It’s not grabbing headlines with giant demonstrations, but the Green Movement is alive and well. Reza Aslan notes in a recent analysis piece that the clear achievement of the Green Movement, in large part through its sacrifice, has been exactly what it set out to do – to persuade the world that Iran’s Islamic Republic was neither Islamic nor a Republic. That is has certainly achieved, particularly in Iran where even most supporters of the government have abandoned the pretense that the government in Tehran is still true to the ideals of its own revolution. Since the concepts of religious legitimacy and consent of the governed are both taken seriously throughout Iranian society, and in fact are the basis of the claim of legitimacy by the government, this growing disillusionment spells genuine trouble. Whether it means the regime is “crippled,” as Aslan argues, is another matter.

Here is a link to his very interesting analysis.

About the Author: The major landmarks in Frank's historical interests range from ancient Persia through the Crimean War, World War II, and the modern U.S. Armed Forces, with a lot of stops in between. Frank is fascinated by the unusual, the overlooked, and the surprising. He is the New York Times number one best-selling author of the Desert Shield Fact Book (1991) and he is currently writing an historical novel on Alexander's conquest of Persia – from the Persian point of view.

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