Iranians surround Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's car in poverty protest

[Sugarcane]

The women climbing up tells me that the Iranians have much more freedom than we think.

Though, Ahmad's continuation of his nuclear program and avoiding the hungry.. not a good sign.

I think they don't have VIP protocols because i haven't seen any traffic block because of VIP movement

 

[RayKalm]

He isn't avoiding the hungry. He's taxing the rich and giving it to the poor. He's cutting off the +80 billion dollar subsidies that the government gave to the Iranians step by step and instead he's giving direct cash to people. That has helped the poor very much. They gave around 60$ per month to each Iranian individual that has registered. An average Iranian family in a small city or a town or a village consists of 4 people, so they get around 240$ each month which is a huge help for them. Of course the people of Iran are very unhappy with the situation, because the costs in Tehran are raising rapidly and they're getting out of control. People in Tehran are really unhappy with the economic situation, but the Iranian poor are getting much richer since when Ahmadinejad took the office.

Okay, all that is good.

But, how am I suppose to support Ahmadinejad when he continues his support for a dictator that massacres his own people? And how do you explain the 2008/9 riots in Iran that led to using force?

 

[Arian]

Okay, all that is good.

But, how am I suppose to support Ahmadinejad when he continues his support for a dictator that massacres his own people? And how do you explain the 2008/9 riots in Iran that led to using force?

You ain't supposed to support Ahmadinejad. Who told you that?
If that's the case, then there's no good politician on the planet. All politicians are evil. Is that what you want to conclude?

I believe the 2009 unrest was a turning point in Iranian history. It had both positive and negative outcomes. The riot police used force, but we never witnessed what we've witnessed in Arabic countries. so you can't compare the situation with what we're witnessing in Arab spring now. A sizable group of people in large cities of Iran, in particular Tehran, believed Mousavi had won the election. Well, they had the right to protest and they did. I myself thought Mousavi would become the president because I live in Northern Tehran and every night I went out you hardly found anyone supporting Ahmadinejad. Everywhere was green, everyone was supporting Mousavi, everyone was bad mouthing Ahmadinejad. So when the election result turned out to be in favor of Ahmadinejad, many people like me got shocked. But the truth is Ahmadinejad is a very popular president outside of Tehran. So I think he had won the election and the protesters were just creating chaos. Even the Guardian council accepted to recount 10% of the votes randomly and it verified the election results, so I think the protestors shouldn't have insisted on protesting after that.
The problem with the Green movement was that they had no aim. They were just out there to gain western media attention I believe. That's where I started to distance myself from them. If the Green movement had stood firm and said they want to make changes in the new constitution and they had announced their goals, I would've stood with them firmly. But after some time the protests became unpopular and it became more like anarchists trying to gain western media attention. That's all.

 

[RayKalm]

I mean, as a Pakistani, our politicians are massively corrupt and whatnot - that is a fact. But never in our 65 years of our existence did we have as much force used against our protests as the 2009 riots in Iran and what Arab countries continue to do, even during our dictatorships.

Yes, the 2009 unrest was a turning point in Iranian history, but that doesn't give the leaders the right to use force against the people. I am not comparing what went on in Iran with the Arab spring, not at all. While the election results may or may not be true, once again, the force was not needed.

 

[Arian]

I mean, as a Pakistani, our politicians are massively corrupt and whatnot - that is a fact. But never in our 65 years of our existence did we have as much force used against our protests as the 2009 riots in Iran and what Arab countries continue to do, even during our dictatorships.

Yes, the 2009 unrest was a turning point in Iranian history, but that doesn't give the leaders the right to use force against the people. I am not comparing what went on in Iran with the Arab spring, not at all. While the election results may or may not be true, once again, the force was not needed.

Well, I agree with you that the force was not needed. Moreover, using Basij to suppress the protestors was a very bad idea. It gave a bad reputation to the real Basijis who want to defend Iran from foreign aggressors but we can't blame that on Ahmadinejad, because Basij isn't under his control.
Anyway, use of force can't be justified, but we're witnessing that even countries like the USA and the UK that claim to be democratic countries use force to suppress peaceful demonstrations and sometimes some people get killed in the riots too. So it's not very unusual.

 

[King Solomon]

I mean, as a Pakistani, our politicians are massively corrupt and whatnot - that is a fact. But never in our 65 years of our existence did we have as much force used against our protests as the 2009 riots in Iran and what Arab countries continue to do, even during our dictatorships.

Yes, the 2009 unrest was a turning point in Iranian history, but that doesn't give the leaders the right to use force against the people. I am not comparing what went on in Iran with the Arab spring, not at all. While the election results may or may not be true, once again, the force was not needed.

Genocide in 1971?

You must avoid one-sided comparison.

Any state has the right to use force against unfair foreign interference, like in Iran and Syria.

 

[fd24]

Well, I agree with you that the force was not needed. Moreover, using Basij to suppress the protestors was a very bad idea. It gave a bad reputation to the real Basijis who want to defend Iran from foreign aggressors but we can't blame that on Ahmadinejad, because Basij isn't under his control.
Anyway, use of force can't be justified, but we're witnessing that even countries like the USA and the UK that claim to be democratic countries use force to suppress peaceful demonstrations and sometimes some people get killed in the riots too. So it's not very unusual.

Brother - we must remember that no ones perfect and im sure Ahmadinejad may have made the odd mistake.On the whole i would be proud to have this guy as our leader. He has done more good than bad for his nation. I think the guy has balls and in the last 3 years has shown great resiliance and courage in the eyes of ridiculous sanctions against his nation. Even when someone jumps onto his car who potentially could have had a weapon - he behaved and handled the situation admirably.
I commend Ahmadinejads courage.

 

[longbrained]

I mean, as a Pakistani, our politicians are massively corrupt and whatnot - that is a fact. But never in our 65 years of our existence did we have as much force used against our protests as the 2009 riots in Iran and what Arab countries continue to do, even during our dictatorships.

Yes, the 2009 unrest was a turning point in Iranian history, but that doesn't give the leaders the right to use force against the people. I am not comparing what went on in Iran with the Arab spring, not at all. While the election results may or may not be true, once again, the force was not needed.

Now you and I both know that it is not true. I wont bring in examples since that is not the point of this thread and neither this is a contest. But we have pretty good examples in our history which far exceed the death toll of Iranian riots. All countries have had riot deaths even US. So let it rest.

I think they don't have VIP protocols because i haven't seen any traffic block because of VIP movement

That is one thing our leaders should learn from Iranians. Traffic and roads are blocked some times for ours so that our leaders can travel safely and quickly on empty roads. Pregnant women have given birth in Taxis and patients have died in ambulances while the traffic is held for our leaders. It is time to change this culture.

 

[lem34]

I mean, as a Pakistani, our politicians are massively corrupt and whatnot - that is a fact. But never in our 65 years of our existence did we have as much force used against our protests as the 2009 riots in Iran and what Arab countries continue to do, even during our dictatorships.

Yes, the 2009 unrest was a turning point in Iranian history, but that doesn't give the leaders the right to use force against the people. I am not comparing what went on in Iran with the Arab spring, not at all. While the election results may or may not be true, once again, the force was not needed.

don't talk rubbish have you forgotten 1971. Why do you say election results were not true?? Cos American propaganda says so?

 

[Malik Usman]

Of course! When Iran's politicians act like a replica of North Korea this is what happens! Iran's stubborness to stop their nuclear program is hurting their own people with sanctions and inflation well over 20%.

And what will happen if the Iran will stop its Nuclear Project............will it not be curshed same like Lybia...????

 

[lem34]

And what will happen if the Iran will stop its Nuclear Project............will it not be curshed same like Lybia...????

Iranians must get Nukes. Americans will do what they did to Gadaffi when he gave his program up with Iran if they stop