What Saved Ahmadinejad?
Monday - Jun 29, 2009 - 11:10 AMHow close was Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from having to give away his power as the President of Iran? After the many violent domestic protests and calls from around the world to conduct a truly democratic election, it seemed for the moment that we may be witnessing a fundamental change in Iran. A switch from a totalitarian religious regime to a democracy. It seemed so close. Looking at history, it was clear that that many people protesting on the streets, means something and it could be big. We have seen it before in Eastern Europe and other parts of the world. But it didn't go through. Something happened. Something stopped it.
What stopped the protesters was the oppressive regime with it's violent police and military arms. People were arrested, threatened and even killed. It worked, at least for the moment. But what silenced the world? What made us lose interest in what's happening there? Call me crazy, but I honestly think that one of the most contributing factors was the unexpected death of Michael Jackson. Suddenly, the center of the world switched from Tehran to Neverland. So if there is anyone in this world to benefit from Michael's death, it's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, still today the president of Iran, serving his second term. Blessed by the supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei, not so much by the people of Iran.
