayor The First Time
The First Time I Heard The Obama Name
Barack The Glass Walls, Ceilings, Smash 'Em
Image via WikipediaMichelle Obama Is Just FabulousI Stand With Michelle: Iowa Must And Can Be Won
I Touched Obama: Babel, Barack
Maya Soetoro-Ng
June 4, 2008 Court Appearance: Prepared Statement: Final Draft
June 3 Immigration Court Date
The Madonna Of Global Politics
Hello Barack, I Was In Chicago
Independent For Bloomberg
Before Michelle And I Became Rich And Famous
Brooklyn And Santogold/Santigold
But first and foremost for me Obama 2012 is about 2011. I believe 2011 just might end up the biggest year in world history for democracy. But the arc does not bend on its own like Barack never tired of quoting MLK on the 2008 trail. We have to make it happen. And I want to play my part. Democracy has to sweep the Arab world, and Africa, and China and Russia.
Time For Nonviolent Protests In Libya
A Rwanda Was Prevented
Ultimately It Is About Iran, Because That Is Where It All Started
Syria's Turn
The Anatomy Of Revolutions For Democracy
Friday, April 01, 2011
Time For Nonviolent Protests In Libya
Image via WikipediaA Rwanda Was PreventedThe mass murder imminent in Benghazi was prevented. And the UN continues to demand of Gaddafi that he not unleash animal brutality on peacefully protesting Libyans. Armed rebels in Libya have done a swift job of retaking all the territory they had lost.
But now is time for some shift in strategy. Instead of relying solely on military advances, the rebels have to consolidate. They have to organize massive peaceful demonstrations against Gaddafi in all towns and cities they control. The people of Libya have to come out into the streets in large numbers.
The idea is to inspire the people in Tripoli to also come out into the streets. When they first came out, Gaddafi basically declared war on them. And they went into hiding. Now they have to muster the strength all over again. They need to come out all over again. This time if Gaddafi performs a repeat the UN sanctioned powers have to do in Tripoli what they did in Benghazi. Bomb all government installations in Tripoli so as to destroy completely all command and control structures in Gaddafi's army.
The next phase of the drive against dictator Gaddafi has to be nonviolent consolidation of gains made so far.
Ultimately It Is About Iran, Because That Is Where It All Started
Syria's Turn
The Anatomy Of Revolutions For Democracy
A Rwanda Was Prevented
Image via WikipediaGaddafi might or might not go. Libya might or might not become democracy. But what has already happened is a Rwanda got prevented. If Gaddafi had moved into Benghazi like he threatened, like he was about to, we had a bloodbath on our hands, a massacre. That got prevented. That is a major humanitarian achievement. And the intervening powers have to be proud. The UN has to be proud. No, America did not declare war on Libya. This was no invasion. This was police action to prevent a major crime: mass murder.
Mission accomplished.
But there is work to do. Gaddafi still has to be ousted. Democracy still has to see the light of day in Libya. That is for the people of Libya to do.
And now might be time to bring about a change in strategy. Now nonviolence has to be emphasized.
Ultimately It Is About Iran, Because That Is Where It All Started
Syria's Turn
The Anatomy Of Revolutions For Democracy
Monday, March 21, 2011
Many, Many Nonviolent Options In Libya
Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThe idea never was to bomb Gaddafi into submission. The military action has been designed to make sure he does not unleash animal brutality upon peaceful protesters. Otherwise there were mass protests already in Tripoli. Once Gaddafi has been neutralized, the thing for the Libyan opposition to do is to organize peaceful protests all over again, with the international community standing by. Could you bring a hundred thousand people out into the streets of Tripoli? That is the question. The idea is not for the Libyan opposition to outgun Gaddafi's forces. That never was the idea. The idea always was to win through nonviolent methods. Come out into the streets all over again. Do it again in Benghazi. Organize peaceful marches in support of democracy. Do that is cities all across Libya. Finally do it in Tripoli. Gaddafi has to go. That is the only acceptable outcome.
Days of military action followed by a few weeks of nonviolent street action. That is the recipe for success.
Image by Getty Images via @daylifeAnd if Gaddafi performs a repeat and unleashes animal brutality upon those peaceful protesters, take him out. Sometimes you don't get to take the criminal to court. He gets gunned down because he decided to fight to the end.
Ultimately It Is About Iran, Because That Is Where It All Started
Syria's Turn
The Anatomy Of Revolutions For Democracy
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Ultimately It Is About Iran, Because That Is Where It All Started
Image via WikipediaSyria's TurnTunisia was a warm up act. Egypt was a warm up act. Libya is a warm up act. Yemen, and Bahrain will be warm up acts. Saudi Arabia will be a warm up act, as Syria and Jordan. Morocco, Qatar, United Arab Emirates. They all will be warm up acts.
And then Iran will wake up all over again. All this is in preparation for Iran. Because that is where it all started. The people of Iran woke up in 2009. And we are reaping the rewards today in all these other countries.
But the final push has to be made in Iran itself. The mullahs are unpleasant people. They need to go.
Iran Re-Revolution: Victory In 2011
Protest Rally At The UN
Selling 5% Of Nobel For 50K
September 23 Iran Democracy Protests NYC
Shout Allah O Akbar From The Rooftops Every Night 10-10:30 PM
To: The Ayatollah
Claiming A Netroots/Grassroots Leadership Role With Iran Democracy Movement
Democracy Success In Iran Could Be A 1989 Repeat
Hillary's Latest On Iran
States Will Interact With Each Other
Iran Protest: 9/23
Twitter For Fundraising
Image via WikipediaThe Ayatollah: Guilty Of BlasphemyCompeting With Hillary Now
Prominent Iranian Americans
Iran Democracy Activist, Tech Blogger, New Yorker
Iran: A Brief Survey Through Time Magazine
Iran, Democracy, Facebook
Total Transparency With My Iran Work
Facebook And Iran
Iran Democracy Organizations
Iran Feelers To The CIA And The California Society For Democracy In Iran
Iran, Iran, Iran
Iran On My Mind
Iran: Am I Running Late? Maybe Not
Please Fund My Work For Iran Democracy: Email
Shifting To A Major Iran Focus
Iran, Obama 2010, Reshma 2010
Iran
Image via WikipediaIran: The World Has Wasted A YearIran: An Opportunity
Iran: Yes, We Can
How We Have Failed Iran
Dumb White People (DWPs) And Iran
The Fraud In Iran
Iran: This Is What I Am Talking About
Syria's Turn
Image via WikipediaNew York Times: In Syria, Crackdown After Protests: Protests broke out in four Syrian cities on Friday, the first large-scale demonstrations here since the pro-democracy uprisings began in the Arab world three months ago. Brutal police crackdowns followed, leaving six people dead and scores injured..... In the largest protests, several thousand people gathered in the center of Dara’a, in southern Syria, chanting “God, Syria and freedom only” ..... A Facebook page, “the Syrian revolution 2011,” has called on people to protest against corruption and repression. ..... Small protests in the capital on Tuesday and Wednesday were violently dispersed by the authorities, who arrested scores of demonstrators. The state news service, SANA, dismissed those protests as the work of outside agitators. ..... about 20 youths who had written graffiti complaining about the high cost of living and calling for more freedoms...... “They used live ammunition immediately, no tear gas or anything else”Democracy in Syria, as in Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia or Libya, or in Iran, is not Britain's business, it is not the business of France, it is most definitely not the business of the United States of America. But when the people rise and take to the streets to peacefully protest, if any actor, any entity, any apparatus, any organization, any state structure, or mafia group, or a terrorist group, or a clan, or royal family, or an army, or a police force decides to unleash animal brutality upon those peaceful protesters, not just the US or Britain or France, but the entire community of nations on the planet has to stand up for them, and there are many, many nonviolent options. You impose global travel bans on all members of the regime, you freeze their assets, you issue strict warnings of vocal support, you extend moral support, you offer logistical support, maybe they need a few laptops, a few camera phones, medical supplies perhaps, and you give the offenders a little time, all the time making it absolutely clear unleashing animal brutality is not acceptable, and of course you press charges against them in the International Criminal Court, and you issue Interpol warrants for their arrests. And if they don't stop still, then you go to the UN Security Council for the final act. That final act still fits the definition of non violence. The violence against Hitler's regime fit the definition of non violence.
Or some monarchs in the region could do the smart thing and not unleash animal brutality upon their people and request that they be turned into constitutional monarchs. That is a legitimate option. But that is not an option still on the table after you have unleashed animal brutality upon peaceful protesters.
2011 is to be democracy's biggest year in world history. China itself is fair game. Russia is fair game. And the fuck with Mugabe.
Image via WikipediaKhalifa Of Bahrain Must Go
The Two Abdullahs Need To Go
The Response To Benghazi Has To Be In Tripoli
The Military Options
Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia
Barack Obama: My Man
Barack Obama Proved Me Wrong On Race And Libya
Don't Let Benghazi Fall
Gaddafi Just Did The Bin Laden Thing: He Threatened America
Democracy's Despair
North Korea In Sight
Secretary Hillary
John Kerry Has The Solution
No Fly Zone Or Massacre
Saudi Arabi Next
Talk to Jazeera: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi
The Anatomy Of Revolutions For Democracy
Friday Prayer: Let A Million Libyans March In Tripoli
Democracy With Lowest Possible Losses Of Human Lives
Gaddafi Is No Simon Bolivar
No Fly Zone Or Surgical Strikes
If Gaddafi Is Not President, It Should Be Easier For Him To Leave
Sound Military Options
Nicaragua, Ortega On The Radar
Make Surgical Strikes, Take The Guy Out
Kick Ortega Out
The Fuck With Mugabe
The Chinese Communist Party Can Keep The Power If They Agree To Pluralism, Federalism
This Is Also About Women's Rights
The Saudi King Is No Exception, He Has To Go Too
Democracy: An Israeli Plot?
China: 2 PM, Sunday
Bomb Gaddafi's Tent
Khameini, Gaddafi, Caecescu
Et Tu, China?
When They Open Fire
Iran: Brute Force Does Have An Answer
Iran, Bahrain and Yemen, Jordan, Syria, Libya, Saudi Arabia
Arab Democracy: What The US Needs To Do: Stay Deeply Engaged
Arab Dictators Are Shaking
Egypt: A Revolution, Not A Reform Movement
How Many People Could Mubarak Kill?
Arab Dictators Will Fall Like A House Of Cards
The Response To Benghazi Has To Be In Tripoli
Image by US Army Korea - IMCOM via FlickrGaddafi not only did not respect the UN Security Council resolution, he lied about it first, then openly came out not only defying it, but also went on to threaten Europe. Attacking his troops that have encircled Benghazi is not sufficient. Because the orders are not coming from the outskirts of Benghazi. The orders for those military acts are coming from Tripoli. It is fundamentally important to destroy the command and control centers that are based in Tripoli. All that infrastructure that makes it possible for Gaddafi to make his ground maneuvers have to be destroyed. 
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