Limited sympathy for Khameini. His "election" as Supreme Leader in 89 was engineered by Rafsanjani (the Iranian Zardari) who believed he could control a weak Supreme Leader (he couldn't).
Khameini himself on camera said he wasn't qualified. That was true. Under the old Iranian constitution you had to be a marja (he wasn't). They literally changed the constitution for him which angered many Shia clerics in Qom. This is all documented in Axworthy's painstakingly researched book Revolutionary Iran.
Montazeri should've succeeded Khomeini but he was sidelined for having the temerity to oppose the reactionaries. Khameini and his circle continually undermined the Presidents (especialy Khatami). IRGC became untouchable and a mirror image of the Pakistani army with its corruption and development of a business empire.
That said he should've ONLY been removed by the will of the Iranian people - not by a paedophile and his criminal puppermaster. Who gave America and Israel the right to act as judge, jury and executioner ? I can't speak for Shias but their entire global community must feel profoundly insulted.
If Trump thinks leaders are fair game then he must remember this having dodged a bullet three times - they only need to get lucky once. He better pray he gets lucky every day.
Khameini himself on camera said he wasn't qualified. That was true. Under the old Iranian constitution you had to be a marja (he wasn't). They literally changed the constitution for him which angered many Shia clerics in Qom. This is all documented in Axworthy's painstakingly researched book Revolutionary Iran.
Montazeri should've succeeded Khomeini but he was sidelined for having the temerity to oppose the reactionaries. Khameini and his circle continually undermined the Presidents (especialy Khatami). IRGC became untouchable and a mirror image of the Pakistani army with its corruption and development of a business empire.
That said he should've ONLY been removed by the will of the Iranian people - not by a paedophile and his criminal puppermaster. Who gave America and Israel the right to act as judge, jury and executioner ? I can't speak for Shias but their entire global community must feel profoundly insulted.
If Trump thinks leaders are fair game then he must remember this having dodged a bullet three times - they only need to get lucky once. He better pray he gets lucky every day.

