tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34135100.post3663309737838542812..comments2024-01-21T02:42:13.447-05:00Comments on Middle East Reality: The Tehran Bureau: Possibly ground zero for the key lie that fueled Iran's election disputeArnold Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11445744338502151561noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34135100.post-28201114775874696052009-06-28T18:15:05.889-04:002009-06-28T18:15:05.889-04:001- Fair enough. I thought I remembered seeing that...1- Fair enough. I thought I remembered seeing that link on Cole's site supporting his conjecture that Khamenei hastily improvised this supposed fraud. I didn't see it in his first article, but could not rule out that the article has been edited since I saw it, so I wrote if memory serves. I easily could have been wrong. So on the specific point of whether Juan Cole linked directly to that claim I'll concede to you that he did not.<br /><br />1a - But the claim was widely cited in nearly every discussion on the Iranian election I've seen in the internet.<br /><br />1b - I have not seen an earlier source for the claim than TB.<br /><br />2- What are you arguing? That the claim may still be true? I'm very interested if there is anyone still claiming votes were, on a widespread basis, removed from local polling stations in a manner unlike in previous elections. Are you really arguing that?<br /><br />3- A quick look-over did not get me to the June 27 letter of Mousavi, which I am very interested in reading. Can you provide a link?<br /><br />4- I'm very skeptical that the Sharif University students "showed" the vote counting to have been rigged, but I'm open to seeing what evidence they provided, or think they provided. Link?<br /><br />4b- This report, which I may well be wrongly claiming originated with TB - though that's where I first saw it and I have not seen an earlier reference - was very influential in shaping the discussion of the election in the West immediately after the results were posted. I'm not able to speak on any impact it may or may not have had in Tehran.Arnold Evanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11445744338502151561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34135100.post-65135959267245704292009-06-28T17:30:21.906-04:002009-06-28T17:30:21.906-04:00First of all, Cole did not refer to Tehran Bureau....First of all, Cole did not refer to Tehran Bureau. You remember it incorrectly. Secondly, Mousavi's observers were mostly not allowed in, or were kicked out, or were not issued credentials to begin with. Even before the election, Mousavi had already protested that. Third, Mousavi had, in fact, received numerous irregularities (see his letter of June 27 to the Guardian Council that can be found on TB), had written a letter to the Supreme Leader about it, and had sent it to him on the election night. Fourth, it is ridiculous to claim that a new site founded by a professional journalist and almost completely unknown in Iran, was behind what happened in Tehran. By Saturday morning, June 13, students at Sharif University, Iran's MIT, had already analyzed the results of vote counting and had shown them to be rigged.<br /><br />So, set aside your fatansies and deal with reality.Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03333261583905985125noreply@blogger.com