World News
More World NewsIran's Revolutionaries Are Winning
by Reza Aslan
Reza Aslan is author of the international bestseller No god but God and How to Win a Cosmic War (published in paperback as Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in a Globalized World). Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
I can think of no greater symbol for the deterioration of Iran’s unique religio-political ideology than the open calls for death to the supreme leader. Such words would have been inconceivable a year ago, considering that the law forbids any kind of public criticism of the supreme leader. But they have become de rigueur in the Iran being carved out by the Green Movement.
The second pillar upon which the Islamic Republic bases its legitimacy is the will of the people. Despite its autocratic tendencies, the Iranian regime goes to great extremes to maintain popular sovereignty. That is why elections are taken so seriously in Iran (in a population of approximately 70 million people, more than 50 million voted in last year’s election).
Make no mistake, this is a regime that is deathly afraid of its population. After all, the Islamic Republic came into existence on the heels of a popular uprising. It knows better than anyone the power of the Iranian people, which is why it has thus far learned to bend (but not break) when confronted with the popular will of its citizens, whether on matters of the economy, gas prices, education, or whatever else Iranians happen to be protesting. It is precisely for this reason that charges of “dictatorship” and comparisons to the rule of the shah are taken so seriously. Indeed, there is no more potent criticism of the regime than to say it is “acting like the shah.” Yet explicit comparisons of the current regime to the reviled dictatorship of the shah have become commonplace in post-election Iran, not just by the opposition but by some of Iran’s most reliably conservative politicians, including the speaker of parliament and the current adviser to the supreme leader.
Years from now, when the story of Iran is written, it will be the crumbling of these two pillars of legitimacy that will be seen as the most lasting legacy of the men and women who took to the streets last year in defiance of the regime. It is, of course, too early to know what will be the consequences of the success of the Green Movement. What cannot be denied, however, is that Iran is on the verge of the most significant social movement it has experienced in three decades. Whether for good or for bad, the Iran that ultimately rises out of the ashes of last summer’s uprising will be unlike the Iran we know today, and for that we can thank the Green Movement, not another round of useless sanctions.
Reza Aslan is author of the international bestseller No god but God and How to Win a Cosmic War (published in paperback as Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in a Globalized World). Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
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Reza Aslan is author of the international bestseller No god but God and How to Win a Cosmic War (published in paperback as Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in a Globalized World). Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
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Reza Aslan is author of the international bestseller No god but God and How to Win a Cosmic War (published in paperback as Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in a Globalized World). Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
Israel's Outrageous Claims
Reza Aslan is author of the international bestseller No god but God and How to Win a Cosmic War (published in paperback as Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in a Globalized World). Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
Ncmist
So much for sanctions. Iran is so full of nutballs it doesn't give a rats ass either way. In this case it doesn't matter who the president is or who's in our congress. Given the chance they'll just flip us the bird and piss in our general direction.
LostPatriot
Let's all hope Iran continues to stand on its own as an independent state and demands that Israel and its puppet USA stand clear. The USA placed a dictator in Iran in the past and Iran threw him out; then began a democratic government. Later the USA tried to topple the Iranian democracy and lost. Now Israel and its puppet USA are trying to topple Iran once again. Like Hitler, Israel/USA must be stopped before they turn the world into a police state.
siegeljja
Ridiculous - if any comparison to Hitler is to be made, Ahmadinejad fits that mold and he has already turned Iran into a police state. His rantings about wiping Israel off the face of the earth could have been written for him by Hitler as well. Round after round of useless UN sanctions demonstrate the complete bankruptcy of the Obama's adminsitration's Iran policy as well as of the UN, the EU and the rest of Europe. Hopefully, the Iranian people will rise up and rid themselves of this complete scumbag before the Israelis decide to solve the problem themselves.
Promethius
LostPatriot - This explains you screen name! You are obviously a patriot of Iran or at least a sympathizer of Islamic terrorist states! Much like Obama, the interloper in our White House!
Rasputin
"Like Hitler, Israel/USA must be stopped before they turn the world into a police state."
I agree, as long as you add to that list Iran, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Venezuela, Cuba, Turkey, Libya, and a few others.
Wait, what were you saying about turning the world into a police state?
Fuck it, I'm moving to New Zealand.
alex75
You r kidding. How do u think Iran has democratic government? I don't think any democratic government use the military guards in the street and kill people just for protesting. Many of people in the world like Ahmadinejad just because they think he standing against USA and Israel which is total wrong. If you think a little you can see Ahmadinejad is the best person for those both countries. He starts to kill people inside of Iran after election and helps to USA to passed new sanction for Iran.
brandy25
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dxgmmpa
lostPatriot...
What country do you live in and Why do you live there?
WHAT AN IDIOT YOU ARE...
What did your mother do to you when you were little to give you this world view?
ten of swords
Some of the stuff he's saying is kooky, but he's right about the US overthrowing a legitimately elected government in Iran and replacing it with a military dictator.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed_Mosaddeq
Mountaingazer
Ten of swords; Don't forget Chile. The CIA went into Chile funded and covertly supported the overthrow of the democratically elected Peesident Allende and helped install General Pinochet in his place, who would rule for the next 17 years leaving a trail of blood and thousands of bodies, all in the name o "US Interests". How nice... Hypocrisy. We'll fight for "Freedom and Democracy" all over the world yet undermine it as in the installation of the Shah of Iran, Pinochet in Chile and countless others. Wake up!!!!
mcmchugh99
One thing I've learned after living overseas for 15 years: no outsiders are ever going to change a country. That will only come from within. In this case, the regime in Iran is doomed although I would not predict the exact date of its demise. We can do little about that except to see what emerges when the dust finally settles.
brandy25
I am Mrs Brandy Marshall The Human Resources Manager of Hilton London Ontario Hotel in Canada.
The Hotel Management Team need some Men and Women to work and live in the Hilton London Ontario Canada,
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taosnow
HAIR may be closing but Ahmadinejad sings one of it's tunes to Obama. Substitute Pres Obama for Officer Kupkie. and the lyric goes something like this.: Gee President Obama, F--k you.
AndyPanda200315
Ok, first of all, it's Officer Krupke not Kupkie. And second, the song is from "West Side Story" not "Hair."
Next time, how about a little fact checking before you try being clever in public.
This user is no longer registered.
RJB-Boston
so what are you saying - that you would be happy if Iran had nuclear weapons because its a "fair" outcome?
khepri
Transient: "The UN should be abolished, it is a tremendous waste of money..." If you're in the mood to set your sights on abolishing something that WOULD make a real difference, you could start with the CIA.
Promethius
Transient - You are a voice of reason, in among the looney lefties who dominate this site!
However, it doesn't matter if the UN is abolished or not; The U.S. should withdraw from this organization and it would collapse, soon enough, without us! Once we withdraw, we should be fair to the foreigners who currently work in the U.S. for the UN. We will give that nest of anti-American despots 72 hours to get their goat smelling asses of U.S. soil! Then we can turn the UN building into low rent housing!
Mountaingazer
You are as arrogant as the right wingers you play with. The UN would do just fine without us. You know, we're not in a position to be isolating ourselves from the rest o the world more than we have already done. Wake up. Stop being just another ignorant, arrogant "American" (North American by the way).
Caveat Emptor
For the sake of the entire world, I really hope that the citizens of Iran can claim control of their country before it is too late.
LostPatriot
Caveat, What you say has more truth than any of us realize. It is very important that Iran maintains its culture and status as an independent state. If Israel/USA continue to crush and trash cultures people of the world will become selfless, without face, and dehumanized. The world would not be a good place to live in if this is allowed to happen. As it stands Iran has more of a peoples's government than either Israel or its puppet USA. Iran also has its own culture; Israel is a military and welfare culture, while the USA is owned and operated by the banks, insurance cartell, and AIPAC.
YearsLaterXXI
Lost Patriot, so all the trillions we have invested, thrown out,in Iraq, Somalia, still Afghan, now bankroll the Pakistanian, drug dealers,??????We , here, are owned by our politicians, and have been sold out, by all their laziness, and corruption,and lack of accountability,Both parties.Anyway, Iran, laughs at us , behind they are backed by China, Russia, Chaves., we no longer, have the power, to tell anyone anything.But the Iranian, opression, abuse, and killings, has to be fought from within, their youth, their own, must claim their own freedom.So if they brake the sanctions, what happens.??Well, when Ajmadinajon, comes to the US he will visit all our cable chanels, be interviewed, and laugh in our faces.That smile.!!!!Soon states are going to want to break away, at the rate we are going.
Baddchild
yea, way to find an ass to kick 0bama - to bad he thinks your tickling it with a feather.....
taosnow
I'm reminded of my old high school days. It seems the little punk who had nothing to say but " I'm gonna kick your ass man" was usually laughed at. However sometimes these kind of kids get really, really pissed off and do something stupid to exact revenge. I hope Obama doesn't have a 'columbine' moment on the world stage is what I'm saying.
Baddchild
the only thing he'll do is try to send Mahmoud without dessert. He'd have to grow a set first.
WestVillager
Maybe.
dalelama
Again our Village Idiot's policies are worthless.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZs8k4pJcyk
WestVillager
This is the least inspiring clip I've ever watched.
dalelama
Real Americans disagree........
melpol
Turkey is now trying to make the dream of Gamal Abdel Nasser become a reality, they realize that a permanent solution for peace in the Middle East will come only when Arabs recognize themselves as ethnic brothers separated by artificial national boundaries. In Greater Arabia there would be enough space for tiny Israel to exist and thrive. This is good news for a war weary world.
mcmchugh99
Turkey has little influence on the Arabs. Turks and Arabs don't like each other very much.
booga20
Are you serious???......Let me ask once more......Are you serious??......The fact that anyone believes any of the crap so far used against Iran does anything is comical....especially these sanctions.......The UN really is a joke........really always has been and even more so now.......and with the this really competent group we have in DC right now.I don't think it's gonna change much...........for those of you that don't realize it right now.....the United States is on auto-pilot....we have no leadership.......
khepri
Booga: I disagree. The US DOES have leadership. We are being led by the Pentagon, by the corporations, by lobbyists, and by the majority of legislators who are fearful of losing their campaign contributions if they take any sort of courageous, corrective action that would bring real benefit to the people.
booga20
khepri.....point well taken and also agreed with....
Promethius
khepri - Are you saying their are to many chiefs and not enough indians, sorry Native Americans for the hyper-sensitave lefties!
You may be right, but there is little leadership comming from the White House!
If we wanted to sanctions that might do something we should cut off all petrolium product, especially GASOLINE!!!! Frankly, I support bombing their nuclear sights, and millitary installations, as well!!!
Rasputin
Prometheus, why stop there? We could simultaneously reduce our nuclear stockpiles and eliminate the problem altogether by turning Iran into a giant sheet of glass.
Many people have been chomping at the bit to attack Iran for decades now. Fortunately, cooler heads have prevailed so far. Iran is a very old country which, unlike most of the middle east, has maintained a unitary identity for a long time. It may well be biggest, nastiest hornet's nest in the region, and smacking it would bring only woe.
mcmchugh99
It may well be that the regime in Iran has finally made the transition from religious fascism to a more secular form of fascism--more like Nazi Germany than Franco's Spain.
Rasputin
Good point, I never looked at it that way before.
LuckyTN
The comment that change, to be real, must come from within is right on spot as true. That's why we're becoming a corporatocracy. We won't get out on the streets and demand that our elected representatives follow the will of the people who voted for the. Instead we let them follow the will of the corporations who fund the elections. That used to be called bribery.
juanmon
Iran is going to crash the exclusive club we started. I'm sure at the welcoming party Bibi will let Mahmoud know about the Israeli arsenal pointed at him. That's going to have to work till the Iranian people take control of their country.
margonaut
Reading this, I can't help but be reminded by the Cuban diaspora's constant assertions that Castro's last days are just around the corner. It has been around the corner for the last 50 years and counting and Castro isn't even sitting on a mountain of petrodollars like the Iranian regime.
I am no fan of what the regime in Tehran is doing to that country but I have to say that the coverage outside of Iran is rather lopsided and dominated by those who have a pretty large ax to grind against the regime.
Aslan's prognostication puts him squarely in the camp of ax grinders and he clearly falls short of presenting the kind of reportage that represents a balanced and objective view of the situation at hand to foster greater understanding to those involved in this relentless cycle of belligerence.
miguel53pt
LostPatriot
Your name remains so fitting.
Are you scheduled to lay the first brick at the mosque near Ground Zero ?
LostPatriot
"It is the duty of Israeli leaders to explain to public opinion, clearly and courageously, a certain number of facts that are forgotten with time. The first of these is that there is no Zionism, colonialization, or Jewish State without the eviction of the Arabs and the expropriation of their lands."
-- Ariel Sharon, Israeli Foreign Minister, addressing a meeting of militants from the extreme right-wing Tsomet Party, Agence France Presse, November 15, 1998.
miguel53pt
LostPatriot
Our police state has existed since at least the early 1900s, so you're a little late.
We now kill babies in Detroit and in El Paso...not to mention coal miners in West Virginia (1920s).
So your point is...?
Seems to me you and Citizen Obama would make a good team under Herr Ahmadinejad. What are you waiting for - go now.
LostPatriot
"We must use terror, assassination, intimidation, land confiscation, and the cutting of all social services to rid the Galilee of its Arab population."
Israel Koenig, "The Koenig Memorandum"
Thank you.
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