"What Brian is saying is preposterous. I would never bluff anyone, and I am perfectly peaceful. The beefy guy on the left is on his way to pummel the pure peace of Islam into Brian, just to prove how peaceful I am!"
Shocked? Not me—I said basically the same thing yesterday (see the second paragraph under the large photograph).
You see, to dictatorial regimes, appearance is more important than reality. Internationally, yes, but it's more important internally—to create a picture of governmental strength and resolve which helps to keep the local citizens under the illusion that the ruling regime is undefeatable, and thus discourage any movement to overthrow the dictatorship.
Yes, the "ruling regime" as in the "Islamic Revolution."
Why do you think North Korea does not allow any foreign media to broadcast within their borders? Or the "peaceful" Islamic Revolution in Iran, for that matter? The same condition existed in the former Soviet Union, though the citizens would always find creative ways around the media restrictions.
I'm sure I won't be invited to partake of the celebratory yellowcake now, huh?
