Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 06/23/09
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Tonight on 360°, new evidence Iran's government is tightening its grip. And, new evidence protesters are changing their tactics. Plus, tough talk from President Obama today on the uprising. We'll have all the angles.
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Is funny to see how all the neo cons are attacking the President for handling our foreign policy the way he sees fit (after all, the majority of the americanpeople elected him to do just that).
Does anyone remember what happened when we got involved in Irak?
How were these women able to leave Iran?/ Just curoius....
Hello Bloggers Campbell and Erica
The women of Iran are fighting for thier rights finally ,having a voice and standing up for themsleves as people .
@Isabel I agree it is a very disturbing video
I ignorantly did not realize that the rights of women in Iran have suffered so much under Amandinejad. Suddenly it is not surprising that woman have played such a big role in Moussavi's campaign and the protests of the the election results. It is literally amazing that sitting judges have been defrocked as Ms. Nafisi notes. An outburst of resentment and just pure repressed energy has probably been long in coming and is overdue.
Neda and all the people that have died are Martyrs! True Martyrs of Iran
@Starr – "RE: Pres. Obama – again, we feel his tone is correct. It’s not like we can tell any othe country what to do! (we tried that with W., it did not work out very well so far).."
I agree with you completely. Thought President Obama's remarks today were very appropriate - we need to remember that we cannot impose our will on the rest of the world, as much as many people might like to....
I know exactly how you feel Bamdad. My husband and I feel ashamed that we are living in the U.S. while our Iranian sisters and brothers are fighting for their feedom. We wish we could be there now fighting with them.
@Martin – it is extremely disturbing...
I don't watch CNN regularly, but am watching it now and the euphoria about women's empowerment in Iran. This is Western "wishful thinking" at its best. As long as Iran remains a theocracy and the conservatives rule the religion, they will supress women. Don't kid yourself - it's not the USA or Europe - a good argument to keep the church and the state separate, very separate.
GJL
Sharon,
Basically there are two groups, the bike rider are Police special forces trained for riots. The other group named “Basij”. Those are volunteers militia force trained, supported and armored by “revelatory guard”.
@David, Indiana
In Iran the reasons for this action, as opposed to social welfare, where the evil do fall on all of the population, both for and against.
This is good news about an ambassador to Syria. We really beleive that Pres. Obama really can make breakthroughs with Islamic countires(much better than Bush the 2nd)!
Ed McMahon was a great side-kick for Jonny Carson. We wil miss him.
its disgraceful that our president has to wait until the europeans say something before he responds!! i am surprised he didnt apologize to them!! you do not reach out to a bunch of thugs like this regime!! you hit them over the head before they hit us!!
all offers to talk to them should be withdrawn and sanctions should be tightened and the US and its allies should be prepared to strike if they do not give up their nuclear program!!
It is time for the women to stand up against this culture where they are reduced to the equality of dogs. I support them wholeheartedly.
Go Iranian Women
@ Erica- thank you so much! My uncle is not the protesting kind, he is a quiet, peace-loving man, no threat to anyone...hope we'll be able to reach him soon.
I think the words 'fundamentally unjust' are a huge understatement. Of course innocent people dying is unjust. What are we doing about it?
I suspect that it was the regime's intention that the murder of a protest observer be publicized. They managed to suppress turn out without a broad crack down. Iranians sympathetic to the regime will accept an excuse for a few deaths.
There may be some who might characterize President Obama's cautious and measured response to the crisis in Iran as "weak", but it seems to be the right way to handle it – were he to take a more aggressive stance, it would inevitably backfire on the U.S.
I left Iran when i was 6, my family fled this regime that is in power right now. I wish i could go back now to fight along with the people of Iran and i would gladly give my life for there cause of freedom.
After listening to Obama's comments the past few days, I regret that I voted for him. My Iranian sisters and brothers are dying for freedom in Iran while President Obama is worried that saying the wrong words could have negative consequences for future talks with the Iranian regime. He is giving credibility to a fraudulent regime that is masacaring its own people. Didn't he stand for Hope and Change?
Sandwiched between the various Cialis commercials, I find it sadly entertaining that Fareed Zakaria now stoutly deplores what's going on in Iran, when only a few weeks or months ago he wrote in his magazine, ZakariaWeek, that the muslim Iranian regime intends only peaceful use of nuclear power. Zakaria is also on record as counseling Americans to "get used to" radical muslim regimes because they are "not going away." Will this man ever tell the truth?
I agree with Minou. I am worried sick about these detainees. This governmnet is ruthless. They have executed members of their own family. Iyatolah Gilani killed his own two sons for joining the oppositions many years ago.
The world needs to stand behind the iranians now! The masses are thinning out. If the govt succeeds in suppressing the uprising, Iran will never see the dawn of freedom for decades.
I am amazed at the strength the woman in Iran are showing. God bless them all and I hope other nations who supress there people are watching this.
The powerlessness of the demonstrators in Iran is a perfect example of what happens when government disarms the public. Those poor people will not succeed until they are as big a threat to the government as the government is to them.
i cant believe that there was yet another public transit crash 🙁
Yes we are sorry for what happing in Iran but USA is no more going to interfere in foreign country internal matter/problem
@ Erica
Nice to have you here with us!
Hi Anderson,
It was very sad to see what happened in Iran. I hope this cell phone procedures and other latest technologies can stop such blood shed !
We Iranians are tired of this regime, and we want freedom. Is that too much to ask for?
Why the world is only watching and not doing anything to help us?
We are fighting with bare hands and they are killing us with guns...
Minou – we (my family & friends) will pray for the safety of your uncle.
Campbell, thank you for having Fareed Z. & Axar Nafisi to comment on what thesituation in Iran and the women in Iran.
@Hoyt, you can help buy wearing green and talking all you can about the situation. If you are really daring try setting up a candle light vigil for the fallen. Just show that you care for human rights.
That is the best thing we can do.
God evening.
The problem is not with a muslim society, the problem is with religion dictating how people mus tlead their lives.
The day we eliminate religion from the public arena, will be the day that everyone will be free.
God bless Neda...and all the women of Iran that are opposing the current regimen. Where are the voices of the women in other Mulism countries...Why are they not standing up and not being heard on behalf of their Mulism sisters.
I have heard of a resistance group in Iran operating under the name "anonymous", and that they have gotten weapons from riot police. Does anyone know anything else about this?
hello, everyone – thanks for blogging with us tonight.
@Reihaneh – you are correct. Neda has become a symbol, but she is one of (sadly) many
@Minou – I hope you hear from your family soon. I think it's difficult for many of us in this country to comprehend how someone could simply disappear...how people could be taken from their homes, even hospitals.
wouldn't it be great if Iran became the new center of democracy in the middle east with out ant help from us. If they do this on their own they will have more of a stake in it . Unlike in Iraq !!!
Could someone plz paint this picture for me:
If Pres Obama had spoke out more harshly against Iran sooner or now. How would the events in Iran have changed or will change??
Great program. Proud of Iranian women all over the world , specially in Iran.We are the generation of Rostam...we will not give up..,.
These women of Iran are so educated and I stand with them.
I am so worried about the women who have demonstrated...
Will we hear if they have been prosecuted
im proud of being an iranian woman especialy seein young and older women putting their life in jeopordy demanding not only a re election but also wanting to changing the future and the direction of the country. long live man and woman of this great nation. i wanna join the man and woman of my country in the street of Tehran and fight along side whit them.
Hello, some of the most interesting, and intelligent people I have ever met are women. A society that repesses or oppresses women are shutting out the thoughts and actions of the persons who give birth, raise children, take political office, become CEOs, etc. Shame on any country that shuts down a very deep well of humanity, more than likely half it's population. Thankyou.
Not too long ago,we all mistrusted the Iranians as a whole only to find out that they are basically like us all wanting freedom of religion,speech and basic freedoms.....I too wish them all well and hope God(in general)helps all the poor and weary Iranians!!Not too long ago......
I agree with President Obama's words: it is "fundamentally unjust" what is happening to protestors in Iran. It is worse now that the regime is trying to shut our media connections down.
Who are all these "enforcers" in Iran who are on the streets clubbing people and shooting them. It seems like there are at least 3 different groups who are out there dispensing terror. Who are these people on motorcycles and what kind of "law enforcement" do they have?
the events in Iran is the true face of Isalam. People have to go through this to recognize where this is all coming from! Stop commenting "in the name of Islam"
Fleur
The US is standing up for the Iranians who want change and they are doing it in the correct way by not letting the US become a scapegoat for the current regime.
I think the US should do as we are stand up for Human Rights and unless the United Nations as a whole wants to further any actions then get the support and do it before there is any more bloodshed. We have seen enough and 1 is too many! God Bless
Neda is a symbol of all the young and old women who have given their lives for freedom. There are so many young women are still in prisons in Iran.
Hey guys, do you think the Iranian regime and especially the religious leaders which control the political arena will allow such a revolution and uprising to continue? and do you think there will be any outside influence on Iranian government to peacefully fix the situation?