Hero or Villain: Ayatollah Khomeini

[The Super Pope]

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the mudpit, Hero or Villain strikes again

The Ayatollah Khomenei escaped persecution in Iran and returned to lead the people to overthrow a US-backed tyrant, the Shah of Iran.
Khomenei established the first muslim theocracy setting a trend for the middle-east. He was also the driving force behind the Iran-Iraq war.
Do his actions make him a hero or a villain?

[Cluny the Scourge]

"If the Ayatollah can't have it - no-one can."

[crazyj]

lol

[Gelgoog]

uhg another hero or villian debate: Both! problem solved.

[Draco Borealis]

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the mudpit, Hero or Villain strikes again

The Ayatollah Khomenei escaped persecution in Iran and returned to lead the people to overthrow a US-backed tyrant, the Shah of Iran.
Khomenei established the first muslim theocracy setting a trend for the middle-east. He was also the driving force behind the Iran-Iraq war.
Do his actions make him a hero or a villain?

Shah was not tyrant but Iranian patriot; If he was a tyrant he woud stay in the country an kill mullah and tudeh traitors, but he chosed exile to spare iranian blood, he wasnot also american puppet in fact Carter regime did everything possible to topple him, after Iran backed up Egipt against Israel in Yom-kippur war and raised oil prices.

And to Khomeini he was a scum look haw Iran looks today:
"I say let this land [Iran] burn. I say let this land go up in smoke, provided Islam emerges triumphant in the rest of the world." Khomeini thoughts about Iran.

[jankren]

Shah was not tyrant but Iranian patriot; If he was a tyrant he woud stay in the country an kill mullah and tudeh traitors, but he chosed exile to spare iranian blood, he wasnot also american puppet in fact Carter regime did everything possible to topple him, after Iran backed up Egipt against Israel in Yom-kippur war and raised oil prices.

I doubt most Iranians themselves agree with you.

In my opinion the Shah just like many other monarchs was just a cowardly *****.

[Erik]

I doubt most Iranians themselves agree with you.

When Khomeini came to power he held a referendum where the Iranian people could choose between the Shah and an Islamic state.
The Iranians choose the latter option with an overwhelming majority.

[Princeps]

Shah was not tyrant but Iranian patriot; If he was a tyrant he woud stay in the country an kill mullah and tudeh traitors, but he chosed exile to spare iranian blood, he wasnot also american puppet in fact Carter regime did everything possible to topple him, after Iran backed up Egipt against Israel in Yom-kippur war and raised oil prices.

The Shah was nothing but a US corporate plaything. Read history.

[jimkatalanos]

Villain,criminal.

[Farnan]

Villian. He hijacked the 1979 Revolution, turning on the other leaders after the Shah was overthrown.

[boofhead]

Villain and supporter of pedophilia with girls as young as babies.

Sicko.

[Primvs Sextvs Loverlord]

Villain and supporter of pedophilia with girls as young as babies.

Sicko.

Come on, dude, let's refrain from demonizing our "opponents". "Did you know that Saddam Hussein killed hatch-lings for his evening entertainment?"

Anyway, Khomenei is a villain, according to what I believe. He did a good thing by over-throwing a monarch who didn't care about his people but his actions have taken his country back decades as far as social-progress is concerned. His teaching has also led his country to be one of the most isolated in the world and his actions have killed off the the renowned Persian literary and art contributions.

[Atterdag]

Villain.

When Khomeini came to power he held a referendum where the Iranian people could choose between the Shah and an Islamic state.
The Iranians choose the latter option with an overwhelming majority.

Wow surprise!

The Iranians discarded the old repressive regime. Who'd thought about that?

[Rush Limbaugh]

When Khomeini came to power he held a referendum where the Iranian people could choose between the Shah and an Islamic state.
The Iranians choose the latter option with an overwhelming majority.

So then he is a hero like Hitler

Not much of a choice he gave them there.

[Erik]

Wow surprise!

The Iranians discarded the old repressive regime. Who'd thought about that?

My point was:
According to Draco Borealis the Shah was "not tyrant but Iranian patriot"
But if this were true, then the Iranians would surely have chosen the Shah over the Ayatollahs ERGO: the Shah was indeed a tyrant.

[Beowulf47]

Very messed up. Villain.

It should be noted however, that in practice the Shah was not really any better.

[Rush Limbaugh]

And what of Carter who allowed this to happen? Hero or villain?

[Beowulf47]

What could Carter have done? In the end, allowing the revolution to occur may have been the best, of many bad options, for the Iranian people.

[Icefrisco]

How could he be a hero? He overthrew one oppressive government to create a worse one.

[deRougemont]

To the OP: villain, by the simple fact that his rule lead to an oppressive islamist regime.