The Islamic Republic is not near
collapse, for the rulers are ready to kill
as many Iranians as it takes to keep
power. Still, that much of the popula-
tion -- and even some of the leader-
ship — despises the current authority
means that regime change is just a
matter of time.
• Democracy: By virtue of getting
more or less what they wanted in 1979
(i.e., no shah), the Iranian population
realized that it had control over, and
responsibility over, its destiny. This
development, unknown among Arabic-
speaking populations, has led to some-
thing quite profound and wondrous: a
maturation of the Iranian body politic.
It has looked at its choices and thump-
ingly comes down in favor of democra-
cy and a cautious foreign policy.
The contrast between the maturity
of Iranian politics and the puerile
quality of Arab politics could hardly
be greater. Yes, both are dominated by
tyrannical regimes, but Iranians can
see their way out of the darkness.
It is conceivable that before too
long, the apparently disastrous Iranian
revolution of 1978-79 will be looked
back on as the inadvertent start of
something wholesome and necessary.
• Islam: Iranians have apparently begun
a process of seriously thinking about an
Islam of the sort that must precede that
religion's developing into a moderate and
and-militant influence. Only Muslims
who have suffered from the full debilita-
tion inflicted by militant Islam over a
period of decades, it seems, are immune
to the charms of this totalitarianism and
prepared to take. on the challenge of find-
ing an alternative vision to it.
In all, Iran finds itself in the wholly
unaccustomed role of providing glim-
mers of good news to the outside
world. The militant Islamic nightmare
is far from over, but in that country, at
least, the end is in sight.
•
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Are these "natural allies" really
doing what's best for Israel or for
American Jews? The answer is yes, if
one imagines Israel as a repressive,
theocratic state, and if one sees the
American Jewish community as
essentially conservative.
But in fact, there are many who
believe that a more democratic
vision is still possible and that Jews
should be building coalitions with
liberal Protestants, Catholics and
especially moderate Muslims who
support Israel — not those who view
a complicated world in theologically
black-and-white terms.
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