The Next Big Day. Monster demonstrations apparently scheduled all over the country. There will be time to “analyze” it during and after the events themselves, but one interesting footnote to the current Iranian revolutionary movement is its elegance. Have a look at these posters for the “Green Path of Hope,” for example. And these. Both come from the most reliable web site for the Mousavi/Karroubi/Khatami opposition group.
Faster, Please!
PJM HomeMichael Ledeen
Books
Accomplice to Evil: Iran and the War Against the West
by Michael Ledeen
The Iranian Time Bomb: The Mullah Zealots’ Quest for Destruction
by Michael Ledeen
The War Against the Terror Masters: Why It Happened. Where We Are Now. How We’ll Win.
by Michael Ledeen
...transcend[s] mere descriptive narrative and seek[s] to fix a value—political, philosophical or strategic—on the events of 9/11…
—Tunku Varadarajan
Wall Street Journal
Tocqueville on American Character: Why Tocqueville’s Brilliant Exploraton of the American Spirit is as Vital and Important Today as it was Nearly Two Hundred Years Ago
by Michael Ledeen
Michael Ledeen takes a fresh look at Tocqueville’s insights into our national psyche and asks whether Americans’ national character, which Tocqueville believed to be wholly admirable, has fallen into moral decay and religious indifference.
Machiavelli on Modern Leadership: Why Machiavelli’s Iron Rules are as Timely and Important Today as Five Centuries Ago
by Michael Ledeen
American Enterprise Institute resident scholar Ledeen offers an updated version of the rules for leadership laid down by Machiavelli. Its the nature of humans to do evil, and war is our natural state. Anyone who would wield power in such a setting, writes Ledeen, echoing Machiavelli, “must be prepared to fight at all times.” This is as true in business, sports, and politics as it is on the battlefield.
Kirkus Reviews
Freedom Betrayed: How America led a Global Democratic Revolution, Won the Cold War and Walked Away
by Michael Ledeen
With the skill of a born storyteller, Michael Ledeen weaves together key moments in the fall of communism. His insider’s knowledge of the interplay of complex personalities and Byzantine strategies makes a compelling narrative, one enlivened by his wry wit and flair for the dramatic.
In this call to embrace the worldwide democratic revolution, the author argues that global democracy should be the centerpiece of U.S. strategy.
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12 Comments
1. David W. Lincoln:Remember Michael, from 1933 to 1945, big meetings were held in Nuremberg by the Nazis. So, where did the tribunals wind up being held after the end of fighting in the European theatre of the Second World War? The same place.
November 4 was a declaration of war, and it was followed up by what has always been regarded as casus belli: the storming of an embassy which is sovereign territory of the country represented there. So, we find that the end is the beginning, once more. For isn’t that how circles operate?
Nov 3, 2009 - 8:26 am 2. shiraz:Thank you Dr. Ledeen!
Nov 3, 2009 - 8:42 am 3. Professor Guvinoff:I am at awe witnessing such courage and conviction from Iranian people.
The translation of one of those moving posters is:
“That man came. that man came with a gun. We do not have guns. We are Green. We will always be Green.”
Indeed it is moving and elegant making us all wonder how fortunate we are and how much more courageous, alive with hopes and dreams Iranians are!
A sidenote: both websites linked by this article date themselves as 1388 by the the Islamic calendar, which translates into 2009 by the Christian calendar.
The first year of the Islamic calendar marks the prophet Mohammed’s departing from Medina, on his way back to Mecca, after having formed an army strong enough to secure his triumphant (and bloody) return.
Shortly thereafter, Persia was conquered and became a muslim nation itself, in what can be seen as a leveraged takeover, since the apparatus of the Persian empire was not destroyed. Instead, it was given what we might call today a software upgrade, known as “Islam”. To be more specific, we might say Islam 2.0, since the second version, Shia, was adopted over the original Sunni prescription.
At the time of the US embassy takeover, 30 years ago in Teheran, the Christian influence was clearly visible in the streets, (women attire, etc…). The Islamic revolution represents a rethorical rejection of all things western, with the remarkable exception of the science and technology leading to multi-stage guided rockets and thermonuclear weapons thereupon affixed, as well as satellite dishes for television, cell phones, and even the Internet, which cannot be completely muzzled, since that would also handicap the regime.
Striking the target of conquest by using its own inventions. Anyone detects a pattern? The Persian empire was defeated by Islam. Having adopted its brand of thought, it is bound to propagate its imperialism, just as an abused child is at risk of “growing” into a destructive person.
Nov 3, 2009 - 11:13 am 4. drellberg:It will be interesting to see whether the events of November 4 will even be covered by the media. I assume that the status quo is simply untenable — that Iran will tip toward revolution or toward unrestrained terror on an even greater scale than at present. But even if this assumption bears out (and I have no good reason to make it), the wait is both fascinating and confusing. How can a state defy gravity for months and months, as this one seems to be doing, coming down on neither side? I wonder what it must be like to be a father, head of household there (as I am here), not knowing what either the long term or the immediate future holds. How can anyone get anything done? What would one do even if “getting things done” were possible? And how can the state apparatus function at any level, when the grunts have no sense of who will be in charge? Reminds me of one of the best movies I’ve ever seen, “The Lives of Others,” about East Germany. Prayers for the people of Iran!
Nov 3, 2009 - 3:38 pm 5. Winston:Iran will be free soon, I hope.
Nov 3, 2009 - 5:17 pm 6. ER White:Wishing “Green” Iran luck! They are gonna need it. Unfortunately, the administration doesn’t have the time or will to follow this and support it. They are more concerned about turnout/ballot stuffing in Camden and Newark tonight…
Cheers
Nov 3, 2009 - 6:58 pm 7. Peace Like A River » Cables, dispatches and memoranda:ER White
[...] [...]
Nov 3, 2009 - 11:10 pm 8. Herr Morgenholz:Check out Gateway Pundit. I can’t watch vids at work, but apparently protesters are chantin, asking if the US is with them or not. Sadly, I think we know the answer, at least vis-a-vis the current administration.
Nov 4, 2009 - 8:05 am 9. J H:Mr. Ledeen,
I have been following your blog for some time and I appreciate your insights, even when I disagree with them. However, I am still puzzled by the reports out of Iran and the meetings reported to have occured with Khamenei over the past few days – including yesterday before an audience. You have not mentioned the status of his health for several posts. Any updates? Were your sources wrong? Israeli sources have also been mum and my contacts within and outside of Iran are split evenly on the issue.
Thanks!
Nov 4, 2009 - 8:57 am 10. Michael Ledeen:I posted a week ago on K, said he has recovered and has been holding meetings. check it out.
Nov 4, 2009 - 9:25 am 11. shiraz:In today’s Iranian people’s freedom protest in the streets of all cities in Iran, Russia claimed that they are the sole partner with the Iranian regime in the ownership of everything Iran has in terms of its resources and wealth!!! Iranian people response to the dirty Russians: “Down with Russia!!! Russian embassy the nest of spies!!! We will bring it down!!!”
Nov 4, 2009 - 9:28 am 12. shiraz:Iranian freedom fighters chanting in the streets of Tehran today Nov 4th marching towards and for freedom: “Obama Obama are you with them (the murderous Islamic regime) or with us (the freedom seeking Iranian people)?????”
Nov 4, 2009 - 9:35 amLet’s see what Obama’s response would be. I bet he rather be silent as he has been all along!!!
His lack of leadership is mind boggling!
Right now he has to take cover for being a sore loser in last night’s NJ and VA elections! That will continue to be what our media concentrates on its reportage and the events in Iran will once again be pushed aside.