The Answer To Ahmadinejad

[IndianaGreen]

IRANIAN ELECTIONS

The Answer To Ahmadinejad

In a SPIEGEL Interview, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's challenger in the Iranian election, Mir Hossein Mousavi, discusses his chances of beating the president in June and the West's illusions regarding Tehran's nuclear policy.

Once again, it seems as if there were two worlds and two perceptions: those of Tehran and those of the West.

While American and European politicians, as well as the media, sharply criticized Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, 52, for his provocative, anti-Israel remarks at the United Nations Conference on Racism in Geneva, he was applauded upon his return to Iran last Tuesday. "Thank you, thank you, to our heroic president," members of the Iranian parliament chanted. "Because of me," the Iranian president responded defiantly, "some countries boycotted the conference. I hereby declare that I will attend all international conferences from now on." He accused the European Union delegates who left the room during his speech in Geneva of "intolerance."

Mir Hossein Mousavi, 67, commented cautiously on the events, biding his time and weighing his words carefully, as he has done so many times before. In his only comment on the matter, the former prime minister said: "Anyone who insults the Iranian president is insulting the Iranian people." Mousavi is the leading candidate of Iran's so-called "reformers" and "pragmatists," as the moderate conservatives call themselves. He is seen as the only opponent of the "principlists" -- the term used to describe the hardliners expected to throw their support behind current President Ahmadinejad in Iran's June 12 election -- who stands a chance of winning.

But Mousavi faces a difficult campaign. Although there is discontent in Iranian cities, primarily because of Ahmadinejad's disastrous economic policies, the down-to-earth and charismatic president remains popular in rural areas. Besides, Ahmadinejad can take advantage of all the trappings of a sitting president during his campaign appearances. Mousavi's only chance lies in his ability to convince younger voters and the middle class to go to polls on June 12. But this is precisely his biggest problem. Mousavi is not a known entity -- not yet, at least -- to many Iranians under the age of 30, who constitute two-thirds of the country's population.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,622225,00.html

[Buzz Clik]

1. If Ahmadinejad wins, I suggest we restore full diplomatic relations with Iran, and for ambassador:

Michele Bachman.

We must fight insanity with insanity.

[Taverner]

2. Wanna defeat Ahmadinejad? Find their cultural hole and fill it with something

I will stand hard and strong that the Beatles beat the USSR

[liberaltrucker]

3. President "I'madinnerjacket" is equal to chimpie in the looney department

Thank (deity) we have a grownup in charge now.