A year on, Ahmadinejad's popularity is soaring
A further indication of just how badly George Bush has played his hand regarding Iran comes with the news that the controversial Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is soaring in Iranian opinion polls ever since Bush challenged his right to enrich uranium.
"He's more popular now than a year ago. He's on the rise," said Nasser Hadian-Jazy, a professor of political science at Tehran University. "I guess he has a 70% approval rating right now. He portrays himself as a simple man doing an honest job. He's comfortable communicating with ordinary people."So the man who Bush views, rather idiotically, as "the new Hitler" has found his position strengthened by Bush's opposition to him.While there are no reliable national opinion polls in Iran, western diplomats acknowledged that support for Mr Ahmadinejad is growing, defying predictions after last June's election that he would not last more than three months.
"An indication of his power is the way he has whipped up public opinion on the nuclear energy issue," a western diplomat said. "If there was an election today, he would win." It was possible that Mr Ahmadinejad could become a liability to the government if Iran were taken to the UN security council, he said, adding: "But I think in that situation, he gets stronger."
When he was elected it was confidently predicted that he would last about three months.
However, with a President as unpopular worldwide as George Bush, once Ahmadinejad was seen to stand up to Bush on the nuclear issue he has been transformed into some symbol of Iranian national pride.
Of course, there's really not that much difference between the two men. As I have pointed out before, both of these men seem to think that they are doing God's work and that the opinion of their electorate are secondary to the approval of their God.
It's just a pity that right wingers see this as extremism when practised by Ahmadinejad but perfectly fine when it's the position of Bush.
Tags:
3 comments:
I see this becoming an almost guaranteed poll booster for foreign politicians in general. You want your approval to soar almost anywhere in the world? Denounce Bush and, zoom! your poll numbers shoot the moon. Bush may never understand that, despite the blundering in Iraq, he actually has invigorated democracy around the globe, just not in the way he thinks.
His popularity is probably soaring, in part, because of the massive raises he gave to government employees.
Bhc, I agree. Bush is so unpopular that anyone, anywhere, who attacks his policies will be on a winner, and not just from the usual suspects.
Tommy, I think the fact that he's supported by 70% of the electorate means that it's more than just government workers who are approving.
Post a Comment