The Purpose-driven Left (Ann Coulter)

[gilliam]

Philip P:

That’s precisely my point - directly below the level of the ruling mullahs, Iranians want, even are desparte, for change. Our bellicosity has only served to strengthen the mullah’s hand at the expense of the reformists within the government. There’s nothing like a war, or the threat of war, to unify a population behind its rulers and quash dissent (I’m talking about the Iranian context here, but I think it’s principle that works generally across the board)

I would say our bellicosity has also given strength to the opposition in Iran. Which is a good thing.

Some interesting sites to visit if you are interested in this subject:
activistchat.com/
regimechangeiran.com/

 

[Lisa_N]

Philip P:

That’s precisely my point - directly below the level of the ruling mullahs, Iranians want, even are desparte, for change. Our bellicosity has only served to strengthen the mullah’s hand at the expense of the reformists within the government. There’s nothing like a war, or the threat of war, to unify a population behind its rulers and quash dissent (I’m talking about the Iranian context here, but I think it’s principle that works generally across the board)

Really? Only if the people and the rulers want the same thing. I didn’t see the people of Iraq rallying behind Saddam did you? Sure a few insurgents but as Tommy Franks stated, with millions of Iraqis in the country, had they wanted to oppose the Coalition forces, they could have had an impact. Their silence in support of Saddam was quite deafening. I see a threat to the Mullahs as empowering the young people who have had quite enough of this kind of stone age world.

BTW read Reading Lolita in Tehran. It’s excellent. A bit of a ‘chick book’ but I think you will gain an understanding of what is going on behind the scenes in Iran

Lisa N

 

[Philip_P]

Lisa N:

Really? Only if the people and the rulers want the same thing. I didn’t see the people of Iraq rallying behind Saddam did you? Sure a few insurgents but as Tommy Franks stated, with millions of Iraqis in the country, had they wanted to oppose the Coalition forces, they could have had an impact. Their silence in support of Saddam was quite deafening. I see a threat to the Mullahs as empowering the young people who have had quite enough of this kind of stone age world.

I fear we passed up on a historic opportunity with Iran when we invaded Iraq. Our options there are looking increasingly poor. Branding the entire country an “axis of evil” can’t have endeared us to any Iranian torn between allegiance to Islam and suspicion of the mullahs. Putting thousands of troops right next door was probably also not the best way to deal with a paranoid regime. In any case, my general point, that if Bush were truly concerned with democracy it would have made more sense to talk about Iran rather than Iraq, still stands.