- cross-posted to:
- world@quokk.au
- cross-posted to:
- world@quokk.au
Security forces were given free rein to use lethal force during the January 8–9 crackdown to spread fear and deter further protests in Iran, a senior government official said in a closed-door meeting, according to a source familiar with the talks.
The closed-door meeting was held to brief senior government officials and local governors on the brutal crackdown on protesters, the source told Iran International.
The senior official said security forces were given “full authority and a blank check to attack, with the aim of creating maximum fear to deter the resurgence of protests," the source said.
The order, he added, made no distinction between civilians and others.
…
The senior official speaking at the meeting was presenting assessments by security bodies that sharply contradict the government’s official figures on the killings.
While the official death toll stands at nearly 3,000, classified documents and eyewitness reports reviewed by Iran International’s editorial board show that more than 36,500 people were killed during the targeted suppression of Iran’s national uprising on the orders of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
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that’s all about the frame of reference and how much people identify and worship the victims. 50 dead Israelis is an outrage, 100K dead Palestinians is an afterthought. why? because people identify with one, and not the other. not much different if a factory explodes and 500 workers die, but the coverage and empathy and ‘tragedy’ will be all about the owner.
the issue is governments are run by people. people don’t want to be held accountable for their actions. violence works because people fear it. violence doesn’t have to be physical either. shame is a powerful motivator.
USA would bomb the shit out of iran under the false pretense they are going to expand democracy and liberal self-determination. that would happen, but that would be the rational, and why the ‘people’ of iran are often seen as victims of their government. plus iran is a developed society and a middle-power. this wouldn’t apply to say Turkmenistan, because there would be no ‘victory’ of democratic there.
It’s all about self-interest. you are talking about broad global princples… that just don’t exist in reality. they are high-minded ideals to which no rational actor would subscribe.
A sad truth and given how diverse we are as people, I don’t think we will be able to achieve some sorts of middle ground for proper cooperation anytime soon or ever if at all.
Sort of an existential external threat, pretty much.
If aliens invaded, we very much would start cooperating. But once they were fended off, we never much would go back to tearing each other apart.