Blazer Ben; I don't disagree with you about the nature of the Iranian regime and am well aware of thing like the crushing of the student revolt, closing papers and the severe limits placed upon which candidates and parties can run. I also agree that Khatame largely failed and his failure is probably a large reason why Ahmadinejad is president because so many of Iranians youth and reformers are disollusioned with the reform movement. That said the fact that Iranians are stuck without much of a real choice in their candidates, Rhafsanjani and Ahmadinejad, isn't necessarily unusual for democracies nor or that there are entrenched interests groups making sure that there is a limited choice. Take the US for example where two party politics and the very electoral system pretty much guarentee that there are two choices who may not truly represent the feelings of most Americans. I'm not saying this because to defend the Iranian regime and I personally think Iran and the World would be better off without the Mullah regime. All I'm saying is that to be fair Ahmadinejad was elected in a contested election. Again not a great election but like it or not he is the elected President of Iran.
The Problem is, the Constitution of the Current system can be pretty democratic believe it or not. but the problem was, khomenie installed the Gurdian Council and the Supreme leader. had those to been not included, the system would have been good. unfortunatly, the guardian council and the supreme leader, hijacked the system and have turned it into a theocracy of the worst kind.
