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The Real Struggle in Iran and Implications for U.S. Dialogue
STRATFOR Global Intelligence ^ | June 29, 2009 | George Friedman

Posted on 06/29/2009 8:17:52 PM PDT by StilettoRaksha

Speaking of the situation in Iran, U.S. President Barack Obama said June 26, “We don’t yet know how any potential dialogue will have been affected until we see what has happened inside of Iran.” On the surface that is a strange statement, since we know that with minor exceptions, the demonstrations in Tehran lost steam after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for them to end and security forces asserted themselves. By the conventional wisdom, events in Iran represent an oppressive regime crushing a popular rising. If so, it is odd that the U.S. president would raise the question of what has happened in Iran.

In reality, Obama’s point is well taken. This is because the real struggle in Iran has not yet been settled, nor was it ever about the liberalization of the regime. Rather, it has been about the role of the clergy — particularly the old-guard clergy — in Iranian life, and the future of particular personalities among this clergy.

(Excerpt) Read more at stratfor.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: iran

1 posted on 06/29/2009 8:17:52 PM PDT by StilettoRaksha
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To: StilettoRaksha

If this is true, why wasn’t our articulate president able to articulate it?


2 posted on 06/29/2009 8:37:23 PM PDT by AZLiberty (Yes, Mr. Lennon, I do want a revolution.)
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To: StilettoRaksha

Is Stratfor ever right ?


3 posted on 06/29/2009 9:05:05 PM PDT by Nonstatist
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