 AP Photo Americans can be forgiven for being a bit confused about the upcoming Iranian elections. While four years ago Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Iran a "totalitarian" state, today some media outlets are touting Mir Hossein Mousavi -- incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's strongest challenger -- as Iran's Barack Obama. Though Iranian politics are wholly unique, analyzing these elections in an American political context -- however incongruous the comparison -- may offer some clarity.
Despite the Iranian president's high profile both domestically and internationally, his power is more akin to an influential U.S. vice president (a recent one comes to mind) who chooses important cabinet positions and helps sets the tone on economic and... TAGGED: Secretary of State, United States, Barack Obama, Islamic Republic of Iran, Condoleezza Rice, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, media outlets, President , Hossein Mousavi, vice president , incumbent President RECOMMENDED ARTICLES| There was a time when South Korea thought rapprochement with the North could result in the kind of peaceful reunification seen in Germany. With Pyongyang now flexing its atomic muscles, peace on the peninsula looks as far away as... more ›› |
|
Tehran's main squares and streets have been crowded until the wee hours over this past week, as supporters of the upcoming election's two leading contestants roam the streets on foot and in cars, chanting, honking their... more ›› |
| Iranians go to the polls tomorrow after one of the most lively and keenly fought campaigns since the Islamic revolution. The main choice, between the populist incumbent, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose rabble-rousing rhetoric brought... more ›› |
| On June 12, Iranian voters will choose among four leading candidates for president, but their real choice is singular: whether to continue on the course plotted by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. This ought to be a no-brainer: Ahmadinejad... more ›› |
| |
