MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!
Kalwejt
Atlas Institution
Posts: 57,380
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« on: January 31, 2019, 05:02:29 PM » |
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Khomeini was an incredibly shrewd man, capable of deceiving and easing his foes and reluctant allies alike. The State Department believed that he'll be more interested in the spiritual leadership than political one, and thus saw him as less of a danger.
Exactly the same mistake many moderate revolutionaries have made, like Prime Minister Mehdi Bazargan, with whom Khomeini initially shared power just to outplay and force out more secular elements later.
There's a tendency to think of the Iranian revolution and Khomeini's coming to power as one and the same, which is simplistic to say the least. The revolution was a broader process that was underway and would've happened regardless, as the Shah was hated from all corners. Unfortunately the Mullahs emerged as the only force capable of forming an enduring system as progressive forces suffered a crippling blow after U.S.-led overthrowing of Mosaddegh in the 50s and years of propping of the Shah's regime, and thus making the revoilution inevitable.
As of the question if Khomeini could've been prevented from coming to power the answer is, of course, "yes". As of the question whether the revolution would still have happened, the answer is "yes". Everything else is purely speculative. There were other strong islamist leaders.
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