Sistani has consistently refused to meet with any American interlocutors. Why? Could it be that vile Muslim conviction that among those things unclean are numbered excrement, dogs, saliva, and Kaffir? Good grief – the credulity of your assessment leaves me astonished. What is the context of that comment attributed to Sistani about his supposed belief in the basic sameness of Kurds, Shiites, and Christians? Da’wa for Shiite Islam.

It is curious to learn about the revenue stream into Sistani’s clutches from zakat from Iranian merchants — this coupled with billions in oil revenues now available to him explain much about his ascendancy. Let’s see how Sistani’s pluralistic heart-warming equanimity holds up now that power is in his grasp. I doubt his Islam is any different from that of the vile mullahs in Tehran. Given its bloody 1400 year record of terror, destruction, and ruthless conquest, it is foolish in the extreme to act towards Islam like some smitten 14 year old girl — yet that is what’s been on display in many sectors since the turmoil began to unfold in Iran.

As facts emerge, the Islamic nature of this uprising seriously call into question analysis which affixes democratic, humanist, pluralistic impulses to these demonstrations. Just because Iranians appear disillusioned with the predictable results of living under pure Islam doesn’t mean that Islam has somehow morphed into something it is not, has never been, and never will be. If they cling to their Islam, then more terror, oppression, misery, and tyranny is their inevetable lot. Worse, it will remain our lot too. The revolting consequences of living under the Islamic banner is their choice. But increasingly the choice made by the world’s billion Muslims places the rest of humanity under serious jeopardy. It’s long past time to face the facts. But please don’t indulge in to your fantasies about the reformability of Islam too long. Time is not our friend in this. The eventual costs and escalate and expand with each hour.