Dictator Watch - Dec 27, 2009

A story from Breitbart today about new violent clashes in Iran. There have been more deaths and the violence has escalated since last summer. The outcome could be far more deadly than it was last summer.

Fresh Iran police, protester clashes: witnesses

And from the Telegraph,

Defying police orders to stay indoors, supporters of the country's pro-reformist movement used a text message campaign to urge hundreds of thousands of demonstrators to take to the streets.

They are capitalising on the fact that Sunday marks the final day of the ten-day festival of Ashura, which commemorates the murder of Imam Hossein, one of Shia Islam's most revered figures.

While the protests turn violent and tempers flare, the timing turns out to be advantageous to the West. A serious uprising that might result might serve to delay, sidetrack or possibly even stop (in the event of an overthrow) Iran's nuclear weapons program. It may turn out that the very same people that President Obama turned his back on last summer, may accomplish what he has stated he wanted but has been powerless to stop - a nuclear armed Iran. The irony is both uplifting and bitter.