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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Cutting Iran Down to Size
2011-05-27
Afshin Molavi at the National Interest understands what we've been noting for some time: Iran is a mess. It has a short, evil clown as president and a mullahocracy that's really good at running a police state and really bad (as most police states are) in running everything else. Worth the read.
Posted by:Steve White

#3  Aw, c'mon, John. That's like saying the Russians were better off under the Czar than Stalin.

Many were dead under Stalin.
Posted by: Bobby   2011-05-27 16:38  

#2  Iran and the U.S. seemed to fare better under the Shah of Iran prior to the islamic revolution.

The Shah instituted a series of economic and social reforms that moved the country towards modernity. Iran had a decent education system. They had suffrage for women. They were the second largest oil exporter. Citizens could make a decent living by middle east standards.

This is not to say there were not problems. The Shah manipulated OPEC oil prices. He lost the support of the Shi'a clergy, particularly due to his strong policy of modernization, secularization, conflict with the traditional class of merchants known as bazaari, and recognition of Israel. He banned the communist Tudeh Party (that sounds like a plus) and suppressed political dissent by using Iran's intelligence agency SAVAK. They tortured political opposition and jugged a lot of the dissent.

Despite the abuses, the country seemed better off and heading towards a more modern society than under the present theocracy. We had reasonable relations with them. The country took a backwards turn towards the 7th century under the mad mullahs and Shortround--except for their obsession with obtaining nukes. Oh, that sounds quite a bit like Pakistan in some ways.
Posted by: JohnQC   2011-05-27 09:40  

#1  I was the big redneck, ignorant rube, and Gun toting dude that knew Iran was the biggest enemy you ever had when I was working for McDonald's. I remember those 30,121 (alleged) people that took on this POS Mullocracy - Mousavi made the order in some document I stashed somewhere. No need, Kohemini ordered the stray children into the mine fields with plastic keys to heaven. I really should be posting this on my site Rantburg is too valuable.

Either way, I see a very decent people in there whom I crave to speak with again. Iran is our Friend. (Persia).

The religious extension of hate in that government is our enemy. Please understand this. Honor does not drip off of the pulpit..Not in that case.
Posted by: newc    2011-05-27 01:54  

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