# Iran: Ahmadinejad vs. the Mullahcracy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 21, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993 "2011-12-21T20:40:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/1 "2011-12-21T20:40:37Z")
It is becoming increasingly apparent that Iran’s President Ahmadinejad does not like playing second fiddle to Supreme Leader Khamenei and the Guardian Council. For his part, Khamenei might be trying to [abolish the presidency altogether.](http://www.npr.org/2011/11/21/142603926/in-iran-secret-plans-to-abolish-the-presidency) If it came down to a serious conflict between them, who would win? And which side would the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps take? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/2 "2011-12-21T23:47:44Z")
> [@](#): > > And which side would the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps take? Their own. It’s actually a 3-way fight. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/3 "2011-12-22T00:58:57Z")
Civil war in Iran… I’d pay to see that. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/4 "2011-12-22T01:45:00Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Civil war in Iran… I’d pay to see that. Should be real fun. Like Iranians didn’t have enough crap thrown at them during the last 60+ years… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/5 "2011-12-22T01:52:06Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Their own. > > It’s actually a 3-way fight. Then what about anti-regime dissidents? Would they pop corn or join in? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/6 "2011-12-22T01:58:14Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Should be real fun. Like Iranians didn’t have enough crap thrown at them during the last 60+ years… :rolleyes: Well, this crap would be self-inflicted, and if it leads to the mass slaughter of the clerics and fascists (and fascist clerics), I’m calmly okay with it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/7 "2011-12-22T02:25:43Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Well, this crap would be self-inflicted, and if it leads to the mass slaughter of the clerics and fascists (and fascist clerics), I’m calmly okay with it. Well, a lot of others would die. A full-on civil war in a country as big and populous as Iran could get really bloody, like, Spanish-Civil-War bloody. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/8 "2011-12-22T02:29:21Z")
I hate Ahmadinejad but I think I’d root for him… can’t really say for sure why. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/9 "2011-12-22T02:50:44Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Civil war in Iran… I’d pay to see that. Me, too. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/10 "2011-12-22T03:17:38Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Well, a lot of others would die. A full-on civil war in a country as big and populous as Iran could get really bloody, like, Spanish-Civil-War bloody. Ah, but they belong to the wrong religion and aren’t American, so they aren’t actually human you see. So it doesn’t matter if a million or two die. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/11 "2011-12-22T03:28:22Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Well, a lot of others would die. A full-on civil war in a country as big and populous as Iran could get really bloody, like, Spanish-Civil-War bloody. Hey, that’s up to them, but seeing mullahs hanging from lampposts is just fine by me. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/12 "2011-12-22T03:39:19Z")
Wow. “Mass slaughter” is _good_ now? I need to update my list. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/13 "2011-12-22T03:53:07Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Wow. “Mass slaughter” is _good_ now? I need to update my list. Hey, if it happens, it’ll be their fault, and if they avoid it through political reform, it’ll be to their credit. I have my serious doubts that regime is going anywhere without a fair amount of violence, though. Of course, I have my doubts any of the “Arab spring” countries will form stable democracies within ten years, or liberal democracies within my lifetime, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/14 "2011-12-22T04:20:13Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Hey, that’s up to them, but seeing mullahs hanging from lampposts is just fine by me. So then you’d be pleased as punch with someone blowing up a monastery or with large numbers of Rabbis hanging from lamp posts? Similarly, we can assume you’re thrilled whenever you hear about black churches in the South going up in flames you’re overjoyed. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/15 "2011-12-22T04:21:02Z")
I’m wondering how ordinary Iranians fel about the idea that if the competing centers of power in their country initiate a civil war then ant resulting deaths of innocents is “on them” and that every taxi driver, shop keeper, oil field worker, and college professor really bears the onus of working things out peacefully. Talk about a failure of human empathy. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/16 "2011-12-22T05:00:13Z")
Bryan Ekers, cheering for blood baths and expressing smug satisfaction for wishing death on others looks a lot more like inciting anger than debating. Knock it off. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/17 "2011-12-22T09:02:51Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > So then you’d be pleased as punch with someone blowing up a monastery or with large numbers of Rabbis hanging from lamp posts? If the Rabbis were dictators… sure. > [@](#): > > Similarly, we can assume you’re thrilled whenever you hear about black churches in the South going up in flames you’re overjoyed. If the blacks were dictators… sure. It’s not a race or religion thing. It’s a dictator thing. I’m not a fan. tom, I’m not cheering for a bloodbath, I simply recognize that a bloodbath may be necessary to overthrow that government, and it may as well start sooner rather than later. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/18 "2011-12-22T10:04:43Z")
Iran isn’t a dictatorship, it’s a theocracy. That doesn’t make it any better. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-ahmadinejad-vs-the-mullahcracy/606993/19 "2012-01-04T02:29:28Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Iran isn’t a dictatorship, it’s a theocracy. That doesn’t make it any better. It’s more of a democracy-in-chains. Much more of a genuine energetic civil society than you’d find in, say, Saudia Arabia.