This article belongs to And That's the Way It Is column.


What is it with so-called religious leaders that even entices them into running countries and stuffing them in the process? Their motivation has certainly has nothing to do with religion but rather more to do with their hunger for power, in my view.

Iran would have to be a perfect example.

Here we have country that is rich in resources, where the population is rich in culture and vibrant and there we have some silly religious old fart trying to hang onto power to the bitter end while the country falls apart around.

Ayatollah All Khameni, Iran's so-called supreme leader, has no expertise in terms of running a country such as Iran and as a consequence, Iran's economy is a basket case scenario solely relying on oil exports for its income. He is out of step with most Iranians, out of step with the rest of the world and certainly out of step in terms of being capable of rational political thinking and as such, political processes.

Perhaps the wisest thing for the old Ayatollah to do is to retire to a holiday house somewhere and/or teach religion to the sheep and goats.

And then we have Iran's current president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Short on wisdom and with the support of the so called revolutionary guards, read ‘thugs', this particular man has stuffed Iran's economy single-handed while embarking on a nuclear power (read ‘weapons') program that has cost the country dearly in a number of ways. Imports have been restricted by sanctions, export income has plummeted and Iran's international reputation is virtually in tatters.

One cannot even fly with one of Iran's airlines these day for fear of the wheels falling off your aircraft on either take-off or landing.

Ahmadinejad hates Israel, hates the US, hates the EU, hates Australia, hates everybody and he even hates his own citizens who, by virtue of his thugs enforcing his rulings, have had no choice but to tolerate him. Many of Irans's citizens have died under the Ahmadinejad regime and even more have simply disappeared.

However, Ahmadinejad is good in some things.

He is good in rigging elections, he is good in abusing people and surrounding countries and he is good at exerting power through thuggery.

It is a fact though that, as the majority of Iran's population are in their 20s and 30s, there is very little doubt that the days of religious influence through decrees and dictates may well be numbered. And that likes of All Khamenei and Ahmadinejad will hopefully disappear perhaps to be replaced by a Government that, while adhering to Islamic principles, also know how to properly run Iran onto a path of freedom and prosperity.

I hope such changes will be soon.

It only goes to show though that religion and politics simply don't mix.

My name is Henk Luf.
And That's The Way It Is