.
May I suggest that this failure to understand is partly due to a lifetime of influence by western media rather than a rational attempt to comprehend what I’m trying to get across?

I might suggest INK, if I directed this question of yours at you and replaced the word ‘western’ with ‘serbian’, would it make sense to you?

I admit freely that I am heavily influenced by the western media by choice, this website is part of the ‘western media’. I’m not sure what it would be like if I was influenced Serbian media.

Prehaps, INK you being an en expert on the subject of both the western and Serbian media, you might be able to answer this question better than myself??

MONGU AND DHFAN-
No freedom of information in Britain? What exactly do you mean good sirs when you make this statement? The concept of freedom of information is not an absolute one. By this I mean we can’t really allow people to sell child porn or incite hatered against others, there are limits to this so called concept of freedom. If you want to see a real lack of freedom of information go to Iran or North Korea, even China.

I must say INK, I find you reasoning or opinions a little extreme. I’m not trying to be superior to you, but to suggest that the US or the UK are not democracies is a little out of my league of understanding.

Perhaps living in Serbia, as you mention you did, you have been exposed to an entirely different world view, which is why you think the media in this country is making it all up?

I’m interested to know, if the UK is as bad as you seem to say it is, why do you choose to live here and not in Serbia?

Ink, so your’e saying that you can get Time in Iran? I didn’t know that, but my point was that Iran is a very restrictive society in terms of information. You are not allowed to own a sat dish for eg, I do know people who have lived there.

As for the rest of your points, I do hear what you’re saying – it seems with politics everybody has an opinion on this kind of subject. An opinion however is not always the same as an established body of politcal or academic knowledge.

Politics and the study international politcal systems is a fairly complicated subject, perhaps far to much for someone like myself to discuss here. I might suggest you try get an understanding of how to rate and understand international political systems from your nearest bookshop, maybe even the web, which has some great resources, which might help you get a better view of how governments and politcals systems are judged.

I don’t mean to seem superior. I hope you understand.

Yes I’m a purveyor of the truth. I had to declare my intentions on my visa application because I was trying to get a story out of the whole deal. I thought it would be quite harmless, especially since I tried to pull it off with my other passport, not my British one, turned out not so. Usually in strange countries I tell them I’m a photographer or something, but it got a friend of mine into serious trouble in Zimbabwe because it proves you’re up to no good

So you work in the news business then?

M girl friend is very good looking. If you ask nicely I might post a pic of her.

Snap – I’ll post a pic of my girlfriend in tight jeans when I have one meanwhile you may wish to try http://www.sexzool.com

Arthur – You dont give up do you? For the record I know a lot of people who have lived in Iran or who have tried to go there. I personally have been refused a visa because of my day job. I’d really like to see the place.

Yes Yes Yes, I’m getting tried these arguments that democracy is not perfect. Nothing is perfect, but to compare US, Greek or Spanish democracy to Iran’s religo-political state is nothing short of crass naivety. I cant argue intelligently with you if you insist taking this kind of casual neo-Leninst critique. It just nonsense.

If you want go to Iran, assuming you can get in, drape yourself in an American flag, ask where you can buy a satellite tv decoder to watch your favourite world news, or even a copy of Time magazine and see how long you can stay out of prison. Or if you must, walk down the main street of Teheran with a t-shirt saying the “Real political rights now” and see what happens to you.

I could go for pages here.

It’s just plain dumb to compare Iran to the US, Greece or Spain.

I’m not censuring you, i’m only accusing you of short-sightedness and a monomanic fear of Islam. I’m trying to show you you are inconsistently intolerant against and afraid of Islam.

I would say you are trying to censure me by trying to enforce your world view on me and then you are accusing me of being a bigot and of being less than intelligent. This is a rather personal indictment and, I would say, an indication of your general abilty to employ reason.

Go back and read my post to INK to understand my position this matter.

North Korea is not a religious fundametalist state. It’s something else.
Bhutan – maybe.
Kentuck – silly

To see if a country is a democracy it must pass the five follwing criteria, as listed on the UN Website:

1. Universal adult franchise
2. Leaders must be elected by this franchise
3. An independant judiciary
4. Equality under law
5. Freedom of information

Now you work it out if Iran is a democracy. Apartheid South Africa and Baathist Iraq both claimed to be democracies as well, what do you think?

I never said democracy should be enforced, my wording was different, read it again.
This begs the question, how can a non-democratic state claim consensus or legitimacy if they do not reflect the will of the people they claim to represent? How can a government like Syria or Iran claim to speak for all its people? It’s a government speaking for itself only.

“Your statement would have looked far better thought out, and far less xenophobic if it had read “Fundamental religion is a system of tyranny that enforces the will of few on the masses.”

– No Arthur. This is actually PC tyranny. By correcting me I believe you are actually censoring my right to speak my opinion without ridicule. Islam is the issue here, let us say it without fear.

By the way, Can you think of fundamentalist state that is not Islamic in the present day?

– I hope you don’t think Iran is a democracy

– All people deserve the right to enjoy real democracy and freedom. This cannot be argued against, surely