It does not take a political scientist to see that what is going on in Iran is anything but democratic. For there to be this much effort put into silencing the voices of the people, it can be called anything but democracy.
There was very obviously an illusion that there was some form of democracy in Iran. The illusion could only be propagated if the political candidates fell within the liking of the ruling Clerics. Those that do not meet with their liking would be subject to what we are now witnessing with very clear election fraud. Of that there is little remaining doubt.
Looking at how the United States would see this, even if both political candidates were hostile to the US, the process of free democratic elections would be US supported for both candidates. Dealing with the hostile winner is for another time.
It is very clear the majority of people in Iran do not approve of the direction their country is heading. Each person has their own personal reason for wanting change. The most probable reason is to become more in line with the world. There are numerous benefits to not be seen as hardline extremists.
On a very positive note, the events as terrible as they are in Iran, completely shatter the illusion that all Muslims are like the ones we read about daily in the news who are associated with terrorism. There really could be not a better example than this. It also shows and reminds us that good news does not sell papers. Papers survive by digging up the dirt and tabloids survive for just that reason.
So now that the illusion has been exposed, the ruling Clerics are actually seen as dictators and not like religious leaders. Whatever the circumstances that placed them in power, have to be looked at by the Iranian people and be dealt with. It is hard to see that there would be any remaining respect for the ruling Clerics except by hardliners. They may have to take on a lifestyle closer to that of Saddam Hussein just to avoid being killed. That is particularly so as the kill people of their own country. Simply put Iran has a dictator hiding in the Shroud of religion.
A Phycisist Nobel Laureate once stated:
” Religion is an insult to human dignity – with it and without it you will have good people to do good deeds and bad people to do evil deeds – but for good people to do evil deeds – that takes religion”.
How true this sounds again.