Comments on: Scientific Conferences: Tool of the Jewish/Mavericky/Nonviolent/CIA Conspiracy

By: Flinx

Flinx — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:18:27 +0000

flux: “As an Arab, I am truly disgusted by this movie. I had no idea Iran went that far totalitarian-wise. ”

What has being an Arab to do with it? 97% of Iranians are not Arabs.

By: steeleweed

steeleweed — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:59:29 +0000

Zakaria’s Future Of Freedom noted the prerequisites for a stable democracy. The only country in the Middle East with those prereqs is Israel, and even there the long-term stability is of questionable robustness (robustitude?) There have been other popularly-elected governments, but they did not prove stable. Just like in much of the former USSR, elections all to often led to ‘elected tyrants’. Before you can have a meaningful democratic election, the population has to be willing to accept the legitimacy of any elected government and it helps to have real power, particularly economic power dispersed among various groups.. In many parts of the world, the only government recognized as legitimate by the bulk of the population has always been some form of despotism – Shah, Caliph, King. It’s what they know, so it’s accepted as ‘the way things are’.

By: Count Iblis

Count Iblis — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:00:10 +0000

Actually, for democracy to work, it needs almost 100% support. You can’t have a democracy under current circumstances in Iran where at least 20% or 30% would be fanatically opposed to a new fully democratic system and resist it using force.

Iraq is a good example. Until the Sunnis in Al Anbar province were fully on board, things were not going well in Iraq. Democracy alone could not bring them on board; the Iraqis had voted for a government that was not willing to meet the demands of the Sunnis. So, what happened was that the US conviced the Iraqi government to meet the demands of the Sunnis.

You will only see a true democratc government in Iran when even the conservative part of the population will agree to such a system. The conservatives are supported by the Revolutionary Guards and other institutions who can exert power. There is no way things will change until they are on board.

By: wds

wds — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:40:04 +0000

@Neal: there’s the problem though. How many Iranians do you know that don’t speak English? I think everyone has a right to self-governance myself, but for a democracy to work it must have popular support and while it’s quite possible that ahmadinejad messed with the results I’m not at all convinced he wouldn’t win eventually, considering his support among the unwashed masses.

By: Sili

Sili — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:54:10 +0000

My … McCain seemed natural and reasonable.

By: Neal J. King

Neal J. King — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:57:43 +0000

Loki,

Iran had self-governance in the 1950’s, until the UK and US conspired to overthrow the Prime Minister Mosaddeq and re-install the Shah. When the Shah was evicted, unfortunately, the religious extremists were faster on the uptake than anyone else, and they took over.

Granted, they seem better at revolutions than at governments. But the Iranians I know are generally well-inclined towards the US people and culture. It might work.

By: James

James — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:05:39 +0000

Spain.

By: An Iranian Student

An Iranian Student — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:39:46 +0000

Thanks for your post, and your support for Iranian people.
Loki, despite what you might think about Ahmadinejad opponents, but I think there is a huge difference between Ahmadinejad and others in Iran such as Mr. Mousavi.

By: Loki

Loki — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:56:26 +0000

1) Ahmadinejad was popularly elected first time with huge support from the Iranian population.
2) There are little reasons to beleive that his opponents now are any better … Except they are paid agents of the West, off course

Considering cases of totalitarian collapse in places like Russia of 90-s or Iraq recently, the approach like “Iranian people demand their right of self-governance – let them have it!” sounds a little cruel. Few people will get rich fast, and majority will get civil war, famine and extreme poverty for years to come.

I’m not in favor of totalitarism, but i yet have to see how a big country with lucrative resourses and total lack of democratic mentality goes to nice self-governance in less than 50 years. The whole generation has to be sacrificed, and maybe the next one as well.

By: flux

flux — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:14:06 +0000

As an Arab, I am truly disgusted by this movie. I had no idea Iran went that far totalitarian-wise.

And no middle eastern girl would tattletale on her brother for an intelligence agency anyway !