Iran's presidental elections
 

The following link gives a decent overview of the four potential candidates. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Mir Hossein Mousavi, a reformist, are the two leading candidates but neither are shown as a clear front-runner.

As for foreign policy, all three opposing candidates have expressed disagreements with Ahmadinejad's foreign policy so there should be change in regards to that no matter who wins. All four candidates are going to continue the nuclear program and neither of the four have openly declared the need for military action against Israel.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/c...?story_id=4989


Two articles about the election process in Iran:
http://www.cfr.org/publication/19593...breadcrumb=%2F
http://www.cfr.org/publication/19494...breadcrumb=%2F

Article about Mousavi's influence of the Iranian youth population:
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/c...id=4988&page=0

From all the demonstrations it looks like they're going to vote Ahmadinejad right out of there.

Perhaps, but he is not really the one in power - The clerics rule. If he is replaced, it will simply be the same book with a new cover.

Like Obama.

I wonder when the results will be released.

How?

Supporters of both sides are claiming victory. This could get ... interesting ... And my mum is scheduled to go there for 2+ weeks (of tourism) starting late July. Hmmmm.

Pictures

NYT updates

No US president can really do much to change anything because they do not hold absolute power. Even if Obama wanted to drastically change the United States, he would be attacked from all sides and nothing would be accomplished. That is also assuming that Obama did want "change", and was not just saying that to get elected (hint, the latter is true or else he would not be a legitimate candidate).

Obama is just using (attempting to use?) a time tested technique, change just enough to be able to say you did something but not enough to get the people with power really pissed off.


As for Iran, it seems that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been declared the victor but I'm pretty sure everyone suspects foul play. Iran is slowly liberalizing and as long as a big event doesn't happen, I would hopefully expect a shift towards more secular and democratic Iran in the next few decades. It is their battle.

Social stability is deteriorating over the election results: "Correspondents say the violence is the worst seen in Tehran in a decade "

Worst in a decade? I thought Iran had clamped down pretty tight on any sort of protests, for way longer than a decade?

It will be a long tough battle but hopefully changes result from these social movements. That is how real social change occurs. My hat goes off to them.

...and CNN's headline at the moment: "Six Flags Filing for Bankruptcy" :neutral:

Lots of communications cut, including SMS and some internet, but some video and photos are finding their way out.

Sources are reporting that this is street protest against Ahmadinejad being announced winner. The people believe the election is a fraud. Michael Totten says that, in the first vid Kit posted, the people are chanting "Death to the government!"