Iran = America (Bush's legacy)

A supporter of Iran's former Prime Minister Mousavi holds a slogan during a rally in Tehran, capital of Iran, 6/15/09 (Xinhua).

A standing president stole votes, and an election resulted in what exit polling and statistics said was an impossibility. Vote rigging was alleged. Un-accidental miscounting was obvious so that votes didn't count, and voters were disenfranchised.

The world was upset. American protesters poured out into the streets and the paramilitary was allowed to violently repress civilians with impunity. And Bush was still treated like a legitimate president.

Now it seems Mr. Ahmadinejad has followed suit. While India is the largest experiment in democracy, the U.S. is the most corrupt and well disguised perfunctory democratic act. We installed computer voting machines that preselect a candidate and passed laws that makes examining these machines a crime (Help America Vote Act).

We have a political lobbying system that pre-picks a winner based on money, the best politician money can buy. Voting is just a formality, one that changes nothing but instead entrenches the system so that whomever is selected is sure to go along to get along. Who could blame Iran or any other nation hiding behind the legitimacy of "government for the people by the people"?

Netanyahu and his right-wing political machine were not going to let Tzipi Livni stand in his way. Should, then, Ahminajad be expected to simply stand aside?

• Livni set to be Israel's second female PM

Iran's Guardian Council ready to recount disputed polling boxes
(Xinhua, chinaview.cn, 6/16/09)

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

·Iran's Guardian Council is ready to recount the disputed votes.
·Recount may lead to changes in the candidates' tally, GC says.
·Khamenei has ordered the GC to investigate claims of vote fraud.

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's Guardian Council (GC) said on Tuesday that it is ready to recount the disputed polling boxes, local English-language Press TV said. The council, Iran's top legislative body, has agreed on a recount of disputed ballot boxes in last week's presidential election if it finds irregularities in the vote count, Press TV said. "If it is necessary, exact recount will be done," the local IRNA quoted the Guardian Council spokesman Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei assaying on Tuesday in another report. More>>

Dumpsters are set on fire by supporters of Iran's defeated reformist presidential candidate Mirhossein Mousavi during clashes with police in Tehran June 13, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters) Photo gallery