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| Iraq-Jordan |
| SHOCKER: Iran’s clerics fear rise of democratic Iraq |
| 2004-07-01 |
| EFL The rise of a secular, democratic Iraq could pose a threat to Iran’s Shi’ite clerical establishment, which fears it would serve as a powerful model for moderate Iranians who seek change, clerics said. Is this where one domino topples, strikes the one next to it and ... Many senior clerics are particularly concerned about any shift in the center of gravity within Shi’ite Islam away from Iran’s holy city of Qom, from which clerics wield immense political authority, toward Najaf in neighboring Iraq. The emergence of Najaf coincides with the rise to political prominence of Iraqi clerics, such as Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani, who question the legitimacy of absolute rule by the clergy. They need not worry. According to the partisan media, the chaos in Iraq is out of control and ... " Now Najaf, as a more moderate center, will regain the place it held for most of the past 1,500 years," said Hadi Qabel, a reformist midranking cleric from Qom. "It will rejuvenate the role of clerics throughout the Shi’ite world. ... Iraqi moderate clerics like Ayatollah Ali Sistani do not consider ruling the country as their legitimate right," he said. Sec...ond...Dom..ino.... Getting nervous? |
| Posted by:Dragon Fly |
| #14 Shipman, that was great. I will file it with my favorite name for the Daisycutter: the Tali-whacker |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-07-02 2:28:01 AM |
| #13 What do you get when you mix physics and Islamism? 25 kt. Fatwa Boy? That's a keeper, Shipman!!! LOL!! Duck and Cover!! |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-07-01 9:48:17 PM |
| #12 What do you get when you mix physics and Islamism? Pakistan! |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2004-07-01 9:08:21 PM |
| #11 Frankly, I prefer Asses of Evil, but I can live with domino -- suppose. |
| Posted by: Capt America 2004-07-01 5:17:55 PM |
| #10 Anyone who still remains confused over the fact that Islamic theocracy is purely political and has absolutely nothing to do with religion is in dire need of a clue bat. The level of internal doctrinal contradiction, elitism and corruption that routinely pervade any of the Islamic governments is proof enough of how they differ not one whit from communist kleptocracies. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-07-01 4:47:25 PM |
| #9 I was going to post only: "Now Najaf, as a more moderate center, will regain the place it held for most of the past 1,500 years," said Hadi Qabel, a reformist midranking cleric from Qom. "It will rejuvenate the role of clerics throughout the Shi’ite world. ... Iraqi moderate clerics like Ayatollah Ali Sistani do not consider ruling the country as their legitimate right," he said," which I thought was real good news (I was going to say). Then I read (#7): "There is a faction in their (Iran's) parliament of ultra-conservative *scientists*, as paradoxical as they sound, who are the brains behind nuclear development . . . hoping to evolve a technocracy." Sigh. Good news / Bad news. At least there's good news. |
| Posted by: ex-lib 2004-07-01 3:05:52 PM |
| #8 What do you get when you mix physics and Islamism? 25 kt. Fatwa Boy? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-07-01 1:27:11 PM |
| #7 Totally radical idea: recently, the Iranian President complained that he and his cabinet have been taken out of the loop on everything nuclear by the Fearless Leader and the conservative mullahs. HOWEVER, there is a faction in their parliament of ultra-conservative *scientists*, as paradoxical as they sound, who are the brains behind nuclear development. What if these individuals are not as loyal as the conservative clerics think they are? Technocrat-Islamists may not be as servile to their ignorant and uneducated "leaders" as all that. At best, they might be closet liberals, hoping to evolve a technocracy. At worst, they sound like SPECTRE. What do you get when you mix physics and Islamism? |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2004-07-01 1:13:17 PM |
| #6 The fear of freedom is coming through the internet and sat-TV. The mullahs can not post a monitoring thug in everyone's living room, although they would like to. |
| Posted by: Mark Espinola 2004-07-01 12:34:33 PM |
| #5 DB, I for one think that much was pretty obvious since the beginning. |
| Posted by: The Doctor 2004-07-01 12:31:20 PM |
| #4 Iran Wakes Up; Smells Coffee |
| Posted by: Chris W. 2004-07-01 12:20:04 PM |
| #3 "The rise of a secular, democratic Iraq could pose a threat to Iran’s Shi’ite clerical establishment..." You mean it's taken al-Reuters until now to figure this out??? On the long list of reasons we went into Iraq, undermining the Black Turbans is right up near the top. |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2004-07-01 11:52:24 AM |
| #2 I, for one, don't believe all the BS from the Mullahs that thy are following "God's Law'. I think it is all a matter of lust for power. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2004-07-01 11:52:07 AM |
| #1 You don't say . . . |
| Posted by: The Doctor 2004-07-01 10:57:43 AM |