Iran's presidential election and its aftermath have grabbed the headlines of blogs across the Arab world this week as bloggers from all walks to life react to the latest developments in the region.
Jordanian blogger Hareega [1] asks the rest of the world to stand aside as Iranians sort out their internal affairs on their own:
They had elections, whether or not they were fair is something we don't know and I don't think anyone will have the ability to tell. I hate Ahmadinajhad but I like democracy and when people vote, their opinion needs to be respected. I hate it how the US's attitude towards every other country where if “our guy” wins the elections would have been fair and the people spoke up their mind, but when the “bad guy” wins the elections are unjust.
Let Iranians vote for whoever they want to, and if they're taking the streets and are going bring down Ahmadinajhad let them do it themselves. The last time the bad guy was brought down by a criminal military invasion things did not go very well and it was a country a little bit close to Iran both geographically and alphabetically.
At Arab-American joint blog KABOBfest [2], Kalash discusses the role the US plays in Iranian elections and sentiments on the street:
Whether or not Mousavi had the election stolen from him, it seems clear the ruling class has made a calculating move. Anti-American sentiment is one of the strongest cards those wretched clerics hold. By merely softening the tone Tehran hears from Washington, Obama has weakened their hand considerably. But re-instating Ahmadinejad ensures that US-Iranian relations will continue down a rocky road. What happens next is crucial. If Obama takes a firm position as a result of what’s happening, the mullahs may emerge victorious.
That would be a real shame. The system of governance in Iran is terrible. There is no democracy to speak of. The people are ruled by despotic men of ‘faith’ who do nothing to advance their country’s interests. Aside from keeping Iran in the headlines, Ahmadinejad has done nothing to improve his country’s standing in the international community. It should come as no surprise that so many Iranians are opposed to him. It’s tempting to say that US officials have learned from past mistakes, but they could be helping to incite protests now just as they did back in 1953.
Hopefully what is happening right now is a homegrown phenomenon. Iran needs another revolution if it is to rid itself of the backwards theology pulling the strings. Mousavi is hardly the right person to lead such a movement, but what’s important is that the people rise up. The process won’t be easy. We may be witnessing the beginning of something huge… It won’t happen overnight, but the “Islamic Republic” is bound to fall one day or another.
Pro-Palestinian Jews Sans Frontieres [3] writes:
I don't know what is going on in Iran. The liberal bull#*it about the supposedly pro-Western reformist Moussavi supposedly pulling an upset victory over the supposedly retrograde Ahmedinejad doesn't make much sense.
On the people of Iran, the blogger says:
These people show courage facing an armed and willing to kill repressive state apparatus and they are making history. They are blessed.
From Egypt, Wael Nawara [4] [Ar] at Weekite comments on US President Barack Obama's reaction to the Iranian elections saying:
And finally Irish for Palestine [5] notes:
The Western media is pushing this idea that all the unrest we are seeing in Iran is because people want to overthrow the Islamic Republic, which I think is a dangerous thing to be pushing, but hey, the media have an agenda. [British journalist Robert] Fisk agrees and says this is not about overthrowing an Islamic state, they just want get rid of Ahmadinejad and have faith in the voting process.