Theocratic States of the Middle East
"There is no doubt, Tehran has provided Washington and other Western capitals a golden opportunity to interfere in its affairs, especially the nuclear program. Just like Saddam Hussein opene the door for charges that he was hiding WMD, so is Iran providing justifications for her own indictment and with real evidence this time…” al-Hayat
Most of the 'moderate' Arab establishment, at least as reflected in the media they own and dominate, support the Iranian's street revolt, which is an admirable thing. Absolute tribal monarchs and life-long dictators for free speech and democracy can think outside the box, or outside the walled palace in this case. It must be that they have not seriously thought all this out carefully.
Much of the Arab media, especially the vast and well-financed official and quasi-official Saudi media and its satellites in the Persian Gulf region are busy critiquing the Iran situation. They all claim to support the popular revolt in the cities against the suspicious election outcome. Some of them are angry over allegations of vote-rigging. Many seem to hold the same hope that many Iranians seem to hold, as I do: that this crisis will change Iran and make it at least less theocratic. That the lock of the clergy on power will be broken. This is an admirable sentiment, one that I share.
But I am more inclusive than they are: I extend my hope beyond Iran and across countries that are even less democratic than Iran. Across the Arab states, almost all of them quasi-theocratic, absolute tribal monarchies, or dictatorships.
For example, Saudi Arabia is much more theocratic than Iran if we consider the usual measures that affect people's lives: freedom of worship for other religions, freedom of opinion, freedom for women to work and go out unaccompanied, and elections (or lack of).
Egypt has a much more open social and religious atmosphere, although it has been gradually Saudiized, the rules tightened in recent years (and that culminated in the ongoing war of extermination of pigs). It has had one presidential election, a sham one, whereby the current leader managed to get about 90% of the vote. His opponent was sent immediately to jail for several years on trumped up charges.
They think, these oligarchs, that indicting the legitimacy of the Iranian mullahs' regime after a suspicious election will mean enhancing the legitimacy of their own regimes. They underestimate the intelligence of all Arab peoples, and in doing so they insult their own peoples- they insult all of us.
Cheers
mhg
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