Looks like the Ayatollah can't keep his cronies in line:

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/world/middleeast/05iran.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

A group of Iranian clerics has declared the election of Ahmadinejad illegitimate.

Sounds like this is getting even wider.

Thoughts on this new development? If the clerics are breaking apart this much already, what does that bode for Iran as a whole?

Comments

[valknott.livejournal.com]

It's interesting that they are speaking up now after the crackdown has pretty much succeeded in keeping the populace off the streets and to clamp down on internet transmissions. Apparently there are longstanding divisions, both ideological and personal, amongst all the actors involved. I think the guy to keep an eye on is Rafsanjani. If he is able to sway more clerics and others to oppose Khamanei and his son, then things will get interesting.

[policraticus.livejournal.com]

As long as the Republican Guard is in line with Ahmadinejad and Khatamei then, while the clerical oppostion is interesting, I wouldn't hang much hope on it.

I think the mask is slipping off the Iranian state. The pretense of democracy was first to go, now the clerical leadership is going, soon we will "discover" that Iran has always been a run of the mill dictatorship with a "Dear Leader," a flunky as the "Enforcer" all backed up by armed goons.

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

Yes, nothing will change.

The protests achieved little so far and the chance for a revolution has just about passed. The clerics at most will get concessions.

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

He's always been a dictator.

The difference between folding your arms and a straitjacket is negligible...but man is it a big one when it counts.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Dood, Ayatollah Ali Khameini's been a dictator all along!

And this is well beyond intervening in it, this is picking one side of the sandbox and trying to kick the other toddlers out of your side.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

An important distinction.

But not what was stated in your original post. ;P

We shall see.

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

Do you think the Qum council will wind up on ice? (It's interesting that the article was published without independent confirmation of the information.)

BTW, one of the things that Islam and Christianity share in common is the existence of a variety of sects competing for the title of the One True Religion.

Re: We shall see.

[prog-expat.livejournal.com]

In other words, they're like any other religion that's grown past a critical mass.

Re: We shall see.

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

The inevitable fate of religious division is well addressed by Idries Shah. It would make a great topic for scientific investigation.

Re: We shall see.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

You know....this would be funny aside from the fact that Buddhism, Judaism (my God, that seems so funny in a way), Hinduism, Parseeism, Taoism, and Jainism (O.o) all have these sects, too.

For some reasons, sects education isn't taught that much in any religion classes I've ever taken.

:)

[ghoststrider.livejournal.com]

I've had sex edu--oh, nevermind.

Re: We shall see.

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

The people who deal with it best are the Sufis (Idries Shah has some excellent insights). The UU folks takes on the problem by trying to include all sects.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Yes.

[lordtwinkie.livejournal.com]

I'll do my duty. I'll do my best...

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

... to help the boy scouts get undressed.