At this moment, I am inclined to say Ahmadinejad.
While there are a lot of people who are scared, and will vote against him as a result, I am reading reports from Tehran that show an air excitement among the poor and underprivileged in Iran. Many of them appear very excited about Ahmadinejad, who they view as one of their own.
The latest poll by Fars News Agency, which had the most accurate figures before the presidential race, also show Ahmadinejad leading Rafsanjani something like 47% to 36%, with the rest undecided. Although most of the undecided, if they vote, will choose Rafsanjani, many of them will not vote while a few of them will pick Ahmadinjead instead.
The only good news, amid the scary account I have read about Ahmadinejad is a more reassuming moderate tone in an interview reposted at Iranian.com. But looking at who is behind him, with folks like Mesbah Yazdi and Janati and the whole gang, I wish I could have added a few more questions to the ones asked of him.
He says he wants to mostly change the old guard in Iran's beaucracy and government. Good. But what about the "old guard" among Iran's clerical reactionaries, imbedded in various governmental and quasi governmental institutions? Why are so many of these figures attaching themselves to his campaign? Is it possible that some of those should change too, and would it not be better if he distanced himself of folks who scare a lot of Iranians based on their past statements and actions?
He mentions he is a educator, treated all his students of different backgrounds fairly, and that he has even commended newspapers against him. Good. But why are so many people involved in shutting down newspapers in the country behind him? And why did he fire the editor of city newspaper, Hamshahri, for supporting Rafsanjani?
A genuine populist who wants to change the old guard in Iran's government, and pay more attention to the poor, is okay. If that is what the people want, I can respect it. But someone who wants to use his office to oversee a "cultural revolution" via the basij would not be okay. I hope Mr. Ahmadinejad, if he gets elected, will understand that even if the poor are flocking to him, he needs at the end to act as the president of all of Iran. Otherwise, he will have divided the nation and will have made it impossible for it to move anywhere but down.
Since I am scared of those around Ahmadinejad, and have been attacking him, it is only fair to post the link to his interview and comments. I am slightly less scared, but still not reassured...
http://baztab.com/news/25611.php
Anyway, who do you think will be Iran's next President?
While there are a lot of people who are scared, and will vote against him as a result, I am reading reports from Tehran that show an air excitement among the poor and underprivileged in Iran. Many of them appear very excited about Ahmadinejad, who they view as one of their own.
The latest poll by Fars News Agency, which had the most accurate figures before the presidential race, also show Ahmadinejad leading Rafsanjani something like 47% to 36%, with the rest undecided. Although most of the undecided, if they vote, will choose Rafsanjani, many of them will not vote while a few of them will pick Ahmadinjead instead.
The only good news, amid the scary account I have read about Ahmadinejad is a more reassuming moderate tone in an interview reposted at Iranian.com. But looking at who is behind him, with folks like Mesbah Yazdi and Janati and the whole gang, I wish I could have added a few more questions to the ones asked of him.
He says he wants to mostly change the old guard in Iran's beaucracy and government. Good. But what about the "old guard" among Iran's clerical reactionaries, imbedded in various governmental and quasi governmental institutions? Why are so many of these figures attaching themselves to his campaign? Is it possible that some of those should change too, and would it not be better if he distanced himself of folks who scare a lot of Iranians based on their past statements and actions?
He mentions he is a educator, treated all his students of different backgrounds fairly, and that he has even commended newspapers against him. Good. But why are so many people involved in shutting down newspapers in the country behind him? And why did he fire the editor of city newspaper, Hamshahri, for supporting Rafsanjani?
A genuine populist who wants to change the old guard in Iran's government, and pay more attention to the poor, is okay. If that is what the people want, I can respect it. But someone who wants to use his office to oversee a "cultural revolution" via the basij would not be okay. I hope Mr. Ahmadinejad, if he gets elected, will understand that even if the poor are flocking to him, he needs at the end to act as the president of all of Iran. Otherwise, he will have divided the nation and will have made it impossible for it to move anywhere but down.
Since I am scared of those around Ahmadinejad, and have been attacking him, it is only fair to post the link to his interview and comments. I am slightly less scared, but still not reassured...
http://baztab.com/news/25611.php
Anyway, who do you think will be Iran's next President?
just because every "established" person is coming out for KOOSEH DOROOGH GOO and just in case SHARIATMADAREE/HEJJAZEE/+ ask MOJTABAA to talk DaDy into it, many will not mind to go back to a bit more restrictions if it could clean up the last 20 years of "established" corruption and create jobs, knowing it will not come to that and if so it will be a short lived restriction, because "MARDOM POR-ROO SHODAN BAR NEMEEGARDAN". He also said it will bring out the hidden "LEBAAS SHAKHSEEES" a lot sooner than later making them more accountable and answerable to "law" therefore less blood shed!
