Unless something truly dramatic happens, it's likely that the election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ultimately will be upheld, even if the ruling authority has to make some symbolic concessions.Nevertheless, the protests in Iran clearly show how much pent up frustration there is in the country under clerical, repressive rule. It no doubt is a wake up call to the powers that be both in Iran and the other regimes in the region who have exerted control and power that their populations are beginning to bristle under their paternalistic, oppressive authority, and that their sway over the nation is not as strong as they thought.
The response to the election results also exposes Ahmadinejad's unpopularity. Even by the standards of the Middle East, Ahmadinejad's grandstanding and posturing—bordering on the inane and buffoonish—has not only been a source of embarrassment, but led to the growing isolation of the country. Relative to its neighbors, Iran is a relatively cosmopolitan people, and Ahmadinejad's boorishness must no doubt be a source of serious consternation to many in the country.
As I have mentioned in the past, these regimes have often distracted their people from the their own failings by blaming their lot on the West and Israel. One must wonder how long they can sustain this lie before it begins to crumble under the desire for more freedom and opportunities.
Photo credit: From the New York Daily News.
