Writing in today's Frontpage Magazine, Reza Bayegan has a good primer for thos e a bit confused about the functioning of the Islamic "Republic" of Iran. It can be a bit confusing for the neophyte to understand what's wrong with the system. There are, after all, "elections," and "reformers" standing in a parliament. So why then is it that most people in the know scoff at the idea of Iran as a democracy?

Imagine that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court were a hereditary position. Imagine, further, that he had ultimate authority over all law and policy, and that before each election, he got to choose who was allowed to run for office, and disqualify, for any reason he chooses, who he wishes. You could hardly call it a democracy, even though many of the trappings are there. Now one starts to get the idea of the problem with Iran.

Iran's Meaningless Elections