Neda's killing

Repressive regimes need to better coordinate their various and vast internal security forces. In Iran, the police seem to be wavering while the Revolutionary Guard and the Basiji seem to be doubling down despite new evidence of fraud. This kind of thing is not wise if the regime's hope is for things to calm down and the protesters to simply go home.

But in Time, Robin Wright says this may be the calm before the storm, partly thanks to the widely circulated video of a woman known as "Neda" being gunned down on Saturday:

Although it is not yet clear who shot "Neda" (a soldier? pro-government militant? an accidental misfiring?), her death may have changed everything. For the cycles of mourning in Shiite Islam actually provide a schedule for political combat — a way to generate or revive momentum. Shiite Muslims mourn their dead on the third, seventh and 40th days after a death, and these commemorations are a pivotal part of Iran's rich history.

....Shiite mourning is not simply a time to react with sadness. Particularly in times of conflict, it is also an opportunity for renewal. The commemorations for "Neda" and the others killed this weekend are still to come. And the 40th day events are usually the largest and most important.

If Wright is correct, Tuesday could be a pivotal day. Stay tuned.

Tin soldiers, indeed.