Blogging the democratic revolution
Victor Mallet of the Financial Times seizes on Rumsfeld’s recent comments on June 4, in which he said that China needs to open up its political system. Victor argues that economic growth and western influence — one in the same in China’s case — will bring with it inevitable internal democratic reform, even as the…
Welcome to this week’s Carnival Of Revolutions! I’ll take a cue from Nathan and not pull out the humor. I don’t know where I’d pull it from. So let’s cut to the chase, down to this past week’s developments in democracy, elections, tyrannous acts, human rights, and pie. Apple pie. General: The World has a…
Regime Change Iran is posting this week’s week in review, the most important roundup on Iran you can read. If there was ever any doubt that the voter turnout is going be tantamount to the aftermath of this election, get this: – Townhall.com reported that the son of the late Shah said, Boycott Iran’s Sham…
After weeks of so-called “clean up,” where tens of thousands of opposition supporters have had their homes and trader stalls demolished, trade unions, churches, and civil organizations are banding together to call for a nationwide working strike. A SHADOWY coalition of civil groups and opponents of President Robert Mugabe called today for mass strikes to…
Voting has begun in Lebanon’s southern district. Six of the South seats have already been taken by ticket members officially declared ‘winners unopposed’ in Sidon, provincial capital of the south, and in Jezzine, South Lebanon’s largest Christian city. Jezzine’s population was staying away from the polls to protest the concept of Christians being carried to…
I’m going to take this opportunity to remind you that I’ll be hosting Monday’s Carnival of Revolutions. That means if you have a blog post or know of a blog post relating to democracy movements, tyrannical regimes, the spread of freedom — and all that sweet stuff — be sure to email it to me…
To give some short-term background: The Azeri government has, in the past few weeks, really cracked down on opposition leaders and arrested hundreds of people. With this rally, as with all, the opposition applied for approval to hold their rally but they were denied. But instead of staying home, they came out into the streets…
Zapatero may have given in to Al Qaeda an easy time after the Madrid train bombing, but the Spanish won’t have any negotiating with the Basque separatists. Victims, relatives, and supporters are marching in Madrid against government plans to negotiate with the ETA terrorists. Great photo here. Spain’s prime minister Jos???? Luis Rodr????guez Zapatero faces…
It is a unique blessing of the free world that its people can express a wide variety of opinions and choose how to live peacefully without being persecuted by their own governments. These are examples of real, universal human rights that need to be defended and brought to the dark corners of the world. This…
The regime is going to be starving for legitimacy if this is true, and by all accounts it looks highly probable. A nationwide survey conducted by an Iranian opposition group showed widespread voter apathy in Iran’s upcoming June 17 presidential elections. The People??????????s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) said in a press release that a…
A columnist for the Lebanese publication An Nahar has been murdered in a car bombing, in which his car was rigged to explode upon ignition. Here is the report from Reporters Without Borders: Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert M????nard, who is currently in Lebanon, voiced dismay at the murder of columnist Samir Kassir of the…
Before anything, read Austin Bay’s fabulous piece fisking Amnesty International on their bizarre claim that Gitmo and Abu Ghraib are modern day gulags, and that the U.S. is the leader in human rights abuses in the world. Hahahahahaha. Right. Anyhow, I received an email with a really good idea: Go to Google News and search…
Two weeks ago, Robert Mugabe started his “Operation: Clean-up” which has destroyed the market stalls of thousands of Zimbabweans and now left up to two million homeless. On both the human rights and geopolitics scale, the role that China plays in Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular is especially important. They have been making…
Gary Metz at Regime Change Iran is looking toward the Iranian presidential elections on June 17, and he wants the people there to know the truth about what goes on in their own country. That’s why he’s organizing a blogosphere campaign to spread the news about Iran so that the people have plenty of opportunities…
After years of stalled talks between the two, Georgia and Russia have signed a joint declaration pledging toward a specific plan for the pullout of Russian military bases from Georgia. The Russian and Georgian Foreign Ministries published a joint declaration, which outlines the process of withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia. It also deals…
Exactly two months ago, this “outpost of tyranny” was holding parliamentary elections that were inexplicably fraudulent. Many foreign journalists were inside the country, so Mugabe made sure that food was given out and gasoline made available — at least in his supporters’ strongholds. Even once he stole the election and secured enough seats to change…
Kick back, relax, and take a moment to say a few prayers for the troops who are fighting abroad for freedom. Winds of Change has a Memorial Day roundup and Glenn Reynolds links to lots of photoblogging. As for me, I’m taking the day off, basking in the glow of Lebanon’s first round of elections….
Nathan Hamm of Registan is hosting this week’s carnival of revolutions! Check it out to read the blogosphere’s best on democracy movements unfolding around the world.
The first round of Lebanon’s first election free of Syrian interference since, well, before I was born has started. The next rounds will take place over the next three consecutive Sunday’s, ending on June 19. Candidates will be competing for 19 seats within three districts within the Beirut region. There are 240 polling stations open…
Don’t miss Regime Change Iran, with the most important roundup of events pertaining to Iran that you will ever read.
It had to happen sooner or later. The high expectations and aspirations of the Lebanese people are slowly degrading into a state of national melancholy. Undoubtedly, Lebanon will never be the same after March’s Cedar Revolution, but that won’t stop the country’s professional politicians from pulling as many strings as possible to stay in power….
Of course, that’s rather predictable given that Lukashenko owns the parliament. Due to the spread of “velvet revolutions” in his near vicinity, and the upfront declarations of his neighbors, the EU, and the United States to promote democracy in Belarus, Lukashenko has passed a state security law which will allow the secret police practically absolute…
Glenn posted a link earlier to a report that an EU confidential document says that the elections in Ethiopia were rigged. ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopia’s electoral board appears to have lost control of the vote counting for the May 15 legislative polls, European Union election observers said in a report obtained by The…
You all may have noticed that it has been a slow couple of weeks for my posting in particular. Look forward to that coming to an end. I’m graduating tonight and I’ll be moving to Boston at the end of August. I’ll post by tomorrow afternoon, when I’ve, er, recovered.
Relations between the United States and Syria are sliding even further of late, though it seems that they may be the only party minding this. All of this revolves around intense pressure on Damascus about the insurgency in Iraq. Many of the terrorists have set up arms and drug smuggling routes along the Syrian border,…