Great analysis both from the original post and commenters. Given everything that has been said I get the feeling that the most expedient way to promote democrac

Great analysis both from the original post and commenters. Given everything that has been said I get the feeling that the most expedient way to promote democracy and freedom in your country if you have oil is to very clearly align with the US until you come to power and accomplish your original goals. The question or not is whether you can be candid/honest about such a policy of realpolitik with your fellow countrymen while you work towards building a democratic system. If you were an iranian revolutionary that wants democratic change, you could probably go further and craft a foreign policy that plays to equally to the interests of the US, China and Russia, while crafting a democratic domestic policy.