Sure Looks Like Democracy To Me

Filed in International by on June 12, 2009

TEHRAN, Iran — Iranians packed polling stations from boutique-lined streets in north Tehran to conservative bastions in the countryside Friday with a choice that’s left the nation divided and on edge: keeping hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in power or electing a reformist who favors greater freedoms and improved ties with the United States.

Iranian women stand in line to cast their votes in the presidential election, at the Masoumeh shrine in Qum, about 120 kms south of Tehran, Friday, June 12, 2009.

Pretty damn impressive!


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A stay-at-home mom with an obsession for National politics.

Comments (22)

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  1. jason330 says:

    Ahmadinejad may win. If Bush was still President Ahmadinejad would skate back into office.

  2. Bush is a lot more popular than Obama among the people of Iran. They are tired of this government (the real one they don’t get to vote for).

    Yes, Pandora it looks like Democracy. You get to choose between the candidates they let on the ballot. You may not be aware of the fact they banned the real choices. They are only allowing as usual candidates who pledged to support the Islamic Revolution.

  3. Von Cracker says:

    Re: Bush v Obama – My Iranian cousin by marriage (a doctor in this late 20s), who routinely goes back and visits relatives over there, would call you a two-bit bullshitter, David.

  4. callerRick says:

    An uplifting sight, for sure. But remember, any Iranian candidate (including Ahmadinejad and Mousavi) must be vetted by a council led by Shi’ite cleric Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Ayatollah greatly influence policy, especially domestic policy. It will be interesting to see what happens if Mousavi prevails; Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is fervently pro-Ahmadinejad.

  5. Von Cracker says:

    David is right about one thing – it’s a toothless exercise in democracy since the real leader is untouchable, unaccountable, and protected by religious mumbo-jumbo.

  6. Dave M. says:

    The picture looks like a convocation of the remaining hard-line conservatives.

  7. jason330 says:

    Bush is a lot more popular than Obama among the people of Iran.

    Was there a seminar at some conservative conference about the wonders of pulling random bullshit out of one’s ass?

  8. Dave M. says:

    Bush hates torture!

  9. pandora says:

    It’s complete nonsense, VC and Jason. George – Iran is in the axis of evil – Bush popular? LOL!

  10. Miscreant says:

    “My Iranian cousin by marriage (a doctor in this late 20s), who routinely goes back and visits relatives over there, would…”

    Couldn’t help but notice your cousin by marriage lives here in the USA. It’s nice he visits his family. Not enough opportunity, wealth, … freedom… in Iran for the young doctor?

  11. Not with the leadership, the people. The latest poll that I have seen shows America’s popularity has dropped in Iran. The people want the U. S. to oppose their oppressors not recognize them as equally legitimate.

  12. That said this is still an important election. A couple of the candidates esp. the main leader of the opposition could lead to improved relations. The current President is too irrational.

  13. With four candidates, it’s quite likely this Iranian Presidential election will go into a run-off.

    Especially in a run-off, we could see a Florida-like finish, with the losing side questioning the legitimacy of the election result.

    One of my reporters I use in Tehran told me this afternoon that tens of thousands of Iranian expatriates from Venezuela voted, and the Moussavi supporters rushed to Iran’s election commission to protest. A much higher figure than the number of Iranian expats, and they were going overwhelmingly for Ahmadinejad.

    In many ways, this Iranian Presidential election presents the same contrasts we saw in the last U.S. Presidential election: Young vs. old; deeply traditionally religious vs. more secular (although many of these would STILL be considered devout by U.S./European standards!); urban vs. rural; ethnocentric vs. global.

    It’s true all the candidates have to pass an Islamic “litmus test”. But, still the Iranian election represents far more “democracy” than in most – if not all – of our Arab “allies” in the Middle-East.

    It’s also true the Islamic Shi’a religious establishment is the power behind the throne, but this time, it appears to be much more divided.

    This election has unleashed forces which may be difficult to contain.

    Still… not a picnic for the U.S. or the West even if Mousavi wins. He’s not going to suddenly say something good about Israel, for example.

    And – as I’ve repeatedly said – just as young Chinese who dislike the Beijing government still believe that Taiwan is an integral part of the Chinese homeland – young anti-Ahmadinejad voters still believe Iran is destined for greatness, and has every right to a nuclear “program”, as much of a right as Pakistan or Israel!

    Still—a Mousavi victory is more likely to produce a new dialogue between the U.S. and Iran.

    And I’m just speculating here, but I could imagine many Israeli military and intelligence folks secretly hoping for an Ahmadinejad victory. What? Well, I’m sure some Israelis fear that Mousavi could project a new face to the world which would make it tougher to get international support for a hard line against Iran.

  14. Von Cracker says:

    Mis – he’s been in the States since he was 5 or 6. The father left for reasons I’m not sure of, but I think it had to do with a job offer from a major university….he has a PhD in Anthropology or something like that….

  15. Von Cracker says:

    To Allen’s point – the Iranians who want to change the system know the only (least violent and most probable) way for it to come about is to work within the system as it is now…..

  16. I think we’re really seeing some exciting developments. The Lebanese election had a surprise loss by Hezbollah. Are we seeing an Obama effect?

    I’m sorry, but David is just delusional if he thinks Bush is popular in Iran. I’m sure they loved being called “The Axis of Evil.” The last time Bush was in the ME, someone threw shoes at him. When Obama spoke people screamed “we love you.”

  17. Apparently, it’s going to be a mess. Both sides are claiming victory and turnout was huge. State television is claiming Ahmadinejad with 75%. Both camps are claiming they got over 60%. Run off?

    Link

  18. cassandra_m says:

    The BBC has done brilliant reporting on this election this week and it has been really heartening to listen to the women and young people take to the streets to make their case for change. One of the signature desires repeated over and over was a desire for better relations with the US. The other thing was a desire for the government to pay more attention to the needs of the very young population of Iran, who clearly want more agency in this world.

    This isn’t so new, BTW. Periodically these kids do push back in pretty spectacular ways, it is a real shame that our news doesn’t cover this. Instead, we just get documentation of the tit for tat belligerence. Or the completely brain dead John Bolton calling for air strikes or something.

  19. Bolton is brilliant, but I don’t believe he is right on air strikes. Maybe when all other options are exhausted, but our best chance for a long term resolution rests with the people. Attacking Iran is the best way I can think of to undermine any good will that we have with the Persian people.

  20. Art Downs says:

    The election in Iran is a bit of a sham in that all three candidates had to pass muster with the Mad Mullahs.

    Talk about a dimes worth of difference.

    The best fireworks display of the year may not come on the Fourth of July.

  21. Art Downs says:

    The election in Iran is a bit of a sham in that all three candidates had to pass muster with the Mad Mullahs.

    Talk about a dimes worth of difference.

    The best fireworks display of the year may not come on the Fourth of July.

    But who counts the votes?