“Give me six lines written by the most honorable of men, and I will find an excuse in them to hang him”
                                                                                                  Armand-Jean du Plessis Richelieu

The issue of Ahmadinejad and the appointment of his relative Meshai as a vice president remains unresolved. Apparently neither the opposition nor the conservative mullahs like his appointment. Nejad had reportedly promised to remove him into another position, but he took him along to the last cabinet Meeting (where the president presides). Reports also claim that members of the cabinet were not amused.

Some media report that Ayatollah Ali Khamenai is very unhappy about Meshai’s appointment and his continuing to ‘hang around’ the cabinet. State radio said that Khamenai has asked Ahmadinejad to sack mr. Meshai, but so far: no dice. Is Ahmadinejad smelling blood and has decided to ignore the ‘Leader’? That would be highly unlikely: right now he needs all the influential friends he can get.

 “Iran and Western Hypocrisy: Travelers coming out of Iran say that the internal situation is calm and life goes on normally, and most Iranian do not see demonstrations….Western governments do not want calm to return to Iran……Sweden’s Karl Bildt, whose country chairs the European Union said that ‘the Iranian regime suffers from a problem of legitimacy’….

“We doubt that Western countries would question any elections held in an Arab or Islamic country that is seen as friendly to the West…

“Iran is witnessing a democratic movement that is noticeable: reformers who are challenging the regime, question its legitimacy, and call for redoing the election are moving freely, as are their supporters who demonstrate in public squares. Meanwhile, prison will be the fate of any person who presents the Saudi king with a petition asking for constitutional reforms, allowing freedoms and ceasing human rights violations…” al-Quds al-Arabi, strongly pro-Palestinian daily published from London (7/24).

One can look on a flattering side to this claimed Western ‘hypocrisy’: maybe they expect more, and better things, from Iran than they do from other states of the region. Maybe they consider many of the oligarchies hopeless cases as far as democracy is concerned. Or maybe it is a case of “the squeaky wheel getting the grease”.
Cheers
mhg
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