Kyrgyzstan Law Enforcement failure: Contrast Iran

By Mark Pyruz

Amended 4/13/10

Kyrgyzstan's opposition forces appear to have gained the upper hand over security forces, where Iran's law enforcement have met similar pressures but persevered. Of the few photos available from Kyrgyzstan's current civil unrest, we'll point out just a few detectable differences.

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Above: Well equipped Kyrgyzstan antiriot forces

on the brink of disarray.

Above: A Kyrgyzstan law enforcement firing line, equipped with AKS-74U "Krinkov" short assault rifles. In contrast, post-June civil unrest, the IRIPF has not distributed battle rifles, assault rifles or SMGs (or most any firearms loaded with lethal rounds) to its antiriot forces. It must be noted this claim is disputed. However there are no photos available to this writer's knowledge of IRIPF firing lines equipped with assault weaponry, using lethal force against rioters. (Excluding the defense of a Basij base in Tehran, where an AK-47 type assault rifle was utilized from a rooftop position.)

Above: Kyrgyzstan law enforcement on the run. Abandoned by their own leadership, they are in headlong retreat. Even during the height of Asura rioting, Iran's leadership carried on, resolutely. In Kyrgyzstan's case, the leadership finds itself heavily swayed and manipulated by external foreign powers, whereas the Islamic Republic of Iran remains fiercely independent. This is the fundamental difference between the two cases of civil unrest, and naturally it corresponds to the level of effectiveness between the two countries success or lack of success in combating cvil unrest.

A footnote: Ironic that Kyrgyzstan's government recently attempted to dispute Iran's rendering of its dramatic Rigi capture operation- by changing its own previous reporting- only to now find itself apparently out of power only a few weeks later.

Heightened Security: Khamenei's Praetorian Guard

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Inspection of the officer cadet graduating class of 2009, at the Imam Khomeini Naval Sciences University in Nowshahr. Note the phalanx of burly-sized, armed security guards protecting supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei at all times during the ceremony. This may very well be a protective measure now in place since the post-election political dispute. The sidearms carried by the security guards appear to be large calibre service revolvers. Above photo depicts an escorting security detachment of four guards, while the photo below shows a total of six guards, including a plain-clothes team leader. At least seven different guards can be identified between the two photos.

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It's interesting to see Iran's top ranking military officials so frequently assemble itself in one public place. The Commander-in-Chief is present, together with all the heads of the respective military branches, including the Defense Minister. They did this in September and now again in October. During times of heightened regional tension, and with it the threat posed by long-range drone attack aircraft, one really must wonder if this is such a wise idea. Perhaps a constant political need for public displays of military solidarity simply outweighs the potential risk.

--MARK PYRUZ

Iranian Counter-Psychological Warfare

From PressTV:

Iran declares that countering the enemy's 'soft threats' and 'psychological warfare' is a top priority for the country's Armed Forces. Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar called on all Iranian military forces on Saturday to maintain constant vigilance against conspiracies by the sworn enemies of the Islamic Republic.

"Currently the top priority for Iran's Armed Forces is to stand up to the enemy's soft threats and psychological warfare," Brig. Gen. Mohammad-Najjar said.

The Iranian minister's remarks came after reports surfaced that certain Western countries had authorized covert operations in a bid to destabilize the Islamic Republic. Iran has repeatedly warned that the country's Armed Forces are fully prepared to counter military attacks with any intensity, adding that the Iranian military would make the enemy regret initiating any incursions.

Another cold war communique made by Iran's military. Under the circumstances, internal security is a top priority for Iran. General Najjar's comments appear to be directed at external threats being focusing on the internal well being of the Islamic Republic, and its potential effect on Iran's citizenry. This is a justification for greater security measures within Iran. Najjar also aims to bolster confidence within the Iranian armed forces, in the face of repeated threats of war from foreign powers.

Pakistan Closes Iran Border in the Taftan Area

Pakistan on Tuesday closed its border with Iran in the Taftan area for an indefinite period due to security reasons, locals and officials said on Thursday.

The closure of the Friendship Gate at the Taftan border crossing has caused a shortage of edibles in Pakistani border towns, because informal trade between traders on either side of the border has also been halted. A government official on Thursday confirmed the unilateral closure of the border with Iran for an indefinite period.

The official said anonymously that the Balochistan government had ordered the border closure.

“Such measures are often taken by both the sides due to security reasons. In the past, we used to close the border on the instructions of the federal government but this time the border has been closed on the orders of the provincial government,” he said.

Locals said the border had been shut for three days. Several truckloads of vegetables and fruits remained stranded on both sides. Locals, who largely depend on cheaper Iranian edibles, have been complaining of the food shortage.

In recent years, Pakistan and Iran have often closed their borders unilaterally, due to a surge in Baloch and Taliban insurgencies.

“The Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project has nothing to do with the closure of the border because it is planned to pass through the Gwadar area instead of the Taftan area,” another official said anonymously.

News Source: Daily Times

New Oil Pipeline To Detour Hormuz

Trans-Arabia Pipeline

DEBKA-Net Weekly reports that Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Oman and Yemen have launched a vast Trans-Arabia Oil Pipeline project. The overland pipeline will bypass the Straits of Hormuz, ending Iran’s strategic control of the Persian Gulf waterways.

The first stage of the Trans-Arabia pipeline will link Saudi Aramco oil terminal at Ras Tannura on Persian Gulf, Yemen’s Mukallah oil port on Gulf of Aden, UAE port of Al Fujairah on Arabian Sea, Oman’s port of Muscat, and Saudi Red Sea port of Yanbu. The construction will start in November 2007. Saudi Arabia and other participating members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will provide the $6 billion investment required to complete the first stage.

Saudi Arabia will provide a new 35,000-strong security force to protect the pipeline against terrorist and foreign attacks. The first 5,000 recruits are reportedly in training.

DEBKA-Net Weekly reports that in the second stage, the Trans-Arabia pipeline will carry South Iraqi oil crossing the Iraqi desert directly into Saudi Arabia, bypassing Shatt Al-Arab. The construction of this stage will start in early 2009. Iran, on its part, has started negotiations with the current Iraqi government to build a pipeline that would carry 200,000 barrels a day of Iraqi crude refineries in Iran.

DEBKA-Net Weekly reports that Kuwait and Qatar are the two GCC members that will not participate in the project. Both countries are involved in building a gas pipeline network which has highest priority for them.

The five pipeline branches are planned as follow:

Pipeline #1: Ras Tannuna on Saudi eastern coast to Al Fujairah in UAE, also collecting crude from Abu Dhabi’s Habashan oil fields. The work will start in November. It will be a 48-inch pipeline running for 350 kilometer with a capacity of 1.5 million bpd.
Pipeline #2: Linking Ras Tannuna to Muscat, Oman.
Pipeline #3: Linking Ras Tannuna through Hadhramouth fields and onto Mukalla port in Yemen’s Gulf of Aden.
Pipeline #4: Linking Ras Tannuna-UAE pipeline onto Mukalla port in Yemen.
Pipeline #5: Linking Ras Tannuna to Saudi’s Red Sea port of Yanbu. This line will bypass two older ones in the same area.

For security reasons, large sections of the pipeline will be built underground. The participating countries will also add 4 million bpd to their total crude production.