It is naïve and dangerously sectarian to assume—as American analysts who view Iraq through the military’s lens so often do—that Iraqi Shi‘ites are Fifth columnists, somehow more loyal to Iran than to Iraq. The simple fact of the matter is that the Shi‘ites are as much if not more victims of the Iranian regime as others. Because the interpretation of Shi‘ism that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini imposed on Iran is outside the mainstream, the Islamic Republic is especially sensitive to theological dissent coming from Shi‘ites themselves. (I detail the theology behind this and give several examples in this 2008 book chapter from Blind Spot: When Journalists Don’t Get Religion).
Yesterday, Al-Sharqiyah, a London-based Iraqi television station, reported (and the Open Source Center translates an excerpt):
Sources from Al-Najaf Governorate, southwestern Iraq, have revealed that the Iranian authorities have arrested Iraqi Religious Scholar Ahmad al-Qubanshi, who is currently on a visit to Iran. Neither the sources, nor the Iranian authorities revealed the reasons behind the arrest of Al-Qubanshi. Al-Qubanshi is known for publishing, throughout the past thirty years, many books and studies in which he severely criticized the Iranian regime and the means of running Iran’s affairs.
Regimes that have self-confidence do not arrest those who express dissent.
While Iran makes no secret of its arrest of political dissidents, Iraq’s liberation has opened up the Pandora’s Box of religious dissent: Most Shi’ite scholars do not accept the notion the Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, is the “deputy of the Messiah on Earth.” Remove that claim, and the whole Iranian system collapses on itself. This is the reason why the Islamic Republic kept the late Grand Ayatollah Hussein Ali Montazeri under house arrest until his death, and also Ayatollah Kazemini Boroujerdi.
Several years ago, I penned a proposal in The Washington Post that the United States should establish a consulate in Najaf. While the idea received bipartisan support from Iraq analysts, the idea went nowhere in Foggy Bottom. Alas, maintaining outreach to independent Shi‘ites has never been more important, not only for Iraq and those in Lebanon suffering under Hezbollah’s yoke, but also in Iran itself.
There are lots of things that have to occur if there is ever to be peace in the Middle East, but the first thing has to be the collapse of the Iranian regime. That will never happen with muddle through reform, and it will not happen if the United States blindly follows Turkey and Saudi Arabia and acts more Sunni than the Sunnis. Such partisan games on the part of the State Department and U.S. military only strengthen Iran’s hand among the Shi’ites by allowing Iranian leaders to claim a role as protectors of Shi’ites. Instead, peace will only have a chance—or at least the malevolent role Iran plays in the region will cease—when Shi‘ite scholars let Khamenei know that Iran’s turbaned emperor has no clothes.
How can the White House or Congress make this happen? Speaking out on behalf of Qubanshi’s freedom would be a good place to start.
"Regimes that have self-confidence do not arrest those who express dissent." actually, yes they do …
"… the United States blindly follows Turkey and Saudi Arabia and acts more Sunni than the Sunnis…" n nSo let's see if we remember. The 9/11 hijackers were mainly Saudi Sunnis, right? And Turkey is the country that refused to allow us to launch Desert Storm from its territory, right? n nWhy does the State Department always favor our worst enemies?
What about the rats of Teheran!!! Perhaps they can create enough dissent against the religious dictatorship and bring the opposition together!!!
Senator Lindsey Graham lost his mind – he looks so desperate to please Tel Aviv – though his Term end in 2015 it’s too early to begin begging Israelis to redeem his legacy – he terrorized a fellow American and patriot as Chuck Hagel using Rusty Rhetoric to lure him to beg Israel to get confirmed – Lindsey Graham is an idiot he doesn’t realize that he’s drawing a precedent and Pseudo Bill here. Good American is dead American unless he bends over to Israel. If Israel clandestinely is the most hated nation on earth. That’s neither America’s problem nor Muslims’. It’s Israel’s. nYou must be kidding! Chuck Hagel has fans! They don’t like Israel. Who likes Israel unless someone dislikes himself? More Anti-Israel Statements From Hagel Emerge. QUIT POT. nThat’s right. U.S. State Department run by Israeli Foreign Ministry – Israel is An “Apartheid” State, Netanyahu A “Radical”… nHere you go my hero. You’re confirmed without begging Israel for forgiveness. You’re the third besides Obama & Kerry who got the Whitehouse twice and confirmed displeasing Israel. nMcCain is right. REPUBLICANS WILL REGRET THIS. Hagel ain’t neither appeasing nor apologizing to Zionists controlling within-the-beltway to get confirmed. Israelifirsters foolishly sporting Hagel christening is a game that keeps ‘em on headlines though deep-down they know that they are digging their own graves in the Donuthole. In order to let lummy Hagel go to Brussels and chair NATO summit this week. Hagel most get Flummox Warring Industries interested in his appointment to go and gonoph Louisiana’s David Vitter Dachshund as hostage to extort him to come outta hiding and vote IN-FAVOR on the rampage or get Obama use the Gorm vulgar substitute for (God) damn Executive Branch to VETO the filibuster and buy REAL Dante Alighieri hat for Antonin Scalia. nHere’s today’s Moaning Israeli hymn mantras to put Hegel’s votes to death. nu2721How Dare Ted Cruz? nu2721Jewish Groups Must End Silence on Hagel. nu2721Interest in Hagel Speeches Isn’t Racist. nu2721GOP Must Hang Tough on Hagel. nu2721Is a Hagel Filibuster Still Possible? nu2721New Hagel Story Could Alter the Equation. nu2721The Hagel-Cruz Bait and Switch. nu2721Iran Exposes Its Achilles’ Heel nu2721Schumer’s Dishonest Hagel Sob Story