Anti-Western Islamic revolutionaries eagerly adopted Western media and communications technology

Evidence

An examination of the record however, in Iran and elsewhere, reveals that the rejec­ tion of Europe and its offerings is by no means as comprehensive and as undis­ criminating as the propaganda might indicate, and that some of the importations from the lands of unbelief are still very welcome. … The Islamic revolution in Iran was the first truly modern revolution of the electronic age. Khomeimi was the first charismatic orator who sent his oratory to millions of his compatriots at home on cassettes; he was the first revolutionary leader in exile who directed his followers at home by telephone, thanks to the direct dialing that the Shah had introduced in Iran and that was available to him in France (though not in Iraq). — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans, 1507

Categorization

• CANDY: Khomeini directing a revolution by cassette tape and international direct-dial from Paris is a delightful, digestible cocktail-dinner fact.
• SEED: Essay angle: revolutions run on the enemy’s own infrastructure — Khomeini’s cassettes on the Shah’s telephone network as a pattern (compare to early internet organizing, encrypted messaging for modern uprisings).