That’s how Joe Klein describes Iran – at least compared to the Soviet Union back in the day.
He also describes John McCain as “unhinged.”
I can certainly agree with the latter, but what about the former?
Thoughts?
Erik Kain
Erik writes about video games at Forbes and politics at Mother Jones. He's the contributor of The League though he hasn't written much here lately. He can be found occasionally composing 140 character cultural analysis on Twitter.
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My opinion is that Joe Klein is breezy with partisanship and ignorance, but then what do I know. If accounts like this are correct — http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NTM2ZDdmMWFiYWY5MWJiMTkwN2JhZGMwOWU2ODAzZDk= —
I would say this is much less than breezy — and I tend to believe this well-detailed account over Klein’s account of satellite dishes.Report
Compared to Nazi Germany, the Iranians are practically living at Disneyworld.
Rights are either recognized and protected or they are violated. This attitude that “they don’t know how good they have it” from someone who lives in the West is contemptable. Sure, I could see someone from the Congo who has had their hands removed by machete making this point, maybe… but Joe Klein???
What fun sentences can you come up with that would be an equivalent statement to tell homosexuals? Women? African-Americans?Report
In some ways late era Soviet Union (70s/80s) is probably just about the best comparison to Iran. A huge black market, mafia-esque business dealings, an amazing underground party scene.
As they said about the Soviets: people pretending like they obey, the rulers pretending like they have fealty.
Again that phase is not up for grabs and something is coming that will be different. It could worse–if the hardliners win (imagine had the hardline communists pulled the coup against Gorby and held power, e.g.). It could be better. But I think there’s no going back to the status quo ante.Report
It’s good to see you agreeing with Peter Wehner, evil neocon extraordinaire, about the comparison Iran|USSR in the ’70s-’80s. I wonder if you’ve thought this out, though. It doesn’t seem like the position a master theologian would take these days. Wehner says, “As between Reagan and Obama, I side with the former. It helps that events have vindicated him and his approach. We’ll see whether Obama can one day say the same thing.” That’s because the “evil empire” speech—which was villified by the establishment back in 1983 as war-mongering, etc etc.—meant that
Report
” Iran is breezy with freedom.” Joe klein 6/16/09
There is no famine or actual starvation nor is there likely to be.”(on russia)
— Walter Duranty New York Times, Nov. 15, 1931 on russiaReport
Not sure “breezy” is the right adjective when students are getting shot and killed… something like “awash in uprising” sounds more to the point. agree totally on McCain — we’ve had enough “interventionist” foreign policy, thank you very much.Report