In a country where 90 % of the population exists merely to serve a tiny privileged class or nomenklatura, the term “Islamic Republic” is as devious as a “People’s Democracy.” Thanks to recent eye-opening blunders, Iran’s nomenklatura has a problem–the people have awoken up to their true status under Khamenei and they will no longer cooperate.
Undergoing Rapid Corruption: HIGHER EDUCATION
What university administrator would dare reject an offspring of Heinrich Himmler in Nazi Germany, a Laurentia Beria in Stalin’s Russia, a Saddam Hussein in Iraq or the Shah in pre-1979 Iran? The same appllies in Iran today–another tell-tale sign of totalitarianism.
Khamenei is wielding three weapons to dismantle Iran’s universities: purges, plagiarism and favoritism. His new wave of purges began yesterday when five professors at one university became targets. Soon you will need either a Republic Guard/Basilj background or a
letter of recommendation from pro-Khamenei cleric to qualify as a
professor.
One recent victim never even commented on politics. His “crime” was to strongly oppose admitting unqualfied applicants with strong nomenklatura ties to a doctoral program, such as a young woman who was the daughter of a big shot, pro-regime cleric. Without having taken a single course in international law, she became a doctoral candidate on that subject. Her sole qualification–if you can call it that– was an “honors” degree in mindless recitation of the Koran.
Every academic spot taken up by a this sort of drudge displaces someone more qualified. If institutions in other countries then refuse to accept an Iranian degree at face value, who will blame them? Such favoritism hurts people who earned their degrees the old-fashioned way. Just as counterfeiting or as printing off money to pay debts devalues a country’s currency, so does nomenklatura manipulation inflict damage. Even before this purge, fake doctorates were no barrier to a cabinet position if you had the “right” views and the “right connections. To demonstrate the slightest sense of morality, humanity or ethical concerns is a big no-no. Iranians live under a Supreme Leader who encourages unscruplous and immoral behavior in the name of religion.
Totally Corrupt: KHAMENEI’S RIGGED ECONOMY
Under Khamenei’s rule virtually all wealth goes to his security services or to clerics who endorse his crimes or at least remain silent. Some pro-regime clerics have estates totaling in the tens of millions of dollars. Fear of losing such power and perks is the real reason why regime stalwarts strongly resist reform. It has nothing to do with standing up for “principles,” let alone Islam.
Totally Corrupt: KHAMENEI’S POLITICAL SYSTEM
Since June 12th it’s become obvious the public has not even a remote say anymore about who gets elected to any office. Things were bad enough with the Guardian Council screening out most reformers. On June 12th Iranians learned that Khamenei will simple throw out any election day results hat go against his “favorite.” Afterwards he will commit any crime to enforce those results.
Totally Corrupt: KHAMENEI’S JUDICIARY
Standard features include arbitrary detection, intimidation of witness, torture-based confessions, show trials based on such confessions and “anything goes” closed door trials with no public or press scrutiny and no real attorneys. Should a defense attorney actually dare to defend a regime target, he winds up in jail.
Totally Corrupt: KHAMENEI’S MEDIA MONOPOLY
Any media that questions or criticizes abuses described above is shut down. Honest journalists who expose corruption will be imprisoned, tortured, raped or murdered. Freedom of expression by individuals or via demonstrations is also forbidden. Meanwhile foreign journalists have been excluded totally from the country–another sure sign that Khamenei’s regime has many shameful things to hide.
Fortunately, Iranians have found so many ways to get around such censorship–the internet, satellite TV, cell phones (none of which the regime can do without) and other social networking).
Mostly corrupt: THE MULLAHS
Considering the millions of dollars and all the power available to loyalists under this system, only a tiny fraction of the clergy remains uncorrupted and still believes in ethics and morality. Most have been purvhased, often with tens of millions of dollars each. This group knows the regime is doing wrong but is distinguished by its silence. Worst is the small ultraconservative faction led by Khamenei. This group will commit any crime to sustain the regime on which its power and wealth depends.
