To: Maurice Winn who wrote (184667 ) 4/6/2006 9:13:56 AM From: Hawkmoon Respond to They topple like nine pins. I predicted a 110 minute war against Saddam and so it came to pass. Iran would be a bit more tricky as they have religious fervour and that's the main basis of the power base of the current government which I understand was elected more or less. But because totalitarians are always useless in getting things done compared with Libertarian principles applied in large tribes [even if applied only haphazardly and to a very limited extent], it takes only a prod from the outside for them to fall over. Unfortunately, during independence in the 20th century, the local yokels were conned by the local power grabbers to think that they were getting freedom from the yoke of the evil British. In fact, they got Idi Amin, Mugabe, and all sorts of horrors along with poverty and early death. It fascinates me to see rows and rows of humans like sardines in a can, [with comparable freedom and individuality], arrayed pointing to Mecca when instructed to bow like mindless iron filings in a magnetic field. To mix a couple of metaphors. Anyone who disobeys will be guilty of apostasy and we know what happens to them. Weirdly, most or nearly all of the sardines/iron filings, are in favour of their treatment. That seems to be how Stockholm Syndrome works. They love their captors. Big Brother is wonderful and love is the right feeling. See "1984".
