Iranian Election and Government Structure

[saden1]

They couldn't have rigged it for a modest win? Does it even matter who the president is seeing how their government is structured?

[KLHJ2]

Not really. It would be like McCain and Obama being in office at the same time. One would handle domestic affairs and the other handles the Military and foreign policy. In the end the dipshit with the most power has the final say.

[BleedBurgundy]

Ayatollah makes the rules. Ahmadinejad is the international face. Seriously, it's 2009 and there are still Theocracies. WTF?

[12thMan]

Good link Saden.

I think it does matters. While MA doesn't wield all the power in Iran, he's the public face for sure. And right now most --if not all-- of the public's anger is directed at him. But you guys make a good point, that flow chart is seriously complicated.

[RobH4413]

The president is pretty much a face and that is all... (also... all presidential candidates are pre-approved by the government anyways sooo yeah)

Whats interesting is that the people are getting fired up. If that seed is planted it can and will grow. The people of Iran want democracy (especially the growing younger population)... they really do. They just don't want it implanted by the US, and with good reason.

Ayatollah is the leader, and he will keep that theocracy going at pretty much all costs.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by RobH4413

The president is pretty much a face and that is all... (also... all presidential candidates are pre-approved by the government anyways sooo yeah)

Whats interesting is that the people are getting fired up. If that seed is planted it can and will grow. The people of Iran want democracy (especially the growing younger population)... they really do. They just don't want it implanted by the US, and with good reason.

Ayatollah is the leader, and he will keep that theocracy going at pretty much all costs.

How has the US ever tried to force democracy on Iran? Yes presidents have talked about a democracy in Iran but that as far as it ever has gone. You do know this was all brought about because of Obama's speech a couple of weeks back and now democracy will spread like wild fire and we will all live as one.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by firstdown

How has the US ever tried to force democracy on Iran? Yes presidents have talked about a democracy in Iran but that as far as it ever has gone. You do know this was all brought about because of Obama's speech a couple of weeks back and now democracy will spread like wild fire and we will all live as one.

I think it's gone further than just talk

Electronic Briefing Book: The Secret CIA History of the Iran Coup

[Trample the Elderly]

If I were the Israelis I'd attack now while they're at their weakest. After the attack I'd blame it all on Am-a-dick-jihad and the hardliners.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

I think it's gone further than just talk

Electronic Briefing Book: The Secret CIA History of the Iran Coup

I was thinking more of current stuff and how presidents have treated Iran.

[RobH4413]

Originally Posted by firstdown

How has the US ever tried to force democracy on Iran? Yes presidents have talked about a democracy in Iran but that as far as it ever has gone. You do know this was all brought about because of Obama's speech a couple of weeks back and now democracy will spread like wild fire and we will all live as one.

I never said we were trying to force democracy on Iran. We have, however, forced democracy out of Iran. In light of our record of implementing democracy on Islamic states, I felt it was appropriate to address that issue of what the Iranian people feel.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by RobH4413

I never said we were trying to force democracy on Iran. We have, however, forced democracy out of Iran. In light of our record of implementing democracy on Islamic states, I felt it was appropriate to address that issue of what the Iranian people feel.

Well with all the protest going on how can you say that how the people still feel about democracy. I feel its more of the people in charge and not wanting to let go of their power and keeping their people suppressed.

[firstdown]

I just love how the news has covered the story. They first acted like how the election would be fair and all votes counted corectly. Then it was they are going to investigate the results and now they are going to do a recount. The whole time the media is all over themself ingnoring the fact that none of this is going to happen.

[Schneed10]

It matters to Iranians because the President has the role of upholding their constitution which affects internal matters, but does it matter to the United States? Not really all that much. The Supreme Leader is in charge of all military decisions, so if Iran were to attack Israel or something that would be the Ayatollah's decision, not Ahmenijad's.

Ahmenijad is a public face and he goes out publicly threatening Israel, but in the end his opinion is only monitored to the extent that it reflects the opinion of the Ayatollah.

If the Ayatollah were the one coming out saying that Israel should be wiped off the face of the Earth, I'd be a lot more concerned.

[GusFrerotte]

As for Iranian democracy, if I am not mistaken didn't the Washington Post just run a story about how they conducted a poll in Iran a week before the election and the poll came out almost identical to the real outcome? Ahjy gets his support from the workers and peasants in the small towns and rural areas which make up the majority of the Iranian population. Mousavi gets his support from the students, the artists, upper class, along with the rich expats abroad. Throw in the typcial DC saber rattling as of late and it is more than believable that Ahjy could win by a 2-1 margin. Another interesting tidbit about Mousavi is that he was the Foreign Minister during the Iran Iraq War, had a hand in Iran Contra, and also is beleived to have had a hand in the creation of Hezbollah, so in reality it might not really matter who wins.

[70Chip]

There has always been a stong undercurrent of resistance to the theocracy in Iran but I think the main reason it is reaching a critical mass now is that the younger folks there feel empowered enough to act. Remember, that an entire Iranian generation was wiped out in the Iran-Iraq war. That allowed the mullahs to maintain power through a difficult time and for a longer period than might otherwise have been sustainable. Now, the demographics have swung against them. I suspect, however, that we will not see a full-scale counter-revolution. Instead the clerics will make enough concessions to maintain power without completely losing their grip. These protesters are not hard core deomocrats or secularists. They're just pissed that the election was a ripoff. The mullahs will survive, though what emerges will almost certainly better for us than the intransigent regime of recent years.