Human Events has an interview with Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late Shah of Iran who is now an advocate of a democratic Iran that can decide if it wants a monarchy or not. It's interesting on a number of levels - see esp. his scathing and accurate analysis of Iran's "reformers", his thoughts about the window of time left re: Iran's nuclear program and measures to take, and his view of Iran's Revolutionary Guard (the regime's core power base and praetorian guard) as a disjointed set of individual fifedoms, some of whom could be turned with the right persusasion:
"That explains the psychology of the regime. It also explains that the whole militia is not under one core unit. It's a whole mafia. There are various families of Revolutionary Guards. Each has its own portfolio and agenda. Some are behind Al Qaeda. Some are involved in Syria. Some are involved in Bekaa Valley. Some are involved in Iraq, etc. And they have their own independent means of finances. They don't have to report back to the government. They have their own bases of income, free ports, what have you."
The down-side is that if this is true, it also magnifies the risk of a nuclear-armed Iran another several-fold - because it means that you can't assume reliable control of those weapons by the government.
I was also paying attention to his efforts to create an umbrella group for a democratic opposition.
Pahlavi says that the initiative will come to fruition this summaer. The recent May Day rallies, which were organized by the regime as anti-US democnstrations but instead became angry workers' rights demonstrations, are a good reminder of why this is a good idea.
Still, getting Iran's fragmented groups (esp. its leftists and monarchists) to cooperate will be no easy feat. Pahlavi's insistence that his role is political not institutional, and willingness to let Iranians decide if they want a republic or constitutional monarchy at the end of the day, will help. But his point about the clock ticking and hence a deadline for action is also valid, because the regime is endangering the life of every Iranian.
I'm not sure that he'll succeed. I'm not even sure that he can. Having said that, I hope that he receives the help he needs to try, and that he does succeed in the end. It would be good for everyone if he could prove my impressions of Iran's internal situation to have been wrong.
Given the importance of democratic revolution as the only possible way out short of war now or apocalypse later, it's worth paying attention to how those efforts turn out, and who plays.
There most definitely are major factional differences within Iran's Revolutionary Guards. I prefer to use odd terms from nuclear particle physics in referring to those political differences - flavor, spin, color, etc.
This creates fertile ground for pyschological warfare during the buildup phase of our invasion.
The leader of the future of IRAN is
H.I.M. REZA PAHLAVI. He can lead IRAN towards a Higher civilization:Secular Goverment,
Multi Party System,Human Rigths,
Law and Order,Rule of Law,Improved Economy,
Creat Jobs,Higher national income,
Social Reforms,Equlity for Men and Women,
Freedom for Women,Freedom of religon,
Freedom of Choice,Freedom of Speech,Westernization,Progration,
Better Education,Better Medical Services,
Peace in the Middle East,Figth terrorism,
Figth Coruption,Figth Fundmentalism,Figth Crime,
Figth Drug Teraficing,ETC.
GOD BLESS AMERICA.
GOD BLESS FREEDOM.
GOD BLESS REZA PAHLAVI.
THANK YOU,SEAN S.
Sean, for Iran to have that positive future, it needs NOT to depend on just one man.
I believe Pahlavi can help, but given the role he seeks to play others will have to step up to leadership or this thing doesn't work... and war, apocalypse, or both will be the result.
Sean is another unintelligent supporter of another man. Prince Reza even doesn;t like this attitude! I am a constitutionalist too but I dont want RP to become a King like that.
Let people choose him if he gets to that point!
It is called "worshipping another man" or "idolizing" which is what the Iranians did back in 1979 and now they are paying a heavy price for their unexcusable mistake.
Grow up, Sean! You are just acting as if RP is sent from God.
He has stated several times that he has no intentions to turn to the throne if people of Iran dont want him.
All those things you mentioned can also be achieved under ANY form of democratic secular type of government in Iran, be it monarchy or a secular republic.
If you check the language of the workers and the current regime they are both very socialist. This does not bode well.
M. Simon,
Dude, it was a May Day rally. What did you expect, quotes from Friedrich Hayek?
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Reza can bring the opposition groups together in solidarity to bring down this regime.