Political and Power Structure of the Islamic States of America

POPULATION OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC
Muslims 80 percent
(40 percent of total population Moderates, 30 percent Fundamentalists, 10 percent Moderns)
Catholics 20 percent

Characteristics of these segments

Moderate Muslims: women can drive, go to university, travel unaccompanied by blood relative, go to certain movies and listen to certain music. Moderate women are expected to wear habib (headdress) and/or chador (robe) but they are permitted to wear colors and styles of their choosing. Like all Muslims, moderates are expected to pray five times a day, attend mosque regularly and follow the traditional dietary laws of no alcohol, no pork, no shellfish, no meat that has not been certified acceptable (halal) by an Islamic butcher. Moderates can chew khat, a stimulating, intoxicating herb grown in East Africa. All body hair is excised. While Islam is the only true religion, Moderates tolerate Christians as "People of the Book" - the Old Testament - and share many of the same prophets, particularly Abraham, who is considered the father of the Arabs. Jesus is also revered as a great prophet, one of a thousand or so sent by Allah before the final prophet Muhammad.

Fudamentalists: women forbidden to drive, go to university or travel unaccompanied by a blood relative. Chador or burka is required to be worn at all times outside the home, and black or white are the only acceptable colors. No music. No movies. The Holy Qu'ran or religious texts are the only acceptable reading material. Permission by the husband in writing is required to travel for any purpose, including shopping. All body hair other than on the head is to be removed. Men totally dominate all decisions. Men must wear beards, no longer than a fist in length, as per the Prophet's example. Extreme intolerance of any deviation from the strictures. Death by stoning for adulterers or fornicators. Listening to music, going to movies, and (for women) being accompanied by a non-blood male can be cause for severe punishment, including death.

Moderns: attend mosque rarely and pray intermittently or by rote. They have freedom of dress and bright colors are common. Men wear suits or shorts as they decide. Women may wear skirts at knee length or show their bare arms in public. Women are on equal basis with men in terms of educational opportunity, jobs, driving, etc. Moderns listen to whatever music they want, dance and drink alcohol, although not outside the Zone (a moral free-fire area in all the major cities). Moderns are often found in the technical or creative community. If the fundamentalists had their way, Moderns would be killed, being considered greater offenders (apostates) to Islam than Christians.

POWER DYNAMICS OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC

State Security --- comparable to FBI/CIA. Current leader is Redbeard, aka Thomas Dougan. The first head of State Security was James Dougan. James Dougan was assassinated in 2020, supposedly by elements loyal to the Bible Belt, but in actuality by agents working for the Wise Old One.

The Wise Old One, aka Hassan Muhammad, often called Mahdi by his followers is fabulously wealthy and well over a hundred years old. A westernized Muslim who has been planning the takeover of the United States, and later the rest of the world, for decades. (The culmination of Islamic prophecy of one who will appear at the time of great peril for Muslims and triumph over the enemies of Islam, thereby setting himself up as the head of the world Caliphate).

Black Robes, RADICAL CONSERVATIVE muslims charged with maintaining public morals. Their leader at the time the book opens is Mullah Oxley, who is assassinated and replaced by Khaled Ibn-Azziz in Chapter 7. Black Robes have approximately half the Imams (muslim ministers) under their control. They have no substantial armed wing, although they use proxies, bounty hunters and ex-military when needed. Their power ultimately stems from the conservative Muslim population itself, which makes up approximately 20% of the total population and 25% percent of the Muslim population. What the conservatives and the Black Robes lack in sheer numbers they make up for in rigor, discipline and fervor.

Fedayeen --- ultimate warriors of the Islamic republic. Think of the S.S in Nazi Germany. The Fedayeen are extraordinarily well trained in all aspects of combat, and through injected genetic cocktails are able to go days without sleep, heal rapidly and have faster reflexes. They are Muslims but not necessarily conservative, their loyalty is to the state and to President Kingsley. While they only have 5-10 percent of the personnel of the army, they have better equipment, better training and could clearly defeat the army. The army is strictly for defense of the Islamic republic; the Fedayeen are for foreign assignments, whether to defend other Muslim nations around the world or to be used in small unit actions against the Bible Belt. Within the Fedayeen are two specialty units: the Shadow Warriors (elite, specialized deep-ops) like Rakkim, or Assassins (elite killers) like Darwin. The current leader of the Fedayeen is General Kidd, a Somali immigrant and devout Muslim.