I find myself disappointed this morning. I was hoping that the people of Iran would vote along the lines of the recent election in Lebanon. I was hoping that The Iranians would turn out Ahmadinejad and vote in the more moderate Moussavi. It has been announced they didn't.
I was thinking that in some ways the situation in Iran seems to correspond with the situation we had here. The Iranian president has been very outspoken in ways, that for us, and the rest of the world, are very scary. He has thumbed his nose at the international community, as far as the Iranian nuclear program, has called for the destruction of Israel, and has continued to characterize America and the western powers as the great evil in the world.
If you thought that Iran couldn't be more isolated from the rest of the world, president Ahmadinejad has proved you wrong. In Iran, his policies have not helped his country's economy. Certainly hasn't helped the proverbial "little guy" in Iran, and yet he reaches the people somehow. They vote against their own interests and support a man who has done much damage both inside the country and internationally. Worst of all, under his administration, the country has never been more politically divided .
This week has seen street demonstrations that turn into street fights between rival supporters. Politics played at a very hot level. With all sorts of charges thrown around. Remind you of anybody. The question in the Iranian election was whether the country could take another 4 years of Ahmadinejad. Well it seems they think they can. The returns are in, and according to the reports this morning, Ahmadinejad has won with over 65% of the vote. I just can't wait to see his smug, smiling face during his victory speech. Will he make any mention of the opposition? That opposition is made up of the women and the young of Iran. They have been out on the streets demonstrating their support of Moussavi. There are also questions of voter fraud which would not surprise anybody. So, is their a silver lining in this turn of events? I think so.
I think there is something happening in all of the middle east. It starts with a new attitude from the American government. A firm, sensible, and above all, competent foreign policy. If there was one thing missing in the last eight years it was competence. Just getting it done right. Then, when you do get things right, the youth and women of the region see a better life for themselves and their families. That9s all anybody anywhere in the world wants. Just like us. T
Just now, a friend of mine who's a medical student in Tehran University told me the number of injured people and those shot has increased so much that all the major hospitals were full. She also said last night 9 more people died and their bodies were taken away by the military, not even their families were informed where the bodies were taken. You can delete this comment Tony because I know it's tragic and many people don't like to know about it. I'm okay with that. I just wanted to tell you something that no news channel not even CNN will tell.
Have a great day!
Hi Tony!
I'm a 27 years old Iranian girl and I've been a fan of yours since I watched Who's The Boss last year.
I appreciate you paying attention to our politics cuz as you said, it's all connected. But the big thing is that no politician in the US wants any change in our tyrannical govt for many reasons that can't be discussed now. The leader of the opposition party or as they call it the Green party in Iran,Mr. Mousavi, too, has been approved by our Supreme Leader and his council of clergies to be qualified for the election, It's not like he's going to act any different from Ahmadinejad if he was elected. We all know that the supreme leader is the One, making all the decisions, even if the President tries to make some changes, he needs the approval of the leader!! Election in Iran is just a political illusion to make people believe they elect their President but in reality President holds no powers and he is only the puppet in the hands of the elite of the country.Which is by the way according to the Constitution, completely legal and people's votes don't count if they're against the Supreme Leader. The riots and the rallies unfortunately are just meant to drag people's attention and identify those against the Leadership and eventually eliminate any opposing person. Mr. Mousavi is also in this game and he is not on people's side for sure.
I'm just saddened for those young students who lost their lives and those who will be imprisoned after this commotion is over. I hope I'm not one of them !
I love your blogs and the fact that you're so up to date :-)
Take care
I love your thoughts, Sharon. And I agree 100%! And nice name by the way (it's my wife's name).
Not so long ago Iranian people were used as living shields for the Iranian army against Iraq. At least the young leaders of tomorrow feel free enough to voice their opinions and to fight for their beliefs! The Iranian people have come a long way in the past few decades.
The one thing we need to remember as Americans is to be very, very thankful for our freedom. It has come at a tremendous cost and could easily be lost. Many of us have children serving in the armed forces to protect our freedoms and help others achieve them for themselves. Our troops are happy to do their duty and I couldn't be prouder of my soldiers (daughter and son-in-law) currently serving in Iraq!
Peace never comes quickly enough, but our greatest hope and prayers must be for a meaningful and sustainable peace.
I am enjoying the site, your thoughts and the discussions Tony!
Meant to say "I know that IF I was an Iranian citizen..." That one tiny word (if) makes a diffence in getting my point across.
My wife and I have been following all of this on CNN, and all I have to say is "Thank God I'm an American". I know that I was an Iranian citizen, I would have been right there with the women and young people pushing for Mossavi. And yes, it does remind me all too well of one particular person that I'm glad is no longer in office! Keep the political blogs and vlogs coming Tony! They are insightful, thoughtful, and exactly what this country needs!