It is a mistake to assume that the ayatollahs, cynical and corrupt as they may be, are acting rationally. They are frequently in the grip of archaic beliefs and fears that would make a stupefied medieval European peasant seem mentally sturdy and resourceful by comparison... One of the signs of Iran's underdevelopment is the culture of rumor and paranoia that attributes all ills to the manipulation of various demons and satans. And, of course, the long and rich history of British imperial intervention in Persia does provide some support for the notion. But you have no idea how deep is the primitive belief that it is the Anglo-Saxons—more than the CIA, more even than the Jews—who are the puppet masters of everything that happens in Iran.
Well, now the Ayatollah has the Anglo-American Master of Recall to deal with.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
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2 comments:
IT'S ALL BUSH'S FAULT!
You don't have to be a mullah to buy into that.
Maybe we ought to ship Iran copies of "The Paranoid Style in America Politics," as the immediate post-WWII theoretical model seems to have application that crosses contemporary geopolitical borders — yes, straight into today's Persia. Then again, I'm likely caught in some kind of cold warrior Liberal delusion... It's merely just an idea.
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