wow-they had an election in iran!!!!

[madrchsod]

a real democratic election! nobody won! another vote coming up next week. will bush bomb them before the run-off election?
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/177384C8-D6CC-46E7-9E33-04844FB6E089.htm
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/E4D19123-9DD3-11D1-B44E-006097071264.htm
...fire up the jets boys,we got some bombing to do!!!....

[SouthernDem2004]

1. Real? They barred numerous candidates from running. Nope, not real. /nt

[Clark2008]

2. Hell, they do that here.

It's as real as American elections!

[SouthernDem2004]

8. Not really. We only bar felons and the like.

[not systems]

4. Why can they just have 2 instead of 9 candidates like real...

democracies do?

What criteria were used to bar the candidates?

Age?

Criminal recored?

Country of birth?

If so then they may be more like "real" democracies than you guess.

[SouthernDem2004]

9. Not even close...

Women are barred of course. Then there is anyone who wants change or take power from religious leaders. Moderates barred... Anyone that looks at a Cleric funny...barred... 2000 people were barred last year from running in one election cycle.

[not systems]

10. Can you give a link that "Anyone that looks at a Cleric funny" and...

"Moderates" were barred.

What is your source for real information about the
selection method used to bar candidates?

I'm glad I'm talking to an expert, so your link should be
detailed and non-editorial in nature.

[SouthernDem2004]

12. Lol...

http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0111/iran.html
http://www.blogscanada.ca/blog/permalink.aspx?guid=D59C1C96-8AC2-47AB-A06D-BED0A08793FB
http://www.iran-press-service.com/articles_2004/Jan_04/iran_disqualifications_31104.htm
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/05/23/international/i080936D85.DTL
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/1303224.stm
http://www.farsinet.com/news/jan2000.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1023758.htm
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/01/26/MNGNI4HMLV1.DTL
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1023646.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-01-02-iran-elections_x.htm
http://www.iranian.com/News/1999/October/defuse.html

Tsk Tsk, such hostility. Relax and count to 10 and then try reading about Iran.

[not systems]

13. Which one has the "looked at funny" part?

Are they ordered by recommendation or just a google paste job?

Have you read this one.

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/0c5a659a-df11-11d9-84f8-00000e2511c8.html

Iran candidates count on women’s votes
Najmeh Bozorgmehr in Tehran
Published: June 17 2005 10:34 | Last updated: June 17 2005 10:34

Iran/ ballot box young and not-so-young women, women in chadors and women in bright headscarves - a cross-section of Iran’s female population - were among those queuing to vote on Friday as Iran went to the polls to elect a new president from among seven male candidates.

“I’ve studied what they’ve all said and I’m voting for the future of my country, not just on issues that concern women,” said Mahya, 17, voting at the Imam Hassan mosque, Mahallati, north-east Tehran.

In Iran’s lively presidential election campaign, candidates of all persuasions have promised to improve the lives of women, even if specifics have been rare.

Despite the huge expansion in the number of women in higher education since the 1979 Islamic Revolution – 60 per cent of university students are female – only 3 per cent of senior managers are women.

...


or

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/krwashbureau/20050617/ts_krwashbureau/_bc_iran_election_wa_1

Polls close in Iran with no clear winner

By Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, Knight Ridder Newspapers Fri Jun 17, 7:34 PM ET

TEHRAN,
Iran - Millions of Iranian voters cast ballots Friday in the most contested presidential election in the Islamic Republic's 26-year-history, but were left with few clues as to whom their new leader would be.


Preliminary results for the No. 2 spot in Iran's government were expected Saturday, Interior Ministry officials said. But none of the seven candidates was expected to get the simple majority needed to win outright, meaning the two top vote-getters will likely square off in an unprecedented runoff to be held in the coming weeks.

...



Strange type of non-"real" democracy were the outcome is unknown
and a runoff between candidates with differing positions must
be held.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[not systems]

15. So what do you recommend?

We begin bombing in 5 minutes?

Here we have a very effective screening process for candidates
in the two party system and the fund raising requirements for
running campaigns for nation offices.

Do you find that anti-democratic?

The question is not if the Iranian elections are less than
perfect but if they are basically democratic.

They appear to be.

Many countries have very constrained political processes that
we consider democratic consider Mexico for 75 years one party
held a monopoly on the government yet they had election and
we accepted them as democratic.

With Iran many people are ready to call it a fake election, but if
held in Saudi Arabia would be a huge break through for democracy.

Your accusation of "hostility issues" and "poor attitude" are
unappreciated. I believe you have a problem with being called
out on your knee jerk judgments about what is and is not a
continuation of slowly growing democratic tradition in Iran
that will hopefully eventual lead to a more open and self reforming
society.

I think that was the path the Iran was on until coming
under increased hostilities from the Bush government.

FYI: the happy place comment is a very rude thing to say.

Perhaps you should keep your power tripping in check,
it was a joke on my part too obviously.

[not systems]

21. New article supports my point...

that Bush has pushed Iran away from self reform with his war mongering.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1562742#1563444

[Ms. Clio]

18. To tell someone: "You are one of the few people on the planet"

Sounds like "hostility issues" and a "poor attitude" to me.

[not systems]

19. The definition of "hostility issues" and a "poor attitude" here...

is not agreeing with his parroting the official line.

It seems that the elections in Iran are far more free
than the elections in Iraq were and they were trumpeted
as the best thing since sliced bread.

[Ms. Clio]

20. Yes, I know, I just thought I would point that out

for my own gratification, really. :)

I was going to make the Iraq comparison, myself -- as if that dog and pony show orchestrated by an occupying foreign power was some sort of democratic triumph.

[Johnywolf]

3. lol

If you think that elections there will ever be "DEMOCRATIC"...
Also I always considered alijazeera to be a "terrorist" news network. It is the network terrorists trust with their videos.

:dem:

[not systems]

6. Have you seen Control Room?

It is a documentary about aljazeera and quite interesting.

If Baghdad Bob and Rumsfeld agreed on one thing it was that
Aljazeera was bad.

You are keeping "good" company.

[madrchsod]

7. well this guy is just as pissed as you are

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/6B665804-0AB0-4562-82C3-A19FDD4025C3.htm
Aljazeera.Net - Now, al-Zarqawi upset with Aljazeera. i guess it`s tough to be fair and balanced.......

[Ms. Clio]

17. Al Jazeera was started by former members of the BBC

It is a legitimate news organization.

And you are confused about terrorist news networks - Fox is the network the Bushistas trust with their videos.

Hope that helps, and enjoy your stay here.

[dbeach]

5. bush talks about himself when talking about Iran

Bush uses self referral talking about Iran's suppressed liberty
Substitute the USA for Iran and its the Truth

"'US President George W. Bush charged that Iran's upcoming presidential election "ignores the basic requirements of democracy" and accused Tehran of backing international terrorism.

"Today, Iran is ruled by men who suppress liberty at home and spread terror across the world. Power is in the hands of an unelected few who have retained power through an electoral process that ignores the basic requirements of democracy," Bush said "



http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050616/pl_afp/iranvoteusb...

dbeach

[wookie294]

11. America has no right to whine about Iran's election

It's amazing Bush has the balls to whine about Iran's election when his (and previous) administrations vehementally defend dictators and monarchies. How come nearly nobody calls him on the hypocrisy? I'm not afraid of Iran or its mullahs AT ALL. America is a hysterical nation and very dangerous.

[not systems]

16. That is the funny thing...

in Iran women vote but not in Saudi Arabia.

Iran is a republic, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan are
monarchies not even "ceremonial" one but royals with real
power. Yet Bush never calls on these counties to have
better elections. It just seems like such a obvious case
of hypocrisy and mongering for the next war.