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Consideration

Reader comment on item: Assessing the Iranian Election

Submitted by Murray Orbuch (United States), Jun 14, 2009 at 08:44

I think another dimension to the Khamane'i choice should be considered and may explain the counter-intuitive choice. From the perspective of the Ahmadinejad camp, their policies have borne the greatest fruit; not only was the Bush perspective ousted in Washington but a diametrically opposed power base installed with Obama; his supplications to the Islamic world seen as a sign of exhaustion and defeat.

Israel is more isolated than ever, the act of self-defense in Gaza is seen as a "war crime" by certain factions in the UN and the West. The Obama administration, rapidly distancing itself from Israel as an ally, appears poised to press Israel into dramatic concessions without reciprocal actions from the Palestinians.

Despite the electoral setback in Lebanon, Hizbullah is more heavily armed than before and remains a "5th column" military force in Lebanon accountable only to Iran. The mullahs also take the long view; they feel that Islamism and Leftist apologia is on the ascendancy while the US is in a rapid financial decline, hastened by the reckless fiscal policies of Congress.

America's will and ability to afford the overseas projection of power that limited Iran's expansion seems on the wane. So from that view, why bother with the window-dressing? China will also take US reaction less into consideration in the next decade because there will be no serious downside.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (35) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
#928, Rooting for Ahmedinejad [193 words]Suren SukhtankarJul 3, 2009 10:28158440
Interesting points Dr Pipes [201 words]VikramJun 21, 2009 12:57157724
Obama's "Whatever" diplomacy [172 words]Fay VoshellJun 18, 2009 09:14157577
Progress is the only concern [245 words]edmond daherJun 18, 2009 05:40157572
I Think I Might Have Khamenei Figured Out [282 words]AlexJun 16, 2009 16:30157489
Tactics of the shah and Ahmadinejad [117 words]cibberJun 16, 2009 09:51157470
Caroline Glick offers an interesting comment [176 words]BrendaJun 16, 2009 00:27157450
The mad Mullahs wanted a lunatic face of Iran...and they got it! [88 words]M.D'SouzaJun 15, 2009 19:52157434
Iranian Election [140 words]JACQUES HADIDAJun 15, 2009 17:28157425
Re: Dr. Pipes, You Are Wrong On Three Points. [237 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Aymenn JawadJun 15, 2009 15:33157417
Shows the position is more than just a figurehead [72 words]BernardzJun 15, 2009 14:24157414
Agree. Better to have A'mad in charge. [56 words]Manuel MatamorosJun 15, 2009 13:55157413
Blood of Tyrants [165 words]Lou from Queens, NYC, USAJun 15, 2009 13:09157411
Everything has a purpose. [48 words]white anneJun 14, 2009 18:18157362
Ahmadinejad's appeal to the "Muslim world" [139 words]Jean GranvilleJun 14, 2009 17:57157359
what "pro-Islamist" policies? [166 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
JeffJun 14, 2009 17:18157354
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Iran leaders deliberately slap USA [62 words]AngelJun 14, 2009 14:00157342
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Cyrus the Great? [330 words]John W. McGinleyJun 14, 2009 10:07157328
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Consideration [224 words]Murray OrbuchJun 14, 2009 08:44157325
Baffled? [73 words]RuthJun 14, 2009 07:31157323
The real leadership [294 words]hyman peskinJun 14, 2009 07:14157322
they love death [58 words]solemnmanJun 14, 2009 04:16157316
Khamene'i loves Ahmadinejad and Twitters from Iran [318 words]LindaKJun 14, 2009 02:25157314
Ahmadinejad also Slaps the face of Brazilian President and Alli Khamenei Unusual Move. [170 words]SvetlanahJun 14, 2009 02:05157313
Wasn't the establishment of a functioning democracy in Iraq supposed to [86 words]DaMavJun 14, 2009 01:32157310
No mistake [81 words]SergeJun 14, 2009 01:10157309

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