Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Khamenei has lost his legitimacy as Iran's leader

What does it mean that the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is being reviled in the streets now after twenty years in which he has been viewed as the unquestioned leader of Iran whose word was never disputed? He is going to have to rely on his remaining loyal followers to enforce his rulings on the rest of Iranians.

His most loyal followers and those capable of enforcing his decisions are the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. If he depends on them to enforce his rulings his prior position in Iranian society is gone forever.

The Ayatollah has lost his legitimacy to govern irretrievably. He either has to put together a successful military dictatorship or go.

See the analysis by Hamza Hendawi from the Associated Press.

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