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Iran prez: democracy ? never! - -

By Amir Taheri

IRAN PREZ: DEMOCRACY? NEVER!
by Amir Taheri
New York Post
August 24, 2005

August 24, 2005 -- FOR the past three years, tens of thousands of students have demonstrated throughout Iran demanding "Democracy, Now!" Last week, Iran's newly elected President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave his reply: Democracy? Never!

That answer is spelled out in a 7,000-word document that Ahmadinejad presented as his government's "short- and long-term programs" to the Islamic Majlis (parliament) last Tuesday. In it, he categorically states that Western "ideas and concepts of government" have no place in Islam. Without using the word "democracy," the document states that the new administration "bravely rejects all alien political ideas" as incompatible with Islam.

In a Muslim country, the white paper explains, power belongs to God. The exercise of that power is the privilege of the Prophet and, after him, the 12 imams of duodecimo Shiism. Since the 12th Imam is in "grand occultation," thus not exercising power on a day-to-day basis, the task devolves to "chosen ones from the family of the Prophet." In the case of Iran today, that means Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the "Supreme Guide" who claims to be a descendant of Hussein, the third Imam.

Ahmadinejad says that he'll not only fight any form of democratization in Iran, he'd mobilize the nation's resources to prevent the United States from imposing the Bush plan for a democratic future on the Middle East.

In practical terms, this may mean a switch in Iranian policy in Afghanistan and Iraq. Under President Muhammad Khatami, Ahmadinejad's predecessor, Tehran's policy was to allow the Americans to establish friendly regimes in Kabul and Baghdad — while also making sure that the Americans were bled to the maximum while doing so. Now, however, Iran may well want to bleed the Americans more but deny them even the merest crumb.

The document states that the region is heading for a "clash of civilizations" in which the Islamic Republic represents Islam while the United States carries the banner of a West that has forgotten God.

The document calls the United States "the hegemon" and asserts that the Bush plan for the Greater Middle East is a device to slow down the decline of the United States as a superpower: "Despite its pharaonic roars . . . the hegemon is in its last throes."

The United States, Ahmadinejad's manifesto explains, is a "sunset" (ofuli) power while the Islamic Republic is a "sunrise" (tolu'ee) one. America will crumble because it is based on a system that produces "endless material needs" which lead into "the desert of lust" where men are handed over to Satan. The Islamic Republic is going to win because it has God on its side. The Americans may "mock the divine system" in Iran. But Islamic Iran is the model for the future of mankind.

Ahmadinejad envisages a "multipolar" world in which the United States would have a place as long as its process of "fading away" is not completed. Other poles would include "sunrise" powers (such as China and India) and "sunset" ones (such as the European Union). But the most dynamic of the new poles would be the Islamic one, with Iran as a "core power" around which all Muslim nations will coalesce.

The document flatly states: "Leadership is the indisputable right of the Iranian nation."

The creation of an "Islamic pole" is the key objective of what the document refers to as "the 20-year strategy" of the Islamic Republic. It is not clear who developed that strategy or whether Ahmadinejad, who was elected for a four-year term, hopes to remain in power for two decades.

The goal of the "Islamic pole" would be to unite the world under the banner of Islam as the "final Divine message" and "the only True Faith." But it is not clear whether this is to be completely achieved during the 20-year period of the strategy.

It is not only in foreign policy that Ahmadinejad opposes "American ideas." His economic, social and cultural programs are likewise designed in defiance of Western capitalist models.

He wants the state to play a central role in all aspects of the nation's life and emphasizes the importance of central planning. The state would follow citizens from birth to death, ensuring their health, education, well-being and leisure. It will guide them as to what to read and write and what "cultural products" to consume so as not to be contaminated by Western ideas.

In fact, the Islamic Republic intends to compete with the United States on the global stage as a producer of culture. Ahmadinejad promises to help Iranian music drive American music out of the world markets, starting with Muslim countries. He even claims that Persian music exports could earn Iran more than oil.

Ahmadinejad's economic policy is aimed at self-sufficiency so that the Islamic Republic won't become dependent on the global system dominated by the United States. Iran will develop its nuclear program the way it sees fit, regardless of whatever the outside world might say.

Socially, the new government will even help arrange marriages for young men who might find it difficult to do son their own. (No such assistance is offered to young women.) The Islamic Republic rejects what the West calls "alternative lifestyles" as "abominations" and would not tolerate any form of sexual deviation or immorality.

The program does not shy away from big social-engineering ideas.

For example, it promises to reduce the number of villages in Iran from 66,000 to just 10,000. This would enable the central government to concentrate the rural population and provide it with better and cheaper public services. But it also means relocating almost 30 million people.

To carry out his ambitious program Ahmadinejad has created a strong and unusually united Cabinet. And, thanks to spiraling oil prices, his government has almost $200 million a day to play with.

At the U.N. General Assembly in New York next month, Ahmadinejad is expected to fire the first shot in what he sees as a duel between the Islamic Republic and the United States over who sets the future agenda of mankind.

It should be fun to watch.

Before the 1979 revolution, Amir Taheri was editor-in-chief of Kayhan, the most important Iranian daily. He is member of Benador Associates.

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