Iran’s People’s Militia Gets Air Force
The Baseej, Iran’s people’s militia, is one of Iran’s most powerful institutions. It consists out of three million people who are extremely loyal the ‘Islamic Revolution’ of 1979, and who are more than willing to die for their beliefs. The militia fought against Iraq during the eight-year war in the 1980s; many of its members were massacred during that war.
They became infamous for their radicalism. They lacked heavy equipment, but what they lacked materially, they made up for in extremism.
Young members of the militia were told that they would become martyrs and thus go to heaven if the walked on a minefield and were blown to pieces. Many, desiring to go to Paradise, did so and died.
Although the Baseej historically lacked powerful equipment, had no tanks, etc., it now seems that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - a former Baseeji, or so he says - will give the militia their own air force. Baseej, then, will be far more effective in possible future wars, and may play an increasingly important role domestically, one of the leading Iran and Middle East analyst, Meir Javedanfar explained in an analysis published Wednesday.
Especially consider the fact that Ahmadinejad made Hejazi, a former Baseej commander, second in charge of the all powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC).
Javedanfar explained why Ahmadinejad continues to increase the importance of the Baseej: ‘It is no secret that the three million strong Baseej has unprecedented reach inside Iran. Their presence in remote places, helped him win the 2005 presidential elections. And now, with one year to go before the next elections, he is hoping to use their influence to win the elections again.’
‘Also, some of the senior IRGC officers are concerned about his right wing talk, which could justify war against Iran. In the Baseej, he gets no such opposition. The Baseej’s loyalty and support to him will be very useful in counter balancing opposition against the president in important circles of power,’ he wrote.
Lastly, ‘being the most ideological and loyal members of Iran’s military structure, their growth will strengthen Ayatollah Khamenei and Ahmadinejad’s defenses against the much feared “velvet revolution” against the regime.’
One wonders whether it is also related to his perhaps somewhat troubled relationship with Grand Ayatollah Khamenei. Is Ahmadinejad trying to make himself more powerful? Is he trying to make sure that the Ayatollahs cannot get rid of him as easy as they can now (relatively)?
