From Newsgroup: soc.culture.bulgaria

Why America, Not Iran, Has a Succession Problem

Stephen Holmes

The United States is fighting IranrCoa state that built institutional continuity into its founding architecturerCowith strategic assumptions borrowed from more personalistic regimes, where decapitation can work. Ironically, under President Donald Trump, the US is reshaping its own political system in that direction.

The applause in Washington when Israeli and US airstrikes killed IranrCOs senior political and military leaders was understandable. It was also unintentionally revealing. The premise behind decapitation strikes is not merely military. It is constitutional. It assumes that the leader is the regime, that authority is biographical, and that killing the man can kill
the system.

The strategic illusion is easy to state. American and Israeli planners
acted as if the Islamic RepublicrCOs authority resided in its leadersrCO bodies rather than in its institutionsrCoas if killing enough of the right people could kill the system itself. Remove them, and the regime should stagger or collapse. But Iran has not collapsed.

Nor has it staggered in any decisive way. It was built, from the
beginning, to survive exactly this kind of assault. Ayatollah Ruhollah KhomeinirCOs problem in 1979 was not simply how to seize power, but how to institutionalise it. The doctrine of Velayat-e Faqih was meant to ensure
that supreme authority resided in an office, not in a mortal body. The
same logic informed the regimerCOs redundant military and security architecture. This is continuity-of-government planning by a state that
has long expected decapitation attemptsrCoand prepared accordingly.

Ironically, the United States now seems unable to recognise the
constitutional principle that makes such resilience possible, because that principle is being recklessly dismantled at home.

https://www.orissapost.com/succession-problem/

-o-#-+-+ -U-e-#-e-+-A, Joy, -+-#-A-U-+-A-#-# -|-+-#-C-| -+-#-e-+ -o-C-e-+-+ -| -#-#-e -+-C-+-#-+-|-+. -E -e-+-#-#, -c-| -+-e
-+-|-|-+-#-+-e-| -|-|-|-U-e-#-+-A -U-e-C-#-|-#-e -#-U-+-c-|-+ -| -e-|-+-# -+-# -U-e-#-U-|-+ -|-C-a-| -C-#-+-|-+-#-+-C.
--
-2oL# tEa *-o tof oL? tec o+e tUa o#A uOe rCo Earth is born in the Bull's hour-+
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: soc.culture.bulgaria

On 4/2/2026 12:01 PM, Nick wrote:

Why America, Not Iran, Has a Succession Problem

Stephen Holmes

The United States is fighting IranrCoa state that built institutional continuity into its founding architecturerCowith strategic assumptions borrowed from more personalistic regimes, where decapitation can work. Ironically, under President Donald Trump, the US is reshaping its own political system in that direction.

The applause in Washington when Israeli and US airstrikes killed IranrCOs senior political and military leaders was understandable. It was also unintentionally revealing. The premise behind decapitation strikes is not merely military. It is constitutional. It assumes that the leader is the regime, that authority is biographical, and that killing the man can kill
the system.

The strategic illusion is easy to state. American and Israeli planners
acted as if the Islamic RepublicrCOs authority resided in its leadersrCO bodies rather than in its institutionsrCoas if killing enough of the right people could kill the system itself. Remove them, and the regime should stagger or collapse. But Iran has not collapsed.

Nor has it staggered in any decisive way. It was built, from the
beginning, to survive exactly this kind of assault. Ayatollah Ruhollah KhomeinirCOs problem in 1979 was not simply how to seize power, but how to institutionalise it. The doctrine of Velayat-e Faqih was meant to ensure
that supreme authority resided in an office, not in a mortal body. The
same logic informed the regimerCOs redundant military and security architecture. This is continuity-of-government planning by a state that
has long expected decapitation attemptsrCoand prepared accordingly.

Ironically, the United States now seems unable to recognise the constitutional principle that makes such resilience possible, because that principle is being recklessly dismantled at home.

https://www.orissapost.com/succession-problem/

-o-#-+-+ -U-e-#-e-+-A, Joy, -+-#-A-U-+-A-#-# -|-+-#-C-| -+-#-e-+ -o-C-e-+-+ -| -#-#-e -+-C-+-#-+-|-+. -E -e-+-#-#, -c-| -+-e
-+-|-|-+-#-+-e-| -|-|-|-U-e-#-+-A -U-e-C-#-|-#-e -#-U-+-c-|-+ -| -e-|-+-# -+-# -U-e-#-U-|-+ -|-C-a-| -C-#-+-|-+-#-+-C.

-Y-+-e-+ -+-+-#-+ -+-# -+-|-+...
-Y-+ -+-# -e-|-# -e-+ -a-#-A-|-#-# -+-|-e-+ -+-+-+-|-+ -U-e-e-|-U-e-#-|-+-+, -# -#-+ -+-| -|-|-+-#-A -|-# -|-+-#-+-C-A -|-#-|-e-+
-U-e-+ -|-#-+-#-+-#, -+-# -e-+-#-#.

--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: soc.culture.bulgaria

On Thu, 2 Apr 2026 16:09:39 -0700, Radostina wrote:

On 4/2/2026 12:01 PM, Nick wrote:

Why America, Not Iran, Has a Succession Problem

Stephen Holmes

The United States is fighting IranrCoa state that built institutional
continuity into its founding architecturerCowith strategic assumptions
borrowed from more personalistic regimes, where decapitation can work.
Ironically, under President Donald Trump, the US is reshaping its own
political system in that direction.

The applause in Washington when Israeli and US airstrikes killed IranrCOs
senior political and military leaders was understandable. It was also
unintentionally revealing. The premise behind decapitation strikes is
not merely military. It is constitutional. It assumes that the leader
is the regime, that authority is biographical, and that killing the man
can kill the system.

The strategic illusion is easy to state. American and Israeli planners
acted as if the Islamic RepublicrCOs authority resided in its leadersrCO
bodies rather than in its institutionsrCoas if killing enough of the
right people could kill the system itself. Remove them, and the regime
should stagger or collapse. But Iran has not collapsed.

Nor has it staggered in any decisive way. It was built, from the
beginning, to survive exactly this kind of assault. Ayatollah Ruhollah
KhomeinirCOs problem in 1979 was not simply how to seize power, but how
to institutionalise it. The doctrine of Velayat-e Faqih was meant to
ensure that supreme authority resided in an office, not in a mortal
body. The same logic informed the regimerCOs redundant military and
security architecture. This is continuity-of-government planning by a
state that has long expected decapitation attemptsrCoand prepared
accordingly.

Ironically, the United States now seems unable to recognise the
constitutional principle that makes such resilience possible, because
that principle is being recklessly dismantled at home.

https://www.orissapost.com/succession-problem/

-o-#-+-+ -U-e-#-e-+-A, Joy, -+-#-A-U-+-A-#-# -|-+-#-C-| -+-#-e-+ -o-C-e-+-+ -| -#-#-e -+-C-+-#-+-|-+. -E -e-+-#-#, -c-|
-+-e -+-|-|-+-#-+-e-| -|-|-|-U-e-#-+-A -U-e-C-#-|-#-e -#-U-+-c-|-+ -| -e-|-+-# -+-# -U-e-#-U-|-+ -|-C-a-| -C-#-+-|-+-#-+-C.

-Y-+-e-+ -+-+-#-+ -+-# -+-|-+...

-o-U-e-|-U-e-#-|-+-+.

-Y-+ -+-# -e-|-# -e-+ -a-#-A-|-#-# -+-|-e-+ -+-+-+-|-+ -U-e-e-|-U-e-#-|-+-+, -# -#-+ -+-| -|-|-+-#-A -|-# -|-+-#-+-C-A -|-#-|-e-+
-U-e-+ -|-#-+-#-+-#, -+-# -e-+-#-#.

-y -+-# -e-|-# -e-+ -a-#-A-|-#-# -+-|-e-+ -+-+-+-|-+ -U-e-e-|-U-e-#-|-+-+. -Y-+ -+ -#-+ -|-#-e-+ -e-|-# -+-| -|-|-+-#-A -|-#
-|-+-#-+-C-A.
--
-2oL# tEa *-o tof oL? tec o+e tUa o#A uOe rCo Earth is born in the Bull's hour-+
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: soc.culture.bulgaria

On 4/2/2026 10:13 PM, Nick wrote:

On Thu, 2 Apr 2026 16:09:39 -0700, Radostina wrote:

On 4/2/2026 12:01 PM, Nick wrote:

Why America, Not Iran, Has a Succession Problem

Stephen Holmes

The United States is fighting IranrCoa state that built institutional
continuity into its founding architecturerCowith strategic assumptions
borrowed from more personalistic regimes, where decapitation can work.
Ironically, under President Donald Trump, the US is reshaping its own
political system in that direction.

The applause in Washington when Israeli and US airstrikes killed IranrCOs >>> senior political and military leaders was understandable. It was also
unintentionally revealing. The premise behind decapitation strikes is
not merely military. It is constitutional. It assumes that the leader
is the regime, that authority is biographical, and that killing the man
can kill the system.

The strategic illusion is easy to state. American and Israeli planners
acted as if the Islamic RepublicrCOs authority resided in its leadersrCO >>> bodies rather than in its institutionsrCoas if killing enough of the
right people could kill the system itself. Remove them, and the regime
should stagger or collapse. But Iran has not collapsed.

Nor has it staggered in any decisive way. It was built, from the
beginning, to survive exactly this kind of assault. Ayatollah Ruhollah
KhomeinirCOs problem in 1979 was not simply how to seize power, but how
to institutionalise it. The doctrine of Velayat-e Faqih was meant to
ensure that supreme authority resided in an office, not in a mortal
body. The same logic informed the regimerCOs redundant military and
security architecture. This is continuity-of-government planning by a
state that has long expected decapitation attemptsrCoand prepared
accordingly.

Ironically, the United States now seems unable to recognise the
constitutional principle that makes such resilience possible, because
that principle is being recklessly dismantled at home.

https://www.orissapost.com/succession-problem/

-o-#-+-+ -U-e-#-e-+-A, Joy, -+-#-A-U-+-A-#-# -|-+-#-C-| -+-#-e-+ -o-C-e-+-+ -| -#-#-e -+-C-+-#-+-|-+. -E -e-+-#-#, -c-|
-+-e -+-|-|-+-#-+-e-| -|-|-|-U-e-#-+-A -U-e-C-#-|-#-e -#-U-+-c-|-+ -| -e-|-+-# -+-# -U-e-#-U-|-+ -|-C-a-| -C-#-+-|-+-#-+-C.

-Y-+-e-+ -+-+-#-+ -+-# -+-|-+...

-o-U-e-|-U-e-#-|-+-+.

-Y-+ -+-# -e-|-# -e-+ -a-#-A-|-#-# -+-|-e-+ -+-+-+-|-+ -U-e-e-|-U-e-#-|-+-+, -# -#-+ -+-| -|-|-+-#-A -|-# -|-+-#-+-C-A -|-#-|-e-+
-U-e-+ -|-#-+-#-+-#, -+-# -e-+-#-#.

-y -+-# -e-|-# -e-+ -a-#-A-|-#-# -+-|-e-+ -+-+-+-|-+ -U-e-e-|-U-e-#-|-+-+. -Y-+ -+ -#-+ -|-#-e-+ -e-|-# -+-| -|-|-+-#-A -|-#
-|-+-#-+-C-A.

:-)))))) -#-+ -U-e-+ -|-#-+-#-+-#, -c-| -+-C-+-+-a-+-+-+-+ -+-+-#-A-|-#-#-+ -e-#-|-+-#-# -e-|-+-+, -|-+-|-#-e-+ -e-+
-+-|-+-+-C-|-|-e-U-+-#-e-+ -|-+ -C-+-#-+-e -e-# -+-+-|-#-| -+-| -#-e-C-#-+ -|-# -|-#-+-#-#-e, -c-| -+-| -|-|-+-#-|-e :-))))))
-E -e-+-#-# -|-+-C-| -+-#-+-U-e-+-+-# -|-+ -|-e-#-c-#-e -+-|-+-C-|-|-e-U-+-#-e-+ -e-a-|, -+-+-e-+ -+-+-#-+.
-Y-+-e-+ -+-| -+-+ -a-#-A-|-#-#, -+-C-+-U-e-+ -+-| -|-|-+-#-A -|-# -|-+-#-+-C-A, -+-#-|--+-#-+-|-+-e-+ -+-#-e-+-e-+ -+-+ -U-|
-+-e-C-#-+-#-#-# -+-+-| -+-# -U-e-U-e-+-A-+-+-|-e-+, -+-+-#-A-|-#-#-+ -U-e-C-|-U -+ -+-|-C-#-+.

--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: soc.culture.bulgaria

On Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:44:45 -0700, Radostina wrote:

On 4/2/2026 10:13 PM, Nick wrote:

On Thu, 2 Apr 2026 16:09:39 -0700, Radostina wrote:

On 4/2/2026 12:01 PM, Nick wrote:

Why America, Not Iran, Has a Succession Problem

Stephen Holmes

The United States is fighting IranrCoa state that built institutional
continuity into its founding architecturerCowith strategic assumptions >>>> borrowed from more personalistic regimes, where decapitation can
work.
Ironically, under President Donald Trump, the US is reshaping its own
political system in that direction.

The applause in Washington when Israeli and US airstrikes killed
IranrCOs senior political and military leaders was understandable. It
was also unintentionally revealing. The premise behind decapitation
strikes is not merely military. It is constitutional. It assumes that
the leader is the regime, that authority is biographical, and that
killing the man can kill the system.

The strategic illusion is easy to state. American and Israeli
planners acted as if the Islamic RepublicrCOs authority resided in its >>>> leadersrCO
bodies rather than in its institutionsrCoas if killing enough of the
right people could kill the system itself. Remove them, and the
regime should stagger or collapse. But Iran has not collapsed.

Nor has it staggered in any decisive way. It was built, from the
beginning, to survive exactly this kind of assault. Ayatollah
Ruhollah KhomeinirCOs problem in 1979 was not simply how to seize
power, but how to institutionalise it. The doctrine of Velayat-e
Faqih was meant to ensure that supreme authority resided in an
office, not in a mortal body. The same logic informed the regimerCOs
redundant military and security architecture. This is
continuity-of-government planning by a state that has long expected
decapitation attemptsrCoand prepared accordingly.

Ironically, the United States now seems unable to recognise the
constitutional principle that makes such resilience possible, because
that principle is being recklessly dismantled at home.

https://www.orissapost.com/succession-problem/

-o-#-+-+ -U-e-#-e-+-A, Joy, -+-#-A-U-+-A-#-# -|-+-#-C-| -+-#-e-+ -o-C-e-+-+ -| -#-#-e -+-C-+-#-+-|-+. -E -e-+-#-#, -c-|
-+-e -+-|-|-+-#-+-e-| -|-|-|-U-e-#-+-A -U-e-C-#-|-#-e -#-U-+-c-|-+ -| -e-|-+-# -+-# -U-e-#-U-|-+ -|-C-a-| -C-#-+-|-+-#-+-C.

-Y-+-e-+ -+-+-#-+ -+-# -+-|-+...

-o-U-e-|-U-e-#-|-+-+.

-Y-+ -+-# -e-|-# -e-+ -a-#-A-|-#-# -+-|-e-+ -+-+-+-|-+ -U-e-e-|-U-e-#-|-+-+, -# -#-+ -+-| -|-|-+-#-A -|-# -|-+-#-+-C-A
-|-#-|-e-+ -U-e-+ -|-#-+-#-+-#, -+-# -e-+-#-#.

-y -+-# -e-|-# -e-+ -a-#-A-|-#-# -+-|-e-+ -+-+-+-|-+ -U-e-e-|-U-e-#-|-+-+. -Y-+ -+ -#-+ -|-#-e-+ -e-|-# -+-| -|-|-+-#-A -|-#
-|-+-#-+-C-A.

:-)))))) -#-+ -U-e-+ -|-#-+-#-+-#, -c-| -+-C-+-+-a-+-+-+-+ -+-+-#-A-|-#-#-+ -e-#-|-+-#-# -e-|-+-+, -|-+-|-#-e-+ -e-+
-+-|-+-+-C-|-|-e-U-+-#-e-+ -|-+ -C-+-#-+-e -e-# -+-+-|-#-| -+-| -#-e-C-#-+ -|-# -|-#-+-#-#-e, -c-| -+-| -|-|-+-#-|-e
:-))))))

-E-+-+ -+-C-#-#-A -e-+, -+-#-e-+-e-+ -+ -e-+ -|-+ -+-C-#-#-+-e.

-E -e-+-#-# -|-+-C-| -+-#-+-U-e-+-+-# -|-+ -|-e-#-c-#-e -+-|-+-C-|-|-e-U-+-#-e-+ -e-a-|, -+-+-e-+ -+-+-#-+.
-Y-+-e-+ -+-| -+-+ -a-#-A-|-#-#, -+-C-+-U-e-+ -+-| -|-|-+-#-A -|-# -|-+-#-+-C-A, -+-#-|--+-#-+-|-+-e-+ -+-#-e-+-e-+ -+-+ -U-|
-+-e-C-#-+-#-#-# -+-+-| -+-# -U-e-U-e-+-A-+-+-|-e-+, -+-+-#-A-|-#-#-+ -U-e-C-|-U -+ -+-|-C-#-+.

-Y-+ -|-+ -+-C-#-#-+-e - -#-+ -|-#-+-#-#-a -+-+ -#-+?!
--
-2oL# tEa *-o tof oL? tec o+e tUa o#A uOe rCo Earth is born in the Bull's hour-+
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2