The Death of the Republic
by RASOOL NAFISI
06 Jul 2009 18:5713 Comments
The Militarized Death of the Republic of Iran
The momentous June presidential election in Iran and its bloody aftermath will probably be remembered as a turning point in the life of this strange republic. The true face of the state, so meticulously hidden beneath a confusing veneer of "Islamic democracy," surfaced in its true form -- something conveniently forgotten after eight years of reformist rule under Ahmadinejad's predecessor, Khatami.
The aftermath of the June 12 election dealt a major blow to the hope for a realignment of Islam and a representative state. In lieu of any form of a hybrid Islamic Republic, a militarized regime has emerged in earnest -- a regime that had been taking shape since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made his mark in the 2005 elections. This regime is now embodied in a coalition of actors including Ahmadinejad, supreme leader Ali Khamenei, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC).
The question is not whether this is some form of indigenous Islamic democracy, but instead: What is the role and influence of the clergy? In other words, is Iran still a clerical state, and if not, what is the nature of clerical power in this process, this metamorphosis to a militaristic state?
The Islamic Republic has been in a state of metamorphosis over the past four years. In fact, the state was never purely clerical, as the West has assumed. The war with Iraq during the 1980's changed and twisted it at its onset. Symbolically, the post-revolution clergy carried rifles when leading Friday prayers. The emergence of a military/security clergyman rather than a purely religious figure was intensified when clerics were dispatched to the war fronts, and became ideological commissars of the new regime. They inspired soldiers with recitations of the pain and sufferings of the martyred Shi'a imams. In the meantime, they spied on officers and tried to convert them to the new politicized Islam. But what happened was that the clergy converted to a military-security ethos -- rather than the other way around.
Clerics such as Khamenei, Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani and Hassan Lahooti were among the first clerics put in charge of military personnel and commissioned by Ayatollah Khomeini to create the IRGC, a security apparatus designed to run parallel to the state's army, navy and air force. Khamenei quickly learned where the center of the state's gravity rested, and consequently, never left the security forces. Today Khamenei is the consummate security-military cleric. As the commander in chief, Khamenei probably knows more about military and security issues than about traditional Figh (Islamic jurisprudence) and Shi'ite narratives. A militaristic state, vested in a clerical robe, and aided and abetted by uncountable Basij militia, extends its reach to all corners of society.
The state readily adorns its Islamic trappings whenever the need arises. Clad in burial shroud, scores of Qum seminary students are always ready to parade around vigilantly in order to demonstrate their readiness to fend off the enemies of Islam, while underscoring their belief in the sanctity of the regime at the same time.
The June election and the ensuing violence served the purpose of bringing the regime's oppressive character to light, and obscuring any claims to a democratic republic. By conducting more than twenty national elections in the past thirty years, the Islamic republic trained people in the ways of democracy. The June demonstrations were squarely a national call for more democracy, preceded by months of real campaigning and six televised debates. To have curtailed the process would benefit neither the citizens of Iran nor their governing institutions, but it was bound to happen. In all likelihood the new militarized regime will find no benefit in continuing the democracy game and will, begin to transform Iranian leadership based almost exclusively upon traditional forms of hereditary faux-republicanism -- similar to the Arab and North Korean models.
The gloves-off nature of this exposed Islamic republic is evidenced by Ahmadinejad's declaration in late June that "Communism, liberalism and democracy are all dead; it is high time for [the rise of an] Islamic State." What he did not spell out was that the Islamic State wears boots, and parades in military fatigue.
© 2009 Tehran Bureau - distributed by Agence Global
via RSS
13 Comments
"To the romantic this is a tragedy, but to a detached observer it is just another romantic tantalization in the line of many in the twentieth century which was doomed to fail from its inception."
It was not doomed to fail, it has been an experiment by Iranians for Iranians and at the end of the day, this is the Iranians who grew and became taller right after the election, 12 JUNE 09.
We(Iranians) are still learning and there is a lot to learn till reaching a steady-state in this social-political experiment. We are still in the transient state and we don't know when it's gonna reach the steady-state that we dream of everyday.
Amin Mir / July 6, 2009 3:20 PMMy only hope is that, we (Iranians)start to learn from our experiences and others and value our existence and rich culture and be the creative we have always been.
I rather depends if you look at the short term or longer term!
I see this as "The death of the Islamic Republic".
The Islamic Republic is Dead! Long Live The Republic!
Farhad / July 6, 2009 3:34 PMthe Ahmadinejads will self implode soon
Charles / July 6, 2009 3:56 PMFarhad, this could turn out into a long term goal for the coup regime. They have oil that they can sell to keep the engines of the regime running for decades to come.
Ali / July 6, 2009 4:29 PMIt is hard finding any semblance of democratic ideals in the "Perfect" examples of Islam practiced by Mohammad and the Arab Khalifs forcing islam across the globe from the beginning 1300+ years ago. Good job with the expose'.
Anthony / July 6, 2009 7:36 PMEverytime I read an article on your website, I get depressed because it is usually a hopeless one . Look at what Iranians and non-Iranians have been doing inside and to some extent outside of Iran since June 12th. This is the begining of the movement towards some sort of reform or democracy. We are dealing with an extremely brutal and militant regime which is also extremely backward thinking as a result of its islamic views which is not the true islam. Please give us some encouragment by being more positive. Every article ends with a dooms day scenario for Iran. There is not enough coverage across the media and my source has been Huffington Post, various blogs, etc. and none of them paint such a picture as your articles do. Besides, the people of Iran need, I think, a much stronger leader than Moussavi who has been part of this regime since 1979. If you go back and review some of the comments left by other readers on some of your articles, you will see what I mean. Thank you.
Minoo / July 6, 2009 10:19 PMAs an American with an opinion (dont mean to meddle as the supreme one might say) its your future.
Or is it? I think what happened with the IRGC was a good thing. He laid all his cookies out on the table for all to see. Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, commander of the IRGC seems to be saying "All Iranians listen up, because I am in charge of this country".
Now if you really want a Republic for Iranians that can share ideas and advance what seems to be a very nice and good people into a better, happier, and fairer way of life, you'll have to be willing to do whatever is necessary. No Matter what "necessary" is.
Either that, or you have to shut up and do what he tells you. Those seem to be your choices based on his attitude and new position. The Iranian people must decide and be faithful to whatever commitment they choose in order to be successful.
Maybe thats too simple for most but It seems like thats whats on the table to me. Whenever i have doubt about the US Govt (regularly on most position) I try and take a look to this guy for advice.
Thomas Jefferson. He was probably the smartest man we've ever had for President in this country. I wish I could have known him. Here are a couple statements that not only Americans should be allowed to live by but all people no matter what Nation
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Thomas Jefferson
Michael / July 6, 2009 11:25 PMSo, looks like the choice the Iranian people will make now will determine their future as it should. All Iranians who believe in liberty should remember Neda, she died for what she believed was important not just for herself but for all Iranians especially your aunts,your sisters and your Mothers.
You're right in some ways. The culture of leadership in Iran has 'gone military'. However, it's an old story, and its a simple one: the people who are prepared to be the most violent, get to promote their world view and make the rules, at least for a time. To rationalize Iran's struggle in terms such as 'Islamic democracy', 'Islamic republic', 'Islamic state' is entertaining, intellectually interesting, but far from what is actually happening. We have an oppressed people, whose will has and continues to be hijacked by one or more despots, be they Clerics, Guard leaders or so-called politicians. The amazing thing is not which philosophy or blind belief 'wins' over the other one, but that Iranians, like all to many other people fall into the same trap, over and over again. Violence, and the snuffing out of human discourse, dissent, and intolerance are the culprits here. They are all doing it. The clerics bring their rifles to prayer, leaders strut around in military fatigues, and the tactics of control are those of an 'occupying' army. And, maybe that's it - Iran has been occupied by a self-styled military elite, drawn from its own people, who will hold on to power and privilege at any cost.
N Michael Ross / July 7, 2009 7:05 PMThank you for a very fascinating and enlightening article.
Dave In America / July 7, 2009 9:29 PMAs a complete outsider,it seems as if the protest movement has changed rapidly in its 1 month of existence. It has gone from a post election protest to a protest about the nature of the Iranian state. As it has changed, the stakes for both sides have increased. In a broad sense, its metamorphosis parallels the incremental way both the French and the American revolutions occurred. Initially both started out about taxation and ended up overthrowing the established government.
Richard Kadas / July 10, 2009 6:58 AMThe Actors Have Just Been Fired
May The People Of Iran Find Comfort
In Knowing It Is They
That Will Change History...
Sara R. Anderson / July 12, 2009 11:52 PMNice try
This has **** all to do with Diaspora
& everything to do with US tax dollars being used to try and destroy the Iranian people.
The people who are behind this contrivance have no remorse in killing women & children.
The US is a brutal hegamon, whether or not you argree with Khamenei.
The people who brought the world slaughter of innocents in Iraq & Afghanistan will not rest until there is no opposition to total ethnic cleansing in Palestine, and no objections left to a 100% Jewish state.
AliReza / September 6, 2009 12:59 PMIf you betray yourselves, you lose everything, there will be much worse rape than that in Evin.
well put.
David ET / September 7, 2009 6:24 AM