Wednesday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 7.13.2005:

Standing With Ganji

New York Sun Editorial:

One evening not many years ago, we fell into a conversation about the heroes of the Cold War with Stephen S. Rosenfeld, who had recently retired as editorial page editor of the Washington Post. When we proffered the name of President Reagan, Mr. Rosenfeld cocked an eye and offered in return the name of Sakharov. Mr. Rosenfeld didn't gainsay Reagan's achievements. But it was important, he said, to remember that being a hero was much harder when one risked being thrown into the dungeons.

We thought of that wisdom as news came in over the wires of President Bush's decision to enter the fray publicly in respect of Akbar Ganji, now nearing death from a hunger strike in Evin prison at Tehran. The president, it turns out, understands the point Mr. Rosenfeld was making in a profound way. The White House statement characterized Mr. Ganji, a journalist who has repeatedly gone to prison for his protests in support of free speech, as "demonstrating that he is willing to die for his right to express his opinion." READ MORE

The President gets it. I hope the MSM will get it soon. Sounds like a job for the blogosphere.

Here are a few other news items you may have missed.

• Eli Lake, The NY Sun reported that as Tehran University students clashed with police in Iran yesterday during demonstrations demanding the release of political prisoners, President Bush joined the growing movement calling for the release of dissident journalist Akbar Ganji.
• Iran Focus reported that a government official from the town of Chabahar (southeast Iran) was gunned down by unknown assailants.
• Iranian.ws reported that Iran will soon have women only parks built in all the cities of Tehran Province.
• Reuters reported that Iran insisted its nuclear policy would not change.
• Press Trust of India reported that Iran will have new ideas on its contentious nuclear program the country's ultraconservative president-elect has said.
• Reuters reported that a little-known Sunni Muslim group has beheaded an Iranian security agent abducted last month in officially Shiite Iran and has issued a video tape of the killing.
• The Associated Press reported that as Hamas moves to the mainstream, Islamic Jihad (funded by Iran) seeks to upstage it with violence.
• Eurasia Daily Monitor reported that an Iranian nuclear team arrived in Moscow seeking new partnerships.
• Iran Focus reported that Iran'’s State Security Forces on Sunday opened fire at youths in the north-western volatile Kurdish town of Mahabad, leaving one young man dead, dragging his body through the town. Graphic photos.
• Red Nova News reported that the Ukraine is increasing energy machinery deliveries to Iran.
• The Washington Post reported that Iraq's defense minister said Monday that a military agreement reached with Iran last week does not include any provision for the Iranian armed forces to help train Iraqi troops.
• And finally, a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox: To sin by silence...