Separation of powers, in the lineage of Montesquieu, doesn't appear to be a prominent institution in Iran's theocratic republic. It was only a week ago that the Mullahs "advocated" Iran's judiciary find leaders among the dissenters guilty, and put them to death. It does make for a certain efficiency however, in the manner of Vietnam's regime, post-April, 1975, among other situations that could be hi-lighted.

And the Left, as with Hollywood's notables, remain quiet. Out of respect for a different culture, no doubt.

I don't know Michael - a lot of people on the Left are deeply distressed.

I think we're seeing a lot of "cognitive dissonance" about Iran and the Left is internally conflicted about this.

There are several pieces on Harry's about it - several people have resigned from Press TV (Iran's outlet) in Britain - although why it's taken so long to notice "bias" from official Holocaust denier TV is beyond me.

Nevertheless it's welcome. Of course several people including Galloway, Yvonne Ridley, Lauren Boothe, et.al., continue to defend the regime and its clients Hezbollah and Hamas.

I hope the preponderance of people on the Left do some serious thinking about what constitutes progressive values. I think the hate for Israel and the lack of realism concerning the Arab/Israeli conflict has warped the Left out of shape and this has been complicated by 9/11 troofer movements, antisemitism in the 'peace' movement - indeed there is apparently a 7/7 "troof" movement in England, which claims the bombings were the work of British intelligence.

On top of that of course is confusion between a principled defense of Muslims and wholesale acceptance of certain aspects of Islam that conflict with Western values.

Here's a piece from Harry's about Press TV:

http://www.hurryupharry.org/2009/07/02/bravo-iain/

I was speaking in general and thematic terms. Comparing, for example, the Left's anti-Afghanistan campaign (anti-American involvement, late 2001, which was more prominent than many now recall) and the much greater numbers that came out during their anti-American involvement against Saddam & Sons' Iraq campaign. At its pinnacle that latter campaign numbered in the millions in the streets in prominent western cities. When those numbers and that type of vociferousness is compared with being "deeply distressed," it reflects a stark contrast, to employ some understatement.

And I'm not some overly wrought idealist when it comes to Iran or places like China or Vietnam either, to the contrary.

(Btw, I alluded to Vietnam because the totalitarian apparatus there, to this day, continues to wage an extremely hostile and oppressive campaign - similar in severity to the totalitarians in Iran - against the Montagnards and some other minorities. Never hear about that via standard "news" outlets, do we? To again invoke some general categories and assuming some familiarity, think Joan Baez's reflections applied to Vietnam and Cambodia vs. Jane Fonda's. The latter was unapologetic and continued in full-bore deluded mode, the former considered the plight of Vietnamese and Cambodians, post-April '75, in humane and commonsensical terms. All that serves as a historic touchstone to what is happening presently with "the Left" vis-a-vis Iran's dictatorial Mullahs. It's not intended as an exact parallel, but in general and thematic terms, it's entirely applicable.)