Democracy Iranian Style

Apparently, the debate is indeed "robust". More after the photos.

(I found this photo, on Andrew Sullivans blog and can be found with other news and videos from inside Iran at http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/. )

It's hard to quantify these events exactly. On one hand, it's encouraging to see the Iranians actually caring about the vote and elections in general. It shows a general level of discontent which is always a good start towards change. However, it's also incredibly sad to know that, unless a full on revolution starts, this is all completely meaningless.

Despite President Obamas self congratulatory delusion, repeated by the media, that these elections were proof of a "democratic" Iran having a serious debate about the future of the country, this election was in the bag before it even started. All presidential candidates in Iran have to be approved by the mullahs. Even if current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was replaced by challenger Mirhossein Mousavi, who cares? Lets not forget that Mousavi is the former Prime Minister of Iran (no longer a part of the Iranian political structure) who during his tenure openly started a nuclear weapons program in defiance of all the Western powers. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss indeed.

Even more disturbing is the reaction of leaders at home and abroad. After President Obama's initial views on the election have proven to be a myth, he now is proclaiming that he is "troubled" by the election, is cautioning against more bloodshed and calling upon Iran to respect the civil right to fair representation and clean elections all the while proclaiming that all nations must respect the sovereignty of the Iranians to conduct their own elections. The President has been echoed by spokesmen for the UK and France.

The idea that any of these leaders actually believe that Iran cares about clean elections, civil rights or basic human dignity is absurd. There isn't any evidence to support any conclusion other than the hard line radicals who run that country get exactly who they want in office. If Obama, or any other leader, believes the things they say about Iran then they are in a state of willful ignorance about the world and how it works. On the other hand, if they know the truth of the Iranian situation, then all this "democratic Iran" business is a deliberate attempt to deceive the people of their respective countries into believing the myth as well so that Iranian aggression can be explained away leaving the leaders to proceed with their domestic and foreign agendas without having to deal with Iran at all.

Much like the Iranian protesters can't win either way with this election, so long as Obama is either lying to himself about Iran or just lying to us, the outcome is the same; an Iran that is unchecked and dangerous.