Iran Develops the Antithesis of the Internet

The Iranian regime has apparently determined the Internet to be un-Islamic. They have built a country-wide Intranet in its place. Users will have to give their name along with their father's name, telephone number, address and national ID in order to log on. Once it is ready, 23 million Iranians will have their Internet access shut down.

For the government, this means no more anonymous blogging about green revolutions and other such halal topics in cyber-cafes (Oh wait. That's already outlawed). Iranians will be unable to read, watch or listen to what is happening outside of their totalitarian state-approved sources.

For this dubious benefit, the government will have essentially set its nation back to the pre-Information Age.

Owing to practical considerations of having to deal with competing neighbors in a tough neighborhood, the Mullahs haven't gone all out for Talbanization of their nation. But it's a slippery slope.