Iran - The Next Secular Revolution?

Free Inquiry ^ | June 2005 | Austin Dacey

[F14 Pilot]

PING!

[marsh_of_mists]

Amnesty International will come out against the protestors, calling them "the Bolsheviks of our time."

[F14 Pilot]

FREE INQUIRY MAGAZINE

[Windsong]

Uh..secular? Not quite. They will never give up Islam in a million years, and for this they are fighting a battle that will return them to where they are now, even if they win.

[thierrya]

"Uh..secular?"

Yep..

Why didn't Iranians support the Shah, instead of helping the mollahs taking over their country?

[F14 Pilot]

Ask Carter!

[freedom44]

Majority of Iranians who fought against the Shah were either leftists, or nationalist democrats. Even after Khomenei came to power the idea was for a secular government - Khomenei eventually had them either kicked out of the government or assasinated.

[thierrya]

I hate Carter more than you my friend, but you can't always
blame US Presidents (even the shittiest!)..

[F14 Pilot]

I blame him for the whole mess.

I blame him for what he did to the Shah of Iran.

[bill1952]

I'm not buying this at all.

The article is full of unsubstantiated numbers and statistics that are, to say the least, suspect.

Today, half the population is between the ages of fourteen and twenty-five.

Really? Does it make any sense at all to say that more than 50% of the population is contained within an 11 year span?

I'm not going to buy into that without really firm evidence that this is the case, and don't say a million people died in the Iran - Iraq wars. I know that.

As far as the rest, IMO, it's wishful thinking.

The only way for true reform is to decapitate their government, cripple their infrastructure, and wipe out their nuclear facilities.

Then, maybe.

The Mullahs have a grip of steel, and though wishful thinking is nice, it is just that.

In other words, don't hold your breath.

[cake_crumb]

I believe the student movement will succeed in building a secular society in time, as long as they don't lose hope.

[cake_crumb]

"Ask Carter!"

EXACTLY! It's mostly his fault the Shah was overthrown.

[cake_crumb]

He turned his back on the Shah and even refused to allow him - once a strong ally - into the US after he was overthrown, not even for medical treatment. Part of the road to hell is paved with Carter's bumbling, blind, ignorant good intentions.

[NY Attitude]

Carter had no good intentions when it came to the Shah.

[F14 Pilot]

The future of Iran is bright. I believe the Iranian society will be a very secular one in near future

[NY Attitude]

The Iranian people are very patient and I wish them well.

[F14 Pilot]

[CaptainAwesome2]

Very good. Islam will dirty anything it comes in contact with. These people have been swimming in it and they wont be able to get rid of it. Lets not hope for anything out of iran internally.