Iran. From Islamic republic to military dictatorship

Steve Clemons

One of DC’s best Iran experts Barbara Slavin wrote to me through Facebook and said:

Steve, Iran ceased being an Islamic republic a week ago. now it’s just another military dictatorship.

Clemons rightly thinks Khamenei has lost his mystique and aura of power. But that doesn’t mean he won’t try to rule by the jackboot alone.

In The Anatomy of Revolution, author Crane Brinton says the only thing absolutely required for a revolution to succeed is, at the very least, the army and police do nothing. If they desert and join you, so much the better. But they must not oppose you.

What will the army, police, and Basij do? That’s all that matters now.