Iran's Ahmadinejad Far Weaker Than He Lets On

Real Clear Politics ^ | December 26 2006 | Victor David Hanson

[Spacewalker]

The Iraq Study Group, prominent U.S. Senators and realist diplomats all want America to hold formal talks with the government of Iran. They think Tehran might help the United States disengage from Iraq and the general Middle East mess with dignity. That would be a grave error for a variety of reasons - the most important being that Iran is far shakier than we are. The world of publicity-hungry Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not expanding, but shrinking. Despite his supposedly populist credentials, his support at home and abroad will only further weaken as long as the United States continues its steady, calm and quiet pressure on him. In Iran's city council elections last week, moderate conservative and reformist candidates defeated Ahmadinejad's vehemently anti-American slate of allies. At a recent public meeting, angry Iranian students - tired of theocratic lunacy and repression - shouted down their president. By supporting terrorists in Iraq and Lebanon, enriching uranium and insanely threatening to destroy a nuclear Israel, Ahmadinejad is only alienating Iranians, who wonder where their once vast oil revenues went and how they can possibly pay for all these wild adventures.

[Spacewalker]

Hope he is right...

[trek]

Sounds right to me. The Laws of Economics are immutable. Nutjobs like Chavez or Amhedidejad can ignore them for a while. But ultimately they will out. Not even the oil money can help in the long run. For even if prices stay high or even rise expectations will always rise faster.

[Mr. Mojo]

VDH is right. And that's why Ahmadinejad has been shrieking so loudly and consistently. ....attempting to make his country appear stronger than it is to gain a superior bargaining position. The Kim Jong playbook.

[rjp2005]

Nope. Wishful thinking. He hasn't even gotten started yet.

[observer5]

Oh, don't worry. The Euro-idiots will prop him up!

[reagan_fanatic]

As long as he has the backing of the mullahs, he's untouchable.

[kinghorse]

The Iraq Study Group acts like we are wrong to be there. Come on! If we don't put forth a competing model for these people it'll be coast to coast radical islamic regimes to contend with in 20 years. When the congressman said Iraq doesn't stand a chance until the principles of Xianity are adopted he was speaking the truth. These societies didn't end up where they are today by accident. You can blame the religion for the culture of death and desperation. We are there to present an alternative to Islamic totalitarianism. The two words Islamic and totalitaran are connected forever at the hip.

[Post Toasties]

Btw, my interpretation regarding the intent of Ahmadinejad's public Holocaust denial is that he is probably well aware of its existance and extent, but that he is attempting a Big Lie.

The likely reason for Ahmadinejad's Holocaust Big Lie is that to the extent it succeeds in deceiving people, it will validate any current or future attempt by Muslim Maniacs to create a new Israel Holocaust, because, after all, they would merely be using a proven method of deception when they deny to the world what they are actually doing.

[Biggirl]

With the recent parlimentry elections handing President Nutjob a stunning defeat and recent growing college student protests, plus the recent hanging of Saddam, all of the above should send a warning message to Mr. Ahamadinejad.