Literacy levels, cultural and religious backgrounds and economic considerations are a good start.

Not really, Bangladesh has low literacy and its economic level is quite low, but it has a vibrant democratic society.

explain these cultural and religious backgrounds that portend so negatively for democracy . . .

Listen, it's the fact of how things were handled after the war in Iraq. To me it is an issue of planning. I wanted the war in Iraq. But I also wanted some thinking into how to handle all the different situations following the war. Iran's strength was not only a probably situation, it was a given and acknowledged by America when the U.S. told Iran not to invade Iraq at the start of the war.

I don't know what to do about Iran, but the very first thing I can think of is to get the Russians and Chinese to stop helping with their nuclear technology and get the Europeans to stop sucking camel cock for oil and to finally help out in the region.

-Rudey

Iran needed a plan prior to the war in Iraq. There was none.

Iran has a young generation that still remembers the last revolution, and it was bloody. They attempted to pass a slight bit of reform by putting a stoodge in power. Not only was the stoodge removed but a new list of eligible political leaders was put in place for future elections. The economy has strengthened because the Europeans keep caving in and politically it has gained power.

It is now pushing to become a middle east super power. It wants the nuclear bomb. It is financing 30% of terrorist acts within Israel. It controls Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq through its terror cells and Hizbollah.

These are all things that should have been expected and were. No plan on how to deal with them by anyone has shown up.

-Rudey