In case you have yet to see pictures or video clips of the massive protests taking place in Tehran today, check out either CNN or the New York Times’ websites. The race between conservative hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and moderate reformist Mir Hossein Mousavi is over, and Ahmadinejad has claimed a landslide victory much to the dismay of thousands of Iranian youth. Hoping for an economic turnaround and better relations with the West, these Mousavi supporters are visibly angry and disillusioned with what they percieve as a dictatorship. Juan Cole contends that the election was, in fact, stolen. Here’s his evidence.
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…is to allow me to convey to you what I am thinking about newsworthy events as they unfold. My expertise is limited, but I do believe it is above average in many respects. Having a background in American politics and foreign policy (at least studies-wise), my analysis will be primarily focused on events related to these topics. Since I am supposed to be working on a 100-plus page Master’s thesis right now (on the Korean conflict and Jimmy Carter’s attempt to withdraw American troops from the peninsula), I will comment every so often on my progress. My topic is especially pertinent right now, as North Korea is as belligerent as ever and the United States still seems to be oblivious to the fact that it is largely responsible for the peninsula’s dysfunction. I am not going to bore you with my personal research. But I do hope to comment here and there on how my research pertains to today’s nuclear crisis in Korea. Mostly, however, I intend to bombard you with my opinions about various matters and direct you to articles I feel are important or thought-provoking. I’ve blogged before, but I was largely dissatisfied with that site. This one, I hope, will encourage more contentious debate. Feel free to interject with your opinions! I like being told I’m wrong.
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