On Basij Force and Democracy in Iran

Best description of Basiji, Iranian Paramilitary force, by Katayoun, an Iranian-Candian blogger in Canada:

Khomeni was a worried man, because he thought that “a country with 20 million youth must have 20 million riflemen or a military with 20 million soldiers”, to protect the Imam’s creation with a mighty sword! A megalomaniac, he thought that the large army of devotees can guarantee the preservation of his Islamic Republic, till the arrival of “Mehdi”, Islamic messiah. Perhaps he did not know that Napoleon had a “Majestic army”, Hitler had a “Great army”, even Saddam thought that he had an “Extensive army”, but in spite of all the “greatness, and grandeur of the presence of their mighty armies” they all destroyed themselves before they could destroy others.

One of the many “miracles” of the Islamic Republic of Iran was the creation of the Basij, Niruyeh Moghavemat Basij—Mobilisation Resistance Force, in 1980. This paramilitary “National Mobilisation of the Oppressed (Baseej-e Mostazafan)” came to existence not only to take commands from the Sepah, but also to protect the Leader of the Revolution—Vali-e Faquih-- when it is required of them.

No body knows exactly how many of these ideological-bombs are awaiting the “arrival of the messiah—Mehdi”. Rumor has it that “the force” can provide from 12 to 20 million militia men, who can kill in the name of their religious beliefs, and protect the dignity of the Islamic System, whenever the Spiritual Leader commands them. The Basij or Baseej paramilitary “volunteer forces” are under the control of the Revolutionary guard, but when they are “protecting the Nezam” (the Islamic system) they stand shoulder to shoulder with the Pasdaran and together they make sure that the “indecent activities” of citizens are dealt with, that the women wear their “hejab” in most Islamic way, and respect Islamic-dress-code, and act and react to what might befall them in the most Islamic manner.

The Basij also is responsible for removing satellite dish antennae from citizens’ roofs.The Basij members are “full time uniformed personnel” who are “joined up to 300,000 reservists”. The Middle-school-aged members of the “student Basij are called seekers (Puyandegan), and high-school members are called the Vanguard (Pishgam), whom are being brainwashed in accordance to the system’s needs. The faithful brethren, when finishing high-school “with high marks”, are privileged to enter the University in Iran, without a slightest regulatory-complication, get different jobs at different levels of government, without the usual-state-caused-hindrance. *(security clearance and background check to make sure you are from a loyal Islamic republic linage)

During the infamous Iran-Iraq war (Needlessly prolonged by the mass murderer Khomeini by 6 years for his vision of ultimate Islamic utopian ummah) the Basij was heavily involved in sending believers (the members) to heaven by the way of martyrdom. But, those brethren who remained at home were engaged in cleansing the society from all its impurities, especially “the culprits of the previous regime,” and all those who did not agree (and still do not agree) with the imposed rules of law”. In conclusion: the Basijis, alongside their superiors, the Sepah Pasdaran, are trained to preserve and protect the Islamic regime in Iran. And here is the rest of it.

How the IRI and IR's apologists in the EU, UN, and US got away with calling this totalitarian system a democracy I will never comprehend. Religions that believe that the state should be a tool for the enforcement of religious law, and which deplore the very idea that the governed should give their consent to be governed are antithesis to definition of democracy. In view of the required “approval” of all candidates by the Guardian Council [at least since Khatami surrendered his 50% appointments to Khameini to get his second government sworn in], elections are an empty exercise in futility in Iran and one wonders why Iranians even bother with elections? It has become impossible to elect anyone who will represent anyone but the extreme loonies (Basij) and the Rev. Guard.

A religion that seeks to govern ("Iran's government of God") cannot have spiritual content and government that needs religious justification can have no element of justice in its doctrine.

*my comments