Comments on: Frankly, My Dear Readers, I Don’t Give a Damn http://chicagoboyz.net/archives/7454.html Some Chicago Boyz know each other from student days at the University of Chicago. Others are Chicago boys in spirit. The blog name is also intended as a good-humored gesture of admiration for distinguished Chicago boys including those pictured above. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:39:11 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: James http://chicagoboyz.net/archives/7454.html/comment-page-1#comment-323377 James Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:35:47 +0000 http://chicagoboyz.net/?p=7454#comment-323377 The reason I think it is important, is that maybe, just maybe, the people are finally sick of the B.S. and are ready to do something about it. The reason I think it is important, is that maybe, just maybe, the people are finally sick of the B.S. and are ready to do something about it.

]]> By: Shannon Love http://chicagoboyz.net/archives/7454.html/comment-page-1#comment-323315 Shannon Love Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:20:39 +0000 http://chicagoboyz.net/?p=7454#comment-323315 It is also important to note that only members of certain families tracing their descent back the founder of Shia can be a Mullah and serve on the Guardian Council and as Supreme Leader. The Supreme Leader is technically a priest-king i.e. a hereditary leader who holds both temporal and spiritual powers. I think the violence over the election reveals a sharp division within the ruling oligarchy. These types of regimes are so dependent on patronage for economic reward and physical survival that they quickly form internal factions. These factions begin to vie with one another. The "elections" are a means by which factions demonstrate their degree of support within the general Iraqi population. This in turn lets them be the dominant faction within the hierarchy subject to whim of the priest-king. The violence over the election shows that the factions have had a falling out. The faction favored by the priest-king did not win so he stepped in changed the results. The result of this will be to shrink the membership of the oligarchy. Those oligarchs cheated out of their "election" will now be dangerous outsiders. This process will repeat itself and the oligarchy will continue to shrink until it no longer has enough members to sustain itself. It is also important to note that only members of certain families tracing their descent back the founder of Shia can be a Mullah and serve on the Guardian Council and as Supreme Leader. The Supreme Leader is technically a priest-king i.e. a hereditary leader who holds both temporal and spiritual powers.

I think the violence over the election reveals a sharp division within the ruling oligarchy. These types of regimes are so dependent on patronage for economic reward and physical survival that they quickly form internal factions. These factions begin to vie with one another. The “elections” are a means by which factions demonstrate their degree of support within the general Iraqi population. This in turn lets them be the dominant faction within the hierarchy subject to whim of the priest-king.

The violence over the election shows that the factions have had a falling out. The faction favored by the priest-king did not win so he stepped in changed the results. The result of this will be to shrink the membership of the oligarchy. Those oligarchs cheated out of their “election” will now be dangerous outsiders.

This process will repeat itself and the oligarchy will continue to shrink until it no longer has enough members to sustain itself.

]]> By: harp1034 http://chicagoboyz.net/archives/7454.html/comment-page-1#comment-323314 harp1034 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:17:18 +0000 http://chicagoboyz.net/?p=7454#comment-323314 Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he has been trying to find the elusive Iranian moderate for 30 years. So far he has not found one. Until the ayatollahs are taken out Iran will remain a religious dictatorship bent on world conquest. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he has been trying to find the elusive Iranian moderate for 30 years. So far he has not found one. Until the ayatollahs are taken out Iran will remain a religious dictatorship bent on world conquest.

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