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Slow boil is better

Reader comment on item: Ahmadinejad or Mousavi?

Submitted by Murray Orbuch (United States), Jun 20, 2009 at 08:53

The longer this crisis continues without a clear resolution, the greater the likelihood that the resentments it unleashes will result in an unravelling to the "Islamic Republic". Khamane'i overplayed his hand with the early declaration of Ahmadinejad's victory. He now must find a way to save face (for himself and the regime) and I doubt that he can.

The longer he continues to demean Mousavi and the opposition as riffraff and agents of "Zionists and the CIA" the more complicated he makes matters. If the slow boil continues for a long stretch, non-Islamist forces may have the opportunity (? with foreign help) to finally, albeit carefully, raise their voices and even if Mousavi prevails, it is a Genie he won't be able to return to the bottle. Either way, the power of the Shi'a Divines will no longer be seen as unassailable. Whether or not Obama covertly intervenes, one can only hope that the ill-will Ahmadinejad engendered among Arabs (and Israel) will now be repaid in spades.

This may also present an interesting window to isolate Syria and Hizbullah (as well as Hamas) as their patron goes through the throes of change. One worry though is that the regime may unleash a whirlwind at the hands of Hamas/Hizbullah in an act of desperation with the hopes of rallying the masses against an external enemy.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (28) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
change [25 words]Jon PurizhanskyJun 27, 2009 10:12158066
--appeasing the islamists [142 words]joe oreillyJun 26, 2009 18:48158025
Iran, Iraq, somalia, ... [148 words]donvanJun 27, 2009 21:40158025
donvans comments [182 words]joe o'reillyJun 29, 2009 13:22158025
WESTERN CONFUSION AND EVENTS IN IRAN [37 words]AHMEDJun 24, 2009 04:43157871
Who knows if Mousavi has changed [15 words]P PotaznikJun 22, 2009 03:53157753
Do you think it is just a game? [36 words]SvetlanahJun 23, 2009 09:45157753
Mousavi is Bait [344 words]Nehama, UKJun 25, 2009 08:20157753
Iran needs neither of them to lead. [68 words]M.D'SouzaJun 21, 2009 18:52157737
Chain rule of revolution. [165 words]SvetlanahJun 21, 2009 16:27157734
An Apology for Daniel Pipes [31 words]Aymenn JawadJun 21, 2009 13:30157726
Very Shocking- The Government of Iran basically says shut up to the people. [240 words]AnneJun 21, 2009 10:54157721
A pattern is perhaps identifiable ? [143 words]John BJun 21, 2009 10:29157719
Ahmadinejad or Mousavi? [104 words]HCJun 21, 2009 08:37157714
So what is this choice for? [90 words]Abir ChaabanJun 21, 2009 08:23157713
The more things change... [170 words]Barry GoldbergJun 21, 2009 08:17157712
DEMOCRACY IN IRAN ONLY AHMADINEJAD AND AYATOOLLAH KHAMENEII SHOULD BE IN PRISON FOR LIFE [56 words]TIRDAAD GHARIBJun 21, 2009 06:48157711
Dostoevsky vs. Qutb [290 words]lindaJun 21, 2009 00:44157703
Dostoevsky and the Roots of Modern Terrorism [56 words]Jack MoranAug 10, 2009 13:17157703
A Tsunami of Revolution [199 words]Fay VoshellJun 20, 2009 17:11157688
Change for the better [120 words]Ralph C. Whaley MDJun 20, 2009 11:32157682
In the unlikely, though I suppose still possible event that [44 words]Carl SesarJun 20, 2009 09:43157680
We support Life and justice [626 words]Salah AliJun 20, 2009 09:32157679
Slow boil is better [224 words]Murray OrbuchJun 20, 2009 08:53157678
Post proelia praemia [72 words]Rebecca MouldsJun 20, 2009 08:35157676
Remembered Pieck ? [60 words]Jiri SeveraJun 20, 2009 08:17157675
Right on! [195 words]SUsan WarnerJun 20, 2009 07:23157674
Leftist Proven Incompetent again. [63 words]SvetlanahJun 20, 2009 05:02157672

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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