Like so many others, I'm completely enthralled with what's going on in Iran. The massive, massive protests. The massive, peaceful protests. The millions of people demanding the dignity of a democratic vote. Amazing.
And I allow myself to daydream a bit about how this might pan out. The government falls, the Supreme Leader is replaced. Mousavi becomes President, and ...
Well, it turns out that other than not being a lifelong Jew-baiter, Mousavi's policies are not a whole lot different than Admadi's. Seriously, he is pretty conservative, is a hard-core Islamist, no friend to the West, would probably continue the nuke program, and is only a very moderate reformer. I'm no expert, but I've gathered that from the web; maybe it's wrong.
The analogy might then be if there was an election between George Bush and Mitt Romney and Bush stole the election. The end result is pretty much the same.
So why are people so enraged about this? The only conclusion I can reach is that they want their voices heard. They have some rudimentary democratic institutions, and they value them and want them respected. This uprising does not seem intended to overthrow the Islamic government, not to completely install western-style democracy, not to fundamentally change Iran -- just to have their voices heard.
And they are willing to march and die for that right.
Amazing.
And I allow myself to daydream a bit about how this might pan out. The government falls, the Supreme Leader is replaced. Mousavi becomes President, and ...
Well, it turns out that other than not being a lifelong Jew-baiter, Mousavi's policies are not a whole lot different than Admadi's. Seriously, he is pretty conservative, is a hard-core Islamist, no friend to the West, would probably continue the nuke program, and is only a very moderate reformer. I'm no expert, but I've gathered that from the web; maybe it's wrong.
The analogy might then be if there was an election between George Bush and Mitt Romney and Bush stole the election. The end result is pretty much the same.
So why are people so enraged about this? The only conclusion I can reach is that they want their voices heard. They have some rudimentary democratic institutions, and they value them and want them respected. This uprising does not seem intended to overthrow the Islamic government, not to completely install western-style democracy, not to fundamentally change Iran -- just to have their voices heard.
And they are willing to march and die for that right.
Amazing.
2 comments:
You're right that he's no reformer, but if they are allowed to elect who they want to elect, then the next president might be.
Of course, they have to decide to depose their supreme leader first...
I think the difference between Bush & Romney would be significant.
Post a Comment