So not over yet.

As I keep watching the news coming from out of the streets of Iran a few things are starting to become clear. For starters, this is not going to be over anytime soon, it has gone way to far now.

There have been major protests everyday now as the government keeps forbidding them.
The anger towards the government is rising by the day and spreading into large swaths of society, ie rich and poor, young and old. A lot of people from society as a whole are really pissed off at the government. It looks like critical mass is reached.

The killing of the girl Neda today is viral on all major networks and portals and will certainly give fuel for more protests. Even if they die down for a few days I am sure they will return.
People need to rest as well as it takes a big toll to be out protesting every day.
The question is what will the government do if the protesting dies down? Will they start arresting people on masse?
It is certainly plausible and this is also a reason people feel they might as well keep going. "Better to die on the street than in a chair" says one blogger. Fair enough.

As a matter of fact hundreds if not thousands of people have already been arrested or detained and going from various sources the deaths are most likely over a hundred.
Not to mention all those people that have been klubbed, many seriously wounded.
If they make it to the hospitals chances are big the police will turn up and take them away, god knows to where and for what. It can´t be pretty that is for sure and as an effect a lot of people don´t go to the hospital to recieve the care they need.

On the good side some good news today; the busworkers union came out in a pressrelease taking sides with the protesters and Mousavi.
The busworkers union are quite a lot of people and as a consequence it brings with them other areas of industry for instance the transport industri. Basically a lot of workers.
One of the lines repeated from Mousavi is, that if he is to be arrested people should start a general strike, something that could be a serious weapon against the government.
The government may be able to stop the protests but what will they do if people wont work? Now that one could be interesting.

I am afraid though that at this point it is not impossible this could escalate into fullblown firefights in the streets. There is no shortage of arms in Iran but those reside as a general with groups not yet fully involved in the protests and they are holding their people back, but who knows what will be needed to tip that balance and once it´s on it is on.

Of course, that could bring in the regular army and then god knows what will happen.
Will regular army fire on protesters?
They are probably less likely to than the police and especially the paramiltary thugs the Basij, the ones that among other things are in charge of enforcing dresscode.
The Basij, are the ones the people really have a beef with. They are not all that popular in the reg. army either. The Basij has quite a big following, many members, but it is the few that make up the problem.

I am sure the army will be kept out for as long as possible, there are certainly enough of the Basij to make severe impact. 30 000 new teams they say, with 15-20 guys in each.

I´d say the fight is on and that it´s mainly between the people and the Basij.
But let´s all hope for that strike.
Great footage from a university
http://iran.whyweprotest.net/