Students Reflect Iranian Weakpoints

I for one thought for sure that these elections were just a ruse for the so-called "conservatives" of Iran. After the very suspicious way Ahmadinejad came to win after being a distant third only weeks before the last presidential election, I thought for sure we would see some theatrical attempt to make the elections look legit, but in the end Ahmadinejad's party would take home the bacon (pun intended). I have always heard that the younger folks of Iran (that are a majority) were much more open minded about democratic reforms, but then they elect an autocrat (and his ayatolla cronies) to run their country. None of it made too much sense.

Maybe, the cracks are just too numerous now for the conservatives to cover up anymore and they had to let the elections fall to the will people this time...? We can only hope.

I think you are right in being amazed that these elections seem fair but the cause may be that the chief Ayatollah doesn't always see eye to eye with Ahmadinejad, who has a different spiritual mentor,and therefore there is not a monolithic block running this country but two power blocks which keep each other honest.

Whatever the reason, we should take advantage of it.

As I posted this morning I am not getting excited about any of this. Yes many "moderates" won. However, Mahmoud Abbas is supposedly a moderate. Internally they may have problems but I haven't seen or read anything of substance that would lead me to believe that their foreign vies have changed.

Then again, I hope I'm wrong.

But if we can make trouble for them in their own backyard maybe they will have less time to spread havoc elsewhere.

I guess my attitude is its worth a try.