Protests Continue in Iran, Could Civil War Be Next?
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More than three weeks after Iran's disputed presidential election, the regime continues to crack down on dissenters, while pointing fingers at the West. Clerics are split about what to do, protesters show no signs of giving up, and the Republican Guard has taken over control of the nation's security. Are Iran's rulers losing their hold on power? Should President Obama step up criticism of the regime? Is civil war on the horizon? Also, the world and the Michael Jackson memorial, and Liberian President Ellen Sirleaf Johnson has apologized for being an early supporter of her predecessor, Charles Taylor. So why is the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission calling for her to be banned from office? Sara Terry guest hosts.
Banner image: Students demonstrate in the center of Tehran 10 July 1999, following overnight violent clashes that erupted between Iranian security forces and students protesting tough new press restrictions. Photo: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images
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Protests Continue in Iran, Could Civil War Be Next? ()
Nearly a month after the landslide election victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad set off massive protests in the streets, unrest continues in Iran. Protesters are reportedly planning a massive uprising on Thursday, the tenth anniversary of the Tehran University massacre, when police attacked students who were protesting the closure of a pro-reform newspaper. The Republican Guard has announced that it's taken over control of the nation's security, and rifts between clerics are growing. Will the opposition be able to mount Thursday's protest? As tensions increase, is civil war a possibility? How is the instability viewed outside of Iran? Is Israel likely to make a strike against the country's nuclear facilities?
Guests:
- Borzou Daragahi: Middle East Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, @borzou
- Reza Aslan: Middle East analyst, 'Marketplace'
- Juan Cole: Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History, University of Michigan
- Dion Nissenbaum: Jerusalem Bureau Chief, McClatchy Newspapers
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Reporter's Notebook
Liberia's TRC Recommends President Resign ()
Liberians call her "Ellen," and to both admirers and critics, she's the "Iron Lady." Now, Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls for Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to resign. Today, after three years of hearing testimony from thousands affected by the country's 14 year-long civil war, the TRC released its final report. Among its recommendations are that Africa's current – and first female president –be banned from office for 30 years. Emira Woods is co-director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies.
Guests:
- Emira Woods: Co-director of Foreign Policy in Focus, Institute for Policy Studies
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