Meet Iran's version . . .

[CaptnKirk]

Ultra-Conservative Hard-Liner Wins Election

Wins with the support of Religious poor.

What a grudge match we have shaping up in our Middle East crosshairs.

<Clip>

Ultra-conservative Tehran mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad swept to victory in Iran's presidential election on Saturday, an official said, spelling a possible end to fragile social reforms and rapprochement with the West.
Ahmadinejad, 48, received the backing of the religious poor to defeat moderate cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who was supported by pro-reform parties and wealthy Iranians fearful of a hardline monopoly on power in the Islamic state.

"(Only) three million votes remain to be counted so we can say now that Ahmadinejad has won the election," said an Interior Ministry official, who declined to be named.

An official at the Guardian Council, which must approve the election results, said that out of 18.4 million voted counted, Ahmadinejad had won 61.5 percent of ballots cast.

The official said turnout was 22 million, or 47 percent, well down on the 63 percent of Iran's 46.7 million eligible voters who cast ballots in the first round on June 17.

"This all but closes the door for a breakthrough in U.S.-Iran relations," said Karim Sadjadpour, Tehran-based analyst for the International Crisis Group.

 

[imported_Pedro69]

Really sad to see this. Lets hope he isn't to whacko, otherwise there is trouble on the horizon.

 

[phillyTIM]

Good - gooooooooood. Someone with the balls to stand up to Bush's aggression.

Let the games begin.

 

[Stunt]

My Iranian friend keeps me posted on the political scene in Iran and he said even though the ex-president was well liked and popular, he was not able to run (same two-term deal as the US). This time around, the reformist came in third as the ex-president got almost all his powers stripped by the supreme leader as he was popular and his ideas were too radical. His attempts to reform obviously affected even the less radical policies he was supporting for fear of gaining too much support in the populous.

Apparently the two hardliners who were fighting for president had VERY good backgrounds in improving roads and infrastructure. While they fly under the banner of "ultra conservatism", they are there to improve domestic issues and have little role in foriegn issues regarding such things as anti-american policy, oil and nuclear issues.

I support this nomination if it means the people of Iran will benifit from their proven track records in implementing good policices. The Iranian electorate are very young and intelligent, they are reformists at heart and do not like the leadership of their country, their willingness to elect this president speaks more than a few american's assumptions of a society they have absolutely no clue about.

That being said, i will admit to my vast lack of knowledge in Iran's political system, and can only offer the above to those interested.

 

[GreatBarracuda]

Iran's version of George Bush?

A premature comparison. You have already seen what Bush has done, being the conservative that he is. But you can't say the same for Mr. Ahmadinejad.

Somehow conservative Islam is perceived as oppressive and backwards. Hence the first reply to this thread. I hope Ahmadinejad doesn't reinforce this misconception.

 

[RabidMongoose]

He sounds pretty bad just from the 'Ultra-Conservative' label.

 

[GreatBarracuda]

Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
He sounds pretty bad just from the 'Ultra-Conservative' label.

Yeah. It's called judging a book by its cover.

 

[kogase]

Originally posted by: GreatBarracuda

Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
He sounds pretty bad just from the 'Ultra-Conservative' label.

Yeah. It's called judging a book by its cover.

Actually, it's more like saying that there is nothing wrong with conservatism per se... just the modern American version of it. In most other countries "conservatism" has a much different meaning than it does in the US.

 

[ntdz]

Originally posted by: phillyTIM
Good - gooooooooood. Someone with the balls to stand up to Bush's aggression.

Let the games begin.

Are you retarded? The taliban and Saddam stood up to Bush's aggression, and look where it got them. Do you want another war? Sigh...this is terrible.

 

[Stunt]

Originally posted by: kogase
Actually, it's more like saying that there is nothing wrong with conservatism per se... just the modern American version of it. In most other countries "conservatism" has a much different meaning than it does in the US.

Ultra-conservatism is usually made in reference to social and religious views, as the case is here. Conservatism in other countries is indeed very different, but this is not applicable here, nice try...

 

[RabidMongoose]

Originally posted by: GreatBarracuda

Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
He sounds pretty bad just from the 'Ultra-Conservative' label.

Yeah. It's called judging a book by its cover.

That's why I said he sounds pretty bad from the 'Ultra-Conservative' label. It's like saying 'He's sounds bad just from the Nazi label' and then crying and whining about it. I'm betting that this guy is a whacko if the 'ultra-conservative' label is accurate.

 

[Aimster]

Iran = gay

 

[Stunt]

Originally posted by: Aimster
Iran = gay

Thanks for the productive discussion input...:roll:

 

[raildogg]

Originally posted by: Stunt

Originally posted by: Aimster
Iran = gay

Thanks for the productive discussion input...:roll:

Boohoo to your :disgust:

hey Aimster, long time no see friend, what is up

 

[rickn]

I can't wait to see CNN and other media reporters trying to pronounce his name, hehe

 

[Stunt]

Originally posted by: raildogg

Originally posted by: Stunt

Originally posted by: Aimster
Iran = gay

Thanks for the productive discussion input...:roll:

Boohoo to your :disgust:

hey Aimster, long time no see friend, what is up

I hate to repeat myself for some of our slower members...
Thanks for the productive discussion input...:roll:

This is intended to be a legitimate discussion of the effects of the new iranian president. I'm sure you would appreciate me walking into an election results thread for the States and mentioning USA = GAY. Of course your grudge towards me would have nothing to do with your proping up of your trolling friend.

 

[MicroChrome]

Uh, we would be stupid to go to war with Iran if it came down to that besides we don't have another 500 billion to burn... Iran isn't Iraq, they have a stronger military that russians sold to them... Not only that they have allies too not like Iraq. If we did have to go with another nation we would need a draft... Reserves , national gurad and the armed forces overall are at the lowest enlistment ever.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: ntdz

Originally posted by: phillyTIM
Good - gooooooooood. Someone with the balls to stand up to Bush's aggression.

Let the games begin.

Are you retarded? The taliban and Saddam stood up to Bush's aggression, and look where it got them. Do you want another war? Sigh...this is terrible.

Mr Chamberlain?

I hope war doesn't break out, for everyone's sake.

 

[Stunt]

Iran's Political System

 

[StormRider]

Originally posted by: Stunt

Originally posted by: Aimster
Iran = gay

Thanks for the productive discussion input...:roll:

It's kind of funny coming from Aimster since I think he is Iranian....

 

[StormRider]

The pictures of him smiling and waving make him seem like a nice guy I would give the guy a chance.

My feeling is that Iran is best left alone and let nature takes it's course. I think they are naturally on the path to being a good nation and people judging by the NPR radio interviews I have been listening to with their young people while I have been driving to work. I personally think that if left alone, they will look remarkably like an Islamic flavored US in the future. I'm probably a bit bias because of my interactions with people of Iranian descent while being an undergrad/grad student at Maryland (I have a good impression of US Iranians).

 

[1EZduzit]

Originally posted by: ntdz

Originally posted by: phillyTIM
Good - gooooooooood. Someone with the balls to stand up to Bush's aggression.

Let the games begin.

Are you retarded? The taliban and Saddam stood up to Bush's aggression, and look where it got them. Do you want another war? Sigh...this is terrible.

Hey, the people voted on it and the hardliner won. As soon as we set up a democracy in Iraq, the same thing will happen there.

 

[Martin]

hey, now you guys know how the rest of the world felt when you elected Bush

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Martin
hey, now you guys know how the rest of the world felt when you elected Bush

hehe, true.

 

[CaptnKirk]

You know what - a lepord dosen't change it's spots.

This guy ran as a Hardliner against the Americas influence sphere & won strongly

Link 1

The hard-line Tehran mayor steamrolled over one of Iran's best-known statesmen to win the presidency Friday. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's landslide election victory cements conservative control over the nation's political leadership.

The outcome capped a stunning upset by Ahmadinejad, who many reformers fear will take Iran back to the restrictions imposed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The Interior Ministry gave Ahmadinejad 62.1 percent of the vote over his relatively more moderate rival, Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, who had nearly 35.5 percent. The ministry posted a notice in its headquarters declaring Ahmadinejad the winner of Friday's runoff. The rest of the ballots were deemed invalid.

The figures were based on about 66 percent of the estimated 23 million votes cast, or nearly 49 percent of Iran's 47 million eligible voters. In last week's first round of the presidential election, the turnout was close to 63 percent.

The victory gives conservatives control of Iran's two highest elected offices -- the presidency and parliament -- and gives a freer hand to the nonelected theocracy, which holds the final word on all important policies. Clerics led by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have true power in Iran and can overrule elected officials.

Reformers lost parliament in elections last year but had been hoping to keep some hand in government to preserve the greater social freedoms they've been able to win, such as looser dress codes, more mixing between the sexes and openings to the West.

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Joanne Moore indicated that the result would not change the U.S. view of Iran and of what it considered a fundamentally flawed election that refused to accept scores of candidates, particularly women.

"With the conclusion of the elections in Iran, we have seen nothing that sways us from our view that Iran is out of step with the rest of the region in the currents of freedom and liberty that have been so apparent in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon," Moore said.

Ahmadinejad, 49, mayor of the capital, campaigned as a champion of the poor. His message resonated with voters in a country where some estimates put unemployment as high as 30 percent. He struck the image of a simple working man against the 70-year-old Rafsanjani, a wealthy member of the country's ruling elite.

Ahmadinejad had not been expected even to make the runoff. But he squeaked ahead of his rivals into the No. 2 spot in last week's first-round vote. There were accusations that Republican Guards and vigilantes intimidated voters to sway the vote in his favor.


Link 2

Now, I doubt that we're 'Humiliated', but the Whitehouse dosen't approve of the outcome

<YAHOO>

Iran's all-powerful supreme leader said the United States had been "humiliated deep inside" by the Islamic republic's presidential election, won by hardliner Mahmood Ahmadinejad.
"You illustrated the secret of your solidity and power against the expansionist policies of the arrogance of the world," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday in a message to the Iranian people read out on state television.

"Despite its babbling, your enemy is now humiliated deep inside because of your greatness and the transparency of your democracy," Khamenei said.

The terms "arrogance of the world" and "enemy" are Iranian regime speak for the United States, also known here as the "Great Satan".

Khamenei told Iranians the election was "practical proof of your commitment to bravely guard the Islamic republic's interests (and) fulfil all the Islamic and revolutionary ideals."

He congratulated president-elect Ahmadinejad, urging "his and the other candidates' supporters to show capacity, patience and wisdom."

He also offered condolences to regime veteran and moderate contender Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

"I deeply appreciate all the other candidates, especially Hojatoleslam Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is one of the resources of the revolution. I hope he, my dear brother and old colleague, will be a player in important arenas of the Islamic system like always," Khamenei said.

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Keep in mind - this guy was one of the original organizers to the Iranian Revalution
& it's capturing of the Hostages back in 1979 and the fall of the Shah.

Doubt that he'll be a big friend of the USA any time soon.