Friday, May 05, 2006

Reza Pahlavi Speaks
Reza Pahlavi, son of the late Shah of Iran, told the editors of HUMAN EVENTS last week that in the next two to three months he hopes to finalize the organization of a movement aimed at overthrowing the Islamic regime in Tehran and replacing it with a democratic government.

He believes the cause is urgent because of the prospect that Iran may soon develop a nuclear weapon or the U.S. may use military force to preempt that. He hopes to offer a way out of this dilemma: a revolution sparked by massive civil disobedience in which the masses in the streets are backed by elements of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Pahlavi, who lives in exile in the United States, said he has been in contact with elements of the Revolutionary Guard that would be willing to play such a role, and activists who could help spark the civil disobedience.

He also said that the U.S. and other governments can help by imposing “smart sanctions” on the leaders of Iranian regime, but he categorically opposes U.S. military intervention. Shah of Iran's Heir Plans Overthrow of Regime
Mark

6 comments:

Jason Pappas said...
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Jason Pappas said...

I'm sure the majority of Iranians, at least in the cities, wistfully long for a non-theocratic regime. But do they have the passion and determination to sustain a fight? I highly doubt it.

The fact that Pavlavi has to oppose us as he opposes the regime shows the shallowness of the aspirations of the Iranian people. It's not our fault they are in this situation; it's their fault ... i.e. their failed culture.

But I'd love to be wrong about the prospects in Iran. However, we have to take care of ourselves and our long standing allies.

Always On Watch said...

For centuries, Muslims have complained about the power of the mullahs (aka "radical clerics"). Problem is, only a few radicals can keep the rest in line, through various methods of terrorism.

At the symposium, Kenneth Timmerman made the point that allying with the leftovers from Rafsanjani's regime is a big mistake on the part of the West.

Ahmadinejad is a strong and charismatic leader, and "his" mullah was once exiled as a radical by Ayatollah Khomeini, the clerical leader of the Islamic revolution in Iran.

BLD:

Instead of subterfuge and duplicity, we need clear voices that support Western values and back them up with force if necessary...

But Islam and Western values are in direct opposition. Furthermore, Muslims seems always to come back to this: "Western ways corrupt Islam."

So, I don't have much hope for success on the part of the shah's son, though his ideas sound like good but impractical theory.

Mark said...

This plan sounds like a lot of wishful thinking to me. How much support would there be in Iran for a new Shah anyway?

Mark said...

Emily:

I'm sorry that you thought I was dismissing Reza Pahlavi's suggestion 'out of hand'. I wasn't. I merely said that it seemed like wishful thinking. The plan is good enough; but how realistic is it? And how much support would he really have?

If the support really were there, then it wouldn't be such a bad thing, I agree. But I can remember how they deposed the Shah before. Have feelings really changed that much in that country?

Mark said...

Emily:

No apologies are necessary! :-)

You quite rightly questioned the viability of Reza Pahlavi's scheme. I do understand your scepticism about this, or any plans for a true democracy in an Islamic country.

It is my opinion - for what it's worth - that true democracy and Islam are TOTALLY incompatible. I have given my reasons for this many times in the past. It has to do with the nature of democracy and the nature of Islam.

Whilst I would very much like to be an optimist in this regard, I cannot be.