Institutionalized religion never really works with democracy

OPINION: "Iran's Clarifying Election," by Amir Taheri, Wall Street Journal, 15 June 2009.

The detailed rendition of the putsch theory, saying the military-security organs that back Ahmadinejad against the restive public (and, arguably, against the theocrats too) essentially stepped-up and, in a heavy-handed fashion, grabbed control of this election.

So now comes the purge, it is predicted, of all the reformist and non-hardliner types like Khatami and Rafsanjani.

So the die is cast and there is no more any illusion of taming the theocracy from within. The military has, in essence, sided heavily with the regime in not allowing change to unfold, so for real reform to happen, we're talking serious upheaval.

Ahmadinejad is portrayed as a beyond-Nixon-like figure who's willing to fight it out completely at home and abroad (whereas the real Nixon chose), the suggestion being that he's taken on too much.