Connect with us

Featured

OPINION: Stronger Western Response Needed Against Iran’s Brutal Regime

Published

on

via @Mojahedineng on Twitter

The United States, Britain, and the European Union have all duly condemned the Iranian regime’s brutal crackdown of recent protests. But vague expressions of support are not enough in light of thousands of Iranian citizens risking their lives on a daily basis as part of a long-frustrated effort to secure their most basic rights.

Western powers issued similar messages of disapproval at the outset of crackdowns on prior nationwide uprisings, but at no point did those words prove capable of manufacturing shame in the hearts and minds of Iranian officials, and so mass arrests, killings, and torture went on unabated.

In November 2019 alone, Iranian authorities killed upwards of 1,500 people when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) carried out mass shootings. Now, they are threatening more aggressive treatment not only of those participating in the current uprising but also those sharing videos and eyewitness accounts which the IRGC describes as “rumors” and “fake news”.

There is little doubt that the judiciary, headed by notorious human rights abuser Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, is prepared to follow suit. He was promoted into his position after serving as deputy to Ebrahim Raisi, before the latter was tapped by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to take over the presidency last year. This reshuffle of key positions led to a predictable upsurge in the regime’s familiar human rights violations, and the current uprising is a response to its effects. Ordinary Iranians are also tired of decades-long poverty, rampant inflation, structural corruption and the regime’s brutal oppression.

On September 16, Mahsa Amini, 22-year-old, was pronounced dead while in detention by the clerics’ “morality police”. She was accused of wearing her mandatory head covering too loosely, showing too much hair. Mahsa’s story is part of a broader revolting and despicable pattern of gender apartheid in Iran.

After Raisi’s directives for more suppression against women this summer, countless videos and personal accounts have circulated on social media depicting similar mistreatment of other women. In some cases, the targets of that harassment pushed back against it or even challenged the forced veiling laws themselves.

The latest protests indicate the expansion of anti-regime sentiment to virtually all of Iran’s communities and demographics. Prior uprisings have been notable for their inclusion of poor, rural Iranians who were once falsely viewed as strongholds of support for the theocratic dictatorship. Worsening economic conditions and growing awareness of government mismanagement has turned many of them strongly against the regime and has helped to reveal the regime’s true Achilles’ heel.

The regime’s stability is most threatened by its own population. Recent protests, led primarily by women and young generations, have expanded to close to 162 cities in all Iran’s 31 provinces in a matter of days. Women have suffered some of the worst oppression since the theocracy was established. Their leadership is natural.

They have also played a prominent role in pro-democracy activism, with one woman, Maryam Rajavi, even being designated as Iran’s prospective transitional president by the main democratic opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).

In Congress, I had the privilege of supporting the democratic objectives of the Iranian Resistance for many years. Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for the future of Iran, which calls for a secular, democratic and non-nuclear republic in Iran that respects human rights and gender equality, is a beacon of hope for the country.

What is more, the coalition’s Resistance Units have sprung up across the country, leading and organizing protests in order to ensure their persistence and expansion. The regime’s top leaders, as well as various senior and lower-ranking officials, constantly express worry and anxiety over the growing role of the MEK and its Resistance Units inside Iran. Risking detention, torture and even death, these brave Resistance Units infuse ever greater inspiration into the broader society for the overthrow of the misogynist regime.

The uprisings in Iran have mobilized women from all walks of life. This is a terrifying prospect for the regime. And as prior crackdowns on nationwide uprisings demonstrate, it is one against which they will deploy all manner of political violence if they are permitted to do so.

Iranian women and men will surely continue to challenge that permission, but the only thing that will conclusively deny it is a vigorous international response. For their part, consistent with our Declaration of Independence, and the Preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Western powers must recognize the rights of the Iranian people to rebel and defend themselves against the regime’s repression and lethal onslaught with all possible means at their disposal.   

America should remember the words of President John F Kennedy 60 years ago: “let every nation know, whether it wishes as well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to ensure the survival and success of liberty.” The people of Iran are looking are fighting for LIBERTY.

Judge Ted Poe represented the Second district of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2005 to 2019 and is the former chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade in the House Foreign Affairs Committee

You may like

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Featured

Las Vegas Backyard UFO Encounter and Its Connection to Historic UFO Incidents

Published

on

GettyImages 1465594055 scaled

In a Las Vegas suburb, a family’s experience has put them into the realm of the unexplained. What started as a crashed object in their backyard and sightings of “non-human” beings has now unveiled a captivating connection to two historic UFO incidents—Trinity and Rendlesham Forest.

It was a late April night when the people of Las Vegas witnessed something extraordinary. Multiple witnesses, including law enforcement officers, observed a streak across the sky. Body cam footage from one of the responding police officers displays the spectacle. As reports flooded in from across eastern California, Nevada, and Utah, the American Meteor Society took note, hinting at a spectacle that defied easy explanation.

Responding to the call, two police officers were dispatched to investigate the strange occurrence. The body camera footage obtained from both officers captured their initial reactions, reflecting a mix of nerves and intrigue.

Conversations between officers and witnesses revealed astonishing claims, with one witness describing a “big creature” standing around 10 feet tall.

While one officer proceeded to inspect the backyard, the video footage from his body camera was redacted by Metro police due to privacy concerns, according to reports. Witnesses conveyed their belief in the sighting, despite expressing skepticism before. Simultaneously, another witness informed the police about an SUV circling the area, potentially adding another layer of mystery to the incident, according to reports.

But this was just the beginning.

As the incident unfolded, an web of connections emerged, drawing parallels to historical UFO encounters that have perplexed and fascinated humanity for decades. Among these, the Trinity Incident stands as a testament to the enduring mystery surrounding UFO phenomena.

The Trinity Incident, which transpired in, July 1945, was set against the backdrop of the world’s first atomic bomb test in New Mexico. Witnesses, present during the event, reported a peculiar sighting, a UFO defying the laws of physics, hovering near the blast. The incident became covered in secrecy due to its connection to the classified Manhattan Project. This led to the rise of speculation about extraterrestrial involvement and their interest in our technological advancements.

Fast forward to December 1980, when another chapter in UFO history was written, Rendlesham Forest, an event that unfolded near the RAF Woodbridge base in Suffolk, England. Military personnel stationed there encountered inexplicable lights and an otherworldly craft nestled amidst the forest. The Rendlesham Forest incident remains one of the most compelling UFO cases on record, captivating the world with its documented evidence, eyewitness testimonies, and subsequent investigations.

Now, as the Las Vegas incident captures global attention, trending on Twitter, its connection to these historical encounters become apparent. The connections are astonishing, a crashed object, sightings of strange beings upwards of 10 feet tall, and eyewitnesses who stand by their claims, just as those who witnessed the Trinity Incident and the events in Rendlesham Forest did.

What does this all mean?

In this connection of past and present, the Las Vegas backyard encounter serves as a gateway into the world of UFOs. It calls the worlds to explore the uncharted territories of the unknown, where the boundaries of our understanding are challenged.

As speculation continues to surround this perplexing event, the encounters with unidentified phenomena and the mention of “big creatures” with large gazing eyes, in a suburban backyard have left the community and investigators perplexed. The quest for answers in this unusual case remains ongoing, as locals ponder the possibility of an otherworldly presence.

Follow Alexander Carter on Twitter @AlexCarterDC for more!

You may like

Continue Reading
Advertisement
-->

Trending Now

Advertisement
-->

Trending