January 30, 2007

Ahmadinejad's Debt to Bush

The latest Administration line on criticism of it's war policy is that such talk only emboldens the enemy. It's such a profoundly undemocratic argument that, even if it were true, you'd think it would be too offensive to make. (It assumes that hostile foriegn powers should be allowed to stiffle policy debate in this country.)

But since they raised the issue, it seems only fair to consider just whose policies seem poised to benefit our adversaries. On that score, it's interesting to note that Iran's firebrand president seems to be on the domestic political ropes. For example, Wall Street Journal writes just today:

Many of Tehran's elite politicians and even clerics have long harbored concerns about Mr. Ahmadinejad, who ascended to the country's top political post from outside the traditional ruling circles. But the immense popularity he generated among Iran's poor and working-class voters kept many of his critics from speaking out or openly moving against his policies.

He also appeared to have the backing of the most important figure in Iran's power structure, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But a round of elections late last year -- for local municipal and village leaders as well as an important national consultative body -- has undermined Mr. Ahmadinejad's political momentum and unleashed a flood of public criticism and moves to clip his wings. Candidates whom Mr. Ahmadinejad supported fared poorly in the elections, while key adversaries re-established themselves as fixtures of the political scene.

Now, contrast the above with today's WaPo article on Iran's thriving regional profile:

Four years after the United States invaded Iraq, in part to transform the Middle East, Iran is ascendant, many in the region view the Americans in retreat, and Arab countries, their own feelings of weakness accentuated, are awash in sharpening sectarian currents that many blame the United States for exacerbating.

Iran has deepened its relationship with Palestinian Islamic groups, assuming a financial role once filled by Gulf Arab states, in moves it sees as defensive and the United States views as aggressive. In Lebanon and Iraq, Iran is fighting proxy battles against the United States with funds, arms and ideology. And in the vacuum created by the U.S. overthrow of Iranian foes in Afghanistan and Iraq, it is exerting a power and prestige that recalls the heady days of the 1979 Islamic revolution, when Iranian clerics led the toppling of a U.S.-backed government.

It's a long-standing political truism that nothing props up a weak leader at home than a little foriegn policy success. And how ironic that Iranian success is nothing more than Bush Administration incompetence.

Thanks George!

Posted by stevemack at 04:25 PM | Comments (15) | TrackBack