> I'd argue that, under some conditions (e.g. Iran's conditions now),
> the fight against sexism (or against religious obscurantism) needs to
> be *subordinated* to higher priorities.
>
> In the case of Iran, those struggles need to be subordinated to the
> struggle in defense of the nation against imperialist aggression. In
> fact, in the current conditions, the fight against sexism can -- and
> will -- be utilized by the imperialist aggressor to rationalize the
> aggression. The oppression of women in Iran may be extreme. I have
> no reasons to doubt that. Well, too bad that on top of that, the
> Iranian people have to be concerned with the U.S. threat and that, in
> that light, the struggle against female oppression must be pushed to
> the back burner.
=========================
No one is proposing that the issue be on the front burner, Julio. In any
event, I think you may be exaggerating the extent to which the US would
utilize the "oppression of women" and others to "rationalize the
aggression". If it comes to it, the main selling point for war to the
American public would be the bogus WMD threat to America and its Mideast
allies, and the related need to secure the oil supply.
No doubt that the apologists for war - the cruise missile liberals, in particular - would use the illiberal statements and practices of the regime against itself to try and undermine American and European popular opposition to a war. But the responsibility for providing this club unfortunately belongs to the regime, not to its internal and external critics, as you suggest.
Fears of a "velvet revolution" notwithstanding, I think if the Ahmadinejad regime took conspicuous steps to loosen rather than tighten controls on its domestic opponents, it would contribute to the further isolation of the war hawks in Washington at this critical juncture. My understanding is that most Iranian liberals and radicals support Iran's right to develop nuclear power and are opposed to US intervention in their affairs, and such a move would further solidify the country as well as foreign public opinion.