Hi,
What about their respective missile forces? There is an analysis on the NBC site that says Iran possesses thousands of Shabab mid-rage missiles and could possibly overwhelm Israel’s missile defense capability.
Perhaps an overlooked comparison which might be clearer than "wars launched" is territory taken and illegally occupied. As far as I know Iran has not invaded and seized territory from any of its neighbors while the state of Israel most certainly has. And then there is the question of territory blockaded and used as a free –fire zone. As far as I know Iran is blockading no one and is not on a regular basis launching massive disproportionate offensive operations against a civilian population under a guise of “self-defence”.
From an admittedly narrowly informed perspective (I've neither been to Egypt nor do I know any Egyptians) the events in Egypt look more like the run-up to the French Revolution than to the Iranian Revolution. The same type of confusion in government, a crumbling economy, increasing poverty, significant unemployment, a large, educated, bourgeoisie extremely dissatisfied with both the government and the economy, exterior powers demanding "order and stability", increasing heavy handed suppression of dissent, a complicated array of opposition groups and leaders in yet to be defined cooperation/competition, a desire for democracy and human rights, a strong presence of rural and working class in the body of protesters, etc... There are, of course, significant differences as well not least being religion not being seen as in collusion with the ruling class and, as Mr. Cole observes, a huge dependence on exterior sources of revenue at ALL levels of society. Still, I'm betting, if the CIA, the Mossad and their counterparts keep out of the mix, that what is likely to evolve in Egypt will look more like pre-Bonaparte France (but without The Terror) than Iran. But what then? Well, as far as I can see, a Bonaparte is not on the horizon and there is no empire to build. Egypt will eventually have to stagger back into the club of nations and maintain cordial economic ties with the rest of the world which means some form of working government that can commit to coming to terms with a new political reality at home. It won’t be pretty but there is just an outside chance that the Egyptian public can forge a new model of governance that respects all its people and is less susceptible to US misdirection. But then again what do I know?
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Hi,
What about their respective missile forces? There is an analysis on the NBC site that says Iran possesses thousands of Shabab mid-rage missiles and could possibly overwhelm Israel’s missile defense capability.
Perhaps an overlooked comparison which might be clearer than "wars launched" is territory taken and illegally occupied. As far as I know Iran has not invaded and seized territory from any of its neighbors while the state of Israel most certainly has. And then there is the question of territory blockaded and used as a free –fire zone. As far as I know Iran is blockading no one and is not on a regular basis launching massive disproportionate offensive operations against a civilian population under a guise of “self-defence”.
From an admittedly narrowly informed perspective (I've neither been to Egypt nor do I know any Egyptians) the events in Egypt look more like the run-up to the French Revolution than to the Iranian Revolution. The same type of confusion in government, a crumbling economy, increasing poverty, significant unemployment, a large, educated, bourgeoisie extremely dissatisfied with both the government and the economy, exterior powers demanding "order and stability", increasing heavy handed suppression of dissent, a complicated array of opposition groups and leaders in yet to be defined cooperation/competition, a desire for democracy and human rights, a strong presence of rural and working class in the body of protesters, etc... There are, of course, significant differences as well not least being religion not being seen as in collusion with the ruling class and, as Mr. Cole observes, a huge dependence on exterior sources of revenue at ALL levels of society. Still, I'm betting, if the CIA, the Mossad and their counterparts keep out of the mix, that what is likely to evolve in Egypt will look more like pre-Bonaparte France (but without The Terror) than Iran. But what then? Well, as far as I can see, a Bonaparte is not on the horizon and there is no empire to build. Egypt will eventually have to stagger back into the club of nations and maintain cordial economic ties with the rest of the world which means some form of working government that can commit to coming to terms with a new political reality at home. It won’t be pretty but there is just an outside chance that the Egyptian public can forge a new model of governance that respects all its people and is less susceptible to US misdirection. But then again what do I know?