Or are they just f***ing insanely arrogant ?

What's with the insistence that USA/Obama TAKE A SIDE and openly support reformers, call elections a sham, blah blah blah ?

Are this guys so blind, so dense, to not realize that this would be a GIFT to Ahmedi and his pals and the reactionaries ? There's nothing they'd like better than to be able to declare that the reformists and the protestors are puppets and tools of the Great Satan ! And given their own brand of chest-thumping nationalism -- can the GOP not realize that the Iranians are a proud people who might prefer NOT to have USA come barging into its internal affairs full of unsolicited 'help'. As the Iranian-American guest on MSNBC suggested, maybe the GOP-ers should first enquire discreetly whether Moussavi even wants such a declaration of US support. In the past, Iranian reformers have had to beg USA to STOP declaring its fervent support (and George Bush's ill-advised plans to 'fund' Iranian NGOs that can 'fight' the regime), since it was ultimately hurting their cause.

Maybe the GOP are just incapable of believing that American 'support' will be greeted with anything other than flowers and kisses ! This has got to be chapter 1 of 'political realities for dummies'!

Phew, thank whatever powers there be that its Obama in the WH, and not McCain or Bush. Though I'm sure some of our tsedek will violently disagree at any suggestions of differences between Obama and Bush (nah, I kid tsedek, I like him after all :)), I'm just very relieved to have a President savvy enough to recognize certain realities in world politics for a change, and also exhibit a certain familiarity with the history of Iran-US relations !

Or this may just be a case where Obama, like Big George 20 years ago, is more comfortable with bloodthirsty dictators. Wonder if he'll also bow to A'jad :)? Or withdraw his support for the Irani occupation of Iraq?

Now now now, to maintain your credibility as an objective critic of Obama, you have to give him credit where credit's due. Otherwise folks may start worrying that you are unduly prejudiced ;-).

It is almost certain that Ahmedinejad won a majority of the votes fairly. The question at the moment is whether the margin was ehnanced through fraud.

Reminds me never to cheat when one is ahead.....

It seams that the Arab world is blaming Obama for this 'uprising' anyway, so makes no difference if he does or doesn't, in those parts :-)

Oppositions job is always to question, that's what they do :) But yer thank the Goddess's that you voted out the 'ranters and ravers' xxxxx

Even though there is in fact no real change since Obama became President at least he is educated and knowledgeable and not jumping in, feet first, to someone else's fight,

We have to wait a while to see how this will pan out though don't we ? Remember, there were many many 'uprisings' in Russia before she could finally hold it together no longer. As Mr Fisk says it isn't about good and bad guys, it is about power, the older I get, the less difference that I see between many 'power holders' of all parties, after they have tasted power for a while they all seam to merge into one.

konark_girl:

Now now now, to maintain your credibility as an objective critic of Obama, you have to give him credit where credit's due. Otherwise folks may start worrying that you are unduly prejudiced ;-).

You may see it as credit worthy, others may see a continuation of a never-ending stream of political expediency. For the man proclaimed "visionary president-of-the-world" to sit on his hands and mumble "troubled" must surely be troubling for all the other brown-skinned people of the world. Seems the Great One's words come much more easily when they are divorced from reality and have no effect beyond gathering votes.

His childish petulance whenever a reporter asks on the subject is even more troubling, but, again, continues a pattern.

einhverfr:

It is almost certain that Ahmedinejad won a majority of the votes fairly.

?

And how did we arrive at this near certainty?

As Mr Fisk says it isn't about good and bad guys, it is about power, the older I get, the less difference that I see between many 'power holders' of all parties, after they have tasted power for a while they all seam to merge into one.

Good old Lord Acton, the guy who pointed out that power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely, also noted that where you have a concentration of power in a few hands, all too frequently men with the mentality of gangsters get control.

Smart old cove, that one.

This a trick question?....LOL

Seriously...no, just dumb. Seems they forget that the PREVIOUS election...Dubya made one of his "axis of evil" speeches against Ahmadinejad?

and he won easily (no cheating needed).

I had forgotten, yes, thing don't change, do they ?

It is those students with hope in their brave young hearts, hearts that will turn cyinical one day when their 'man' gets into power. eh :)

But as we look back from the sixties to now ( our little revolution ) , great and good changes have come, have they not. Just not in straight forward 'change of leadership' ways, I am sure these sort of changes will now come slowly to Iranians, just hope it isn't too slow. Ah well naught we can do about it :-)

I believe that in light of how our past actions with regard ti Iran have made them extremely hostile toward us, the best thing for the US to do is state that this is an internal Iranian affair and not get involved.

Ummm this is a rhetorical question right? I doubt the sanity of anyone in politics and I certainly doubt any saavy on the part of the current POTUS as well.

My son is scheduled to deploy in August to the Iraqi theatre, he is taking a Farsi refresher course right now. I am not that stupid that I cannot connect dots.

onio-:

I believe that in light of how our past actions with regard ti Iran have made them extremely hostile toward us, the best thing for the US to do is state that this is an internal Iranian affair and not get involved.

We've heard that before in the last century. Not sure why Hopieheads would have such fear of their great Talker in Chief tossing out a few more words. I think we all agree that he'll do nothing, but to have a fundamentalist Ayatullah proclaim that ignoring the peoples' votes strips a regime of political and religious legitimacy while the president of the US just mumbles "troubling" while looking peeved that journalists ask him unscripted questions is not what I expect from my Employee in Chief.

For my readers, yes, I know that I predicted that Hopieheads making excuses for their little messiah would become a full-time job, but I take no pleasure in being proven prescient(sp?).

This is an excellent apologetic for the Procrastinator in Chief and supplies many talking points to defend him from those who expect the "leader" of the free world to lead:

<link>

Political models and exit polls both show a solid majority for Ahmedinejad.

The statistical variances however ALL end up being in Ahmedinejad's favor which is why there are some concern about the exact nature of the result.