>> "...the real threat to U.S. hegemony that Iran presents is democracy
occuring only after the U.S. was kicked out. which might present some sort
of example for future revolutions in other arab states." <<
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Michael,
1. Iran is not an Arab state, its Persian. It has a history of antagonism with the Arab world related to its imperial legacy.
2. Iran is Shi'a not Sunni, therefore it has a different basis for Islamic legitimacy. The basis of Iran's legal authority is derived from a different foundation than Sunni Islam, which predominates in the Arab world. So as a result the example of Iran is not exportable. Democratic institutions are possible in a Sunni state, but will and do look different from those in Iran.
3. Iran never intended to export its revolution, so I don't see how their democratic institutions are a threat to US hegemony. Khomeini and his successors have each been clear on this point.
4. Iran's example has not produced a single other Islamic state, democratic or not in the quarter century since the revolution.
You are correct that if Iran ever threatened the US with nuclear weapons, Iran would be destroyed. However, Iran's development of ICBM's must be viewed as a challenge to US hegemony as a hegemonic state is not comfortable with even remote challenges to its authority (why would the US even gamble with the prospect of losing L.A. or N.Y. sometime in the future, if it can completely wipe out the threat right now?). In my opinion, the military challenge is much more threatening to the US than the "spread" of Islamic democracy.
Regards,
Vikash Yadav Philadelphia, PA