Posted on 12/25/2016 7:09:38 PM PST by freedom44
Iranian civil society is an illusion; all of the government and by extension most of the private sector are mere extensions of the Grand Ayatollah's personal will. Velayat-e Faqih is the only state ideology; the only differences of opinion are about how it should be implemented.
Therefore, elections in this regime are not indicative of any form of "democracy". Instead, they are merely a process of choosing among individuals vetted by the Supreme Leader. There are no factions based upon ideological differences, there is mere jockeying for position and the personal favor of the Supreme Leader.
Traditional "regime change" in Iran is inconceivable. The Western obsession of labeling the regime's factions as "reformists" or "hardliners" is laughable. There is but one regime, and it has no interest in "reform".
Traditional "regime change" in Iran is inconceivable. The Western obsession of labeling the regime's factions as "reformists" or "hardliners" is laughable. There is but one regime, and it has no interest in "reform".
This regime will only change if the entire Supreme Leadership structure, along with all its linked organs, especially the IRGC, are annulled and dissolved. Otherwise, whether the president is the "hardliner" Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or the "reformist" Hassan Rouhani, the regime's policies will remain the same.
Western governments' policy of providing concessions to the Iranian regime in order to empower "reformist" factions is based on a fantasy -- a fantasy which the Iranian regime deliberately encourages in order to fool naïve foreign leaders into easing sanctions and turning a blind eye to the nuclear program. In reality, Western concessions are strengthening Khamenei -- further reducing the possibility of change, and increasing the likelihood of outright war.
(Excerpt) Read more at gatestoneinstitute.org ...
It’s a simple patrio-oligarchy society. Powerful and influential men rule.
This is an aspect of Islam itself. The Baathists, tyrants though they were, though infected with the disease of Islam as they were, dared to imagine that they, and not Imams or what have you, were in charge. That’s why the Muslim Spring had to happen to get rid of them.
Obama really has been standing with Islam....
Not that Mullahs won’t reform, they cannot.
Their current status rests entirely on the artificial hierarchy built up within Islam, and reform would only serve to diminish their power in the Islamic community.
They do not dare let go, for any reforms would almost certainly result in a vast sweeping away of the current crop of “religious” authority in all of Islam.
Evil reformed is still evil
Their book has no verse equivalent to “Render unto Ceasar.”
One word is the reason: Islam. You cannot “reform” a religion that is not true. “Reform” to what, more untruths? Pure nonsense. These useful idiots at the “Gallstone” institute should worry about their kidneys more than Iran. Useful idiots being paid by more useful idiots.
It is almost inconceivable how ignorant and stupid Obama and Kerry have been regarding Iran. Unless their agreement is reversed, they have indeed planted the seeds of war. Just imagine an ayatollah who could threaten american cities with nuclear tipped ICBMs. How stable would this be?
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