A couple more things about our next target

Iranians live under a tyrrany and are longing to be freed, just like the Iraqis, aren't they?

Could you do this? (Via Empire Notes)

DECEMBER 6, 2004

[...]

Iranian students have interrupted a speech by President Mohammad Khatami to mark Student Day at Tehran university.

Students chanted "Shame on you" and "Where are your promised freedoms?" to express their frustration with the failure of Iran's reform movement.

A visibly-shaken Khatami defended his record and criticised the powerful hardliners who have closed newspapers and jailed dissidents.

[...]

Students were once some of President Khatami's strongest supporters.

But they now accuse him of failing to stand up to the conservatives who won parliamentary elections in February.

[...]

[Khatami] defended the record of free speech in Iran, despite the closure of dozens of pro-reform publications in the last four years.

"There is no Third World country where the students can talk to their president and criticise the government as you do now.

  BBC article

Can't do that here in the "free-est country in the world", either. We have "free speech zones" and "invitation only" presidential speeches.

On another note, in the case of our intelligence capabilities in the lead-up to invading Iran, it appears that we really don't have any, as I posted yesterday. And one of the reasons seems to be a blunder under the Reagan administration that left our Iranian agents hanging in the breeze - or rather, imprisoned, tortured and killed.

As many as 50 Iranian citizens on the CIA's payroll were "rolled up" in the failed operation, said the former officials, who described the events as a major setback in spying on a regime that remains one of the most difficult targets for U.S. intelligence.
  LA Times article

One bit of information we don't have to depend on spies for: Iran's torpedo production is now online.

"Torpedoes manufactured in Iran will arm surface combat ships, submarines and helicopters. It has effective counter-electronic measures and a high speed and will be used at shallow depths." -- Iranian Defense Minister Shamkhani
  Novosti article

And lastly...

UFOs? No. U.S. drone spycraft.

In late December, Iranians living along the Caspian Sea and on the Iraq border began reporting sightings of red flashes in the sky, streaks of green and blue and low, racing lights that disappeared moments after being spotted. The Iranian space agency was called in to investigate, astronomy experts were consulted, and an agreement was quickly signed with Russian officials eager to learn more about the phenomena.

But the mystery was laid to rest by Iranian air force commanders, some of whom were trained more than 25 years ago in the United States and are familiar with U.S. tactics. They identified the drones early last month, a senior Iranian official said, and Iran’s National Security Council decided not to engage the pilotless aircraft.
  Raw Story article