According to a Shiite cleric in Iraq, if Barack Obama becomes president he may suffer a similar fate to President Khatami. To read further about this, check out this LA Times Blog entry.
Here is a brief list of reasonse why this isn’t even worth discussing:
1. America in 2008 is nothing like Iran of 1997.
2. Yes Obama is young and idealistic, but the American system provides for much more dialogue, transparency and flexibility that the Iranian one does.
3. The American electorate, may be younger than ever, but it is nothing like the one Iran that elected Khatami.
At the time of Khatami’s two elections the voting age in Iran was 15. Couple that with the fact that the population was overwhelmingly under 30 and I hope you can see where I’m going.
This statement by Shiek Humman Hammoudi deserves no airplay, but I’m sure we’ll be hearing all about it for days.
Way to go LA Times.
