Iran presidential election

[Beet]

This election was a major victory for the hardliners and conservatives.

It shows how much Iran has changed since 1997, or even since 3-4 years ago. It's becoming more and more apparent how much the Iraq war really benefitted the hardliners and crushed the nascent counterrevolutionary movement.

[Beet]

What crushed the nascent revolutionary movement was the recognition that it was not a revolutionary movement, at least not to the vast majority of its followers.

That's not exactly the counterrevolutionary movement I was talking about, that was only a sign of it. As far as it would overturn the (second) Iranian revolution, it, much like the fall of the U.S.S.R., would be counter- revolutionary in nature, to be precise.

[Beet]

What crushed the nascent revolutionary movement was the recognition that it was not a revolutionary movement, at least not to the vast majority of its followers.

That's not exactly the counterrevolutionary movement I was talking about, that was only a sign of it. As far as it would overturn the (second) Iranian revolution, it, much like the fall of the U.S.S.R., would be counter- revolutionary in nature, to be precise.

No...that's not what most reformist voters wanted, never has been.

Again, you got the wrong idea. You are talking about the national government, establishment elements and their supporters. I am not. Can it only be two or three years since the student movement there? Seems we have forgotten already.

[Beet]

In 2001 reform-minded Khatami won 77% of the vote-- NOT all from pro-establishment voters. Most probably substantially anti-establishment in fact.