American Leftists Encourage Troops to Disobey Orders ... In IRAN

"What will it take for the Iranian military to get engaged in protecting its own people?" - Twitter comment.

The political left is increasingly calling for the Iranian military to join the resistance.

See this discussion on the Democratic Underground.

And Twitter is also alive with people declaring "Iranian people MUST call the military to protect them from Basij and other paramilitaries!!! What will it take for the Iranian military to get engaged in protecting its own people?"

So, apparently, it's OK to disobey the orders of SOME government officials, at least the ones over there in Iran. Well, it's a start. Now if we can just get leftist pundits to see how or when it would also be OK over here, maybe they will stop calling us "traitors" and "extremists" for even suggesting that our troops might want to consider disobeying certain rather extreme orders at some future point. How can it be treason to encourage our troops to not shoot their fellow Americans and to not round them up and force them into concentration camps? What's good for the goose ... - OATH KEEPERS

The below was posted on the New Republic website:


How The Iranian Military Can Be Flipped: A Field Guide

-Amanda Silverman

As the protests in Iran continue and reports of violence in the streets proliferate, we started to wonder what could make members of the Basij and other paramilitary groups abandon their ties to the regime and back the opposition. So, we called founding chair of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, Peter Ackerman, to see if he had any advice. First, he stressed just how important it is to flip the troops: "If loyalty shifts don't occur, ultimately the movement will sort of dissipate and vanish. With these shifts, the movement's progress will accelerate and it will become an even more potent force than it is currently." Then he got into specifics:

Use the clerics. "What you need to do to create the flip in the loyalty of the military is to have third parties of moral authority come to them and their families and argue for that change. That's why it is important to consider the significant split among the clerics. This dissenting faction is dispersed throughout Iran so they could be the ones to start the dialogue. They in turn would lay out an alternative version that, with all things being equal, is more attractive than the existing reality."

Make the troops see a better alternative to the present. "Whoever you're dealing with in the military, you're not going to appeal to them just by saying violence isn't nice. You have to say, ‘Look--we're trying to build something that is more attractive to you long term.' We've seen this work before in South Africa, Poland, and Chile."

Hold your fire. "If the dissidents start shooting and throwing rocks, it will be very difficult to get defections from military."

Consider what groups you're working with. "In general terms--the more elite the unit, the more their culture is insulated from everyone else in society, and thus the harder it is to flip. ....

Read the rest HERE.

OATHKEEPERS: This is VERY INTERESTING! Perhaps we need to work up a counterpart field guide for here. Hmmm, I wonder if Mr. Ackerman will help us write it. Don't hold your breath. Yet, we should sit up and take notes as we watch what is going on in Iran. There IS a serious chance the Iranian military can be flipped.

One thing though - Ackerman thinks that the more elite the unit, the more likely it is to "just follow orders." We don't think that is the case (nor ar the Basiji "elite"- they appear to be equivalent to brown shirt thugs, not highly trained elite soldiers). Often, the more elite the unit, the more free thinking and the greater the sense of duty and honor (witness our Special Forces, SEALS, Delta, Force Recon, etc.).

In fact, in Iran, it was General Ali Fazli, a decorated combat veteran and the commander of the Revolutionary Guard, who has refused to follow orders to use force against the protesters in Iran. Maybe an academic just can't understand how it would be that the more hard-core the troops, the more courage and devotion to the people those troops will have, and the more willing the troops might be to sacrifice their lives to do what is right - like General Fazli. - Stewart Rhodes

Some of the comments from Democratic Underground and Twitter

Democratic Underground;
"I'm also receiving tweets with unconfirmed rumors that Iranian generals are being arrested. Heard another unconfirmed tweet that at least one was prevented from being arrested by Iranian Marines.

The vast majority of the violence has been coming from the Basiji, but they're not numerous enough to put down the revolution in all of Iran. If the army's refusing to help put down the revolution, or they turn and fight with the Greens, Ahmedinajad and Khamenei are going DOWN!!!

I guess we'll see how this turns out."


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"Seriously, you don't piss off the military, especially the military leaders. In unstable countries (which Iran is becoming more and more of by the hour) the military has already decided "you know what, screw you government, we're taking over/removing you from power and putting someone else in charge". Both events have happened countless times before."

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Twitter;

JoyMalone May the people of Iran find the strength 2 fight & may the regime have the fortitude 2 C the evil of its ways & the courage 2 change them..


Los_Ojos Hope the people don't stop fighting in Iran for freedom. Don't stop, don't stop. Those thug leaders gotta go. Blessings stay strong,for NENA

Jeff_Head #Iran #Iranelection Iran people-Now is the time-Tyrants have shed your blood-Arm yourselves-Iran military come to the aid of YOUR people

warrenpeace312 IRGC Commander arrested for refusing to shoot protesters - the system is unraveling. Keep it up people of Iran! #iranelection