Conversions only really work when they are internal. True of people, true of nations. Never met a conservative who used to be a leftist who didn't arrive at that conclusion on their own, without someone else talking them into it. Nobody can be dragged down the road to Damascus.

I've never held the slightest illusion that any of my posts here would suddenly cause a leftist to turn around and see the light. That's never been the point of them.

Iran and Afghanistan are apples and oranges. Shoehorning civilization into Afghanistan is a job and a half, since there really isn't a decent history of such. Iran, on the other hand, has a history of being relatively civilized to draw on.

Question: are there valid ways of encouraging freedom in Iran without throwing our weight around?

Libertarians and free market types believe that simply exposing them to the advantages of freedom without coercion is the way to go. These people are among those conservatives who feel that the embargo on Cuba is doing more harm than good.

Any other good ideas in this area?