In Iran, an Iron Cleric, Now Blinking
Few suggest yet that Ayatollah Khamenei’s hold on power is at risk. But, analysts say, he has opened a serious fissure in the face of Islamic rule and one that may prove impossible to patch over, particularly given the fierce dispute over the election that has erupted amid the elite veterans of the 1979 revolution. Even his strong links to the powerful Revolutionary Guards — long his insurance policy — may not be decisive as the confrontation in Iran ... Full Story »
Posted by Kaizar Campwala
This may be the birth of a true democracy in Iran, a government of the people. Or it may turn increasingly violent if Khamenei resorts to further suppression of the protesters. Either way, this is their issue, and theirs to resolve. We have already sown the seeds that led to the Islamic Revolution 30 years ago. We funded both sides in the Iran/Iraq war, and used Israel as a laundry to funnel arms to Iran and financial and military support to the Contras in Central America. The US can help the Iranian people most by staying out of this issue, and leaving the Iranian citizens to build the government of their own choosing.