Behind the Scenes in Tehran, al Qaeda in Africa

Paul Krugman
Oscar Arias
Silla Brush

The crowds in Tehran grew yesterday, from hundreds into a few thousand, who spent hours ebbing and flowing, dodging the batons of security forces, and inhaling tear gas, chanting "Death to the dictator!" If they could figure out how to take the batons away, the scene would be more festive. I give these people credit because you would never see folks in the US last as long as the Iranian citizens have... We do take things like our right to vote for granted and our ability to debate in public any subject we want, even if your parents gave your mistress $96,000 to shut up about you as a whiny Congressman, we can talk about it on a million blogs and television programs.

But something may be squirrelly in Iran. The Christian Science Monitor reports on a different kind of manipulation that is taking place behind the scenes, as the Ayatollah Khamenei is trying to position his son to replace him: "As protesters return to the streets in Iran to demonstrate against Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and the results of the recent election, a new report says that Mr. Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is leading the government's anti-protest militias.

The Guardian reports that, according to "a politician with strong connections to the security apparatus" in Iran, Mr. Mojtaba's leading role in the crackdown has "dismayed many of the country's senior clerics, conservative politicians, and Revolutionary Guard generals."

"Mojtaba is the commander of this coup d'etat. The basiji are operating on Mojtaba's orders, but his name is always hidden in all of this. The government never mentions him," the Iranian politician said. "Everyone is angry about this. The maraji [Iran's most senior ayatollahs] and the clerics are angry, the conservatives are very angry and strongly critical of Mojtaba. This situation cannot continue with so many people on the top against it." Shades of KimJong Il...So, the next time your kids come home bloody, with broken bones, you have the Supreme Leader's punk kid to thank for it... I wonder if you would have the same problems if Iran were a Sunni state? Here are some person on the street interviews from the BBC.

Well, the Kurds in Iraq are wasting no time on silly things like talking and negotiating now that the Americans have been confined to their quarters. They have always acted as if they were independent from Iraq, and the NY times reports on the new Kurdish constitution being circulated and getting ready for a vote soon: "The new constitution, approved by Kurdistan’s parliament two weeks ago and scheduled for a referendum this year, underscores the level of mistrust and bad faith between the region and the central government in Baghdad. And it raises the question of whether a peaceful resolution of disputes between the two is possible, despite intensive cajoling by the United States.
The proposed constitution enshrines Kurdish claims to territories and the oil and gas beneath them. But these claims are disputed by both the federal government in Baghdad and ethnic groups on the ground, and were supposed to be resolved in talks begun quietly last month between the Iraqi and Kurdish governments, sponsored by the United Nations and backed by the United States. Instead, the Kurdish parliament pushed ahead and passed the constitution, partly as a message that it would resist pressure from the American and Iraqi governments to make concessions."

After hanging out with the Pope, who's had an all white make-over so that he doesn't look as creepy, President Obama goes on to Africa. Now that al Qaeda has been all but kicked out of South Asia and the Middle East, branches have sprung up in Africa, from Algeria and Mali all the way down to Yemen and Somalia. Guess where the next global wars on terror will be centered?

My final item is stranger than fiction and comes from al Arabiya News, on the new best selling book written by al Qaeda : "A new book published by the Islamist group al-Qaeda reveals the group is paranoid and faltering under international pressure and in "deathly fear" of United States counter terrorism measures in Pakistan, analysts said Friday.

Al-Qaeda's 'Guide to the Laws Regarding Muslim Spies', a 150-page book written by al-Qaeda senior commander Abu Yahya al-Lini and recently posted on jihadist websites, accused "Muslim spies" within its own ranks of spying for the U.S. forces and providing them with information on al-Qaeda camps and safe houses."

late night jokes:

"In a recent study, the United States was ranked the 114th happiest country in the world. Then Sarah Palin stepped down. Now we're at 17." --Conan O'Brien

"Since resigning as governor, many say Sarah Palin is now going to spend some time working on her memoirs. Alaskans are saying they can't wait to start reading Palin's memoirs and then quit halfway through." --Conan O'Brien

"Senator John McCain says he's been using Twitter to share his opinions on this year's Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Apparently, no one has the heart to tell McCain that he's been Twittering on his garage door opener." --Conan O'Brien

"President Obama's in Italy to attend the G-8 summit, and he praised the Italians for being our 'great allies.' He went on to say, 'Except, of course, for any time we've ever been to war.'" --Conan O'Brien

"This is weird. It's been reported that Saddam Hussein's gun will be on display in George W. Bush's presidential library. Apparently, the gun will be on display right next to the book." --Conan O'Brien

"Anybody here from Minnesota? Congratulations, you have a brand new senator, our old friend, Al Franken. Al is an interesting guy. Went from being a comedian to politician. George Bush, the other way around." --David Letterman

"A lot of entertainers are getting in to politics. For example, Tina Fey says she might run for governor from Alaska." --David Letterman

"Finally, the courts ruled that Al Franken defeated the incumbent, Norm Coleman. Here, we have a report right here. Al Franken being sworn in [on screen: footage of Franken swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol. An announcer says, "Al Franken is proud to have finally become Minnesota's junior senator. However, due to the unrelenting media scrutiny, Senator Franken has decided to resign and go fishing in Alaska. Al Franken: Be There." --David Letterman

"I know we got a lot of people here from out of town, and I hate to bring bad news to you, because I know it's your vacation, a lot of people are here on vacation. And New York City, because of all the rain -- it's really nobody's fault -- we got a mosquito problem. So, the good news is the blood suckers are no longer just on Wall Street." --David Letterman

"Anybody ever been in prison? Bernie Madoff, the nasty, awful swindler, he's going to be there for 150 years. You know what he did? He hired a prison consultant. I think it's Martha Stewart." --David Letterman

"Kim Jong Il today made rare public appearance. Here's what happened. He saw the shadow of his hair, went back in his hole." --David Letterman

"North Korea has gone nuts. I don't know what is going on over there. There was a huge computer attack. Was your computer okay? We had a big computer attack from — they don't know what happened. They shut down the U.S. Treasury Department website. Man! I was stunned. I said, 'Whoa! The U.S. still has a Treasury Department?'" --David Letterman

"This is what is on the agenda over there in Italy for the G-8 leaders. Financial crisis, global financial crisis. World poverty. Climate change. Giant transforming robots." --David Letterman

"But the G-8 summit in Italy is being hosted by Silvio Berlusconi, the prime minister of Italy. And the meeting went pretty well. He was only interrupted once by his wife accusing him of adultery." --David Letterman

David Letterman's Top Ten Questions Bernie Madoff Asked Today In Prison

10. Has it been 150 years yet?
9. Who do I have to swindle to get a freshly-pressed jumpsuit?
8. Which way to the penthouse cell?
7. Because of my business dealings with the Latin Kings, can you keep me away from the Crips?
6. What mixes better in a toilet, sangria or daiquiris?
5. Will I get special treatment if I help the guards hide money from the IRS?
4. I'd like the truffle-crusted halibut.
3. Did I mention that it was an April Fools' prank that just got out of control?
2. Will someone TiVo 'America's Got Talent' for me for the next 149 years?
1. Is it ok if I decline a conjugal request from my wife?