Another Victory For "Tough Talk"

By Cernig

The BBC: "Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has urged President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to prepare for a second term in office amid fierce criticism. The ayatollah praised the president for "standing up" to the West and predicted he would be returned to office for four more years at the 2009 election."

Despite Ahman-nutjob's utter failure on the Iranian economy, with runaway unemployment and inflation. Despite moderates making serious inroads on his powerbase by attacking him on domestic issues, despite the received wisdom as little as a year ago that he wouldn't manage to get re-elected, Khamenei has backed him for a second term.

"Do not think that this year is your final year," Ayatollah Khamenei told the president at a cabinet meeting on Saturday, in remarks quoted by Iranian state media.

"Work as if you will stay in charge for five years. In other words, imagine that in addition to this year, another four years will be under your management, and plan and act accordingly."

Without referring to foreign states by name, the supreme leader accused "some bullying and brazen countries and their worthless followers [of wanting] to impose their will on the Iranian nation".

"The president and the government have stood up to their excessive demands and moved forward," the ayatollah said.

Way to go, Dubya! If you'd just followed Obama's advice the US could be looking forward to a relatively moderate Iranian president in 2009 as Ahmadinejad got buried under a landslide of domestic bad news. But that wouldn't have given either Republicans or Ahmadinejad's hardliners what they wanted - re-election on the crest of a wave of fearmongering.

Comments

[Earl]

I just have to wonder what ties Khamenei has with the neocons around here...

It IS all connected, you know...

[Kevin]

Who are these moderates making "inroads"? I'm curious.