The New Middle East: Now with 30% more fundamentalist rule!

Kudos to the administration for their continuing support of religion in government. Not just here at home, where Christians are threatening the lives of judges, but in Iran-- where an extra dose of religion in government will undoubtedly lead to their bel0oved spread of democracy. I'm guessing it's actually harder to get people to vote for reactionary religious fanatics than for a free and open society. But what do I know? I'm not the leader of the free world.

The snide remarks by President Bush were widely seen in Iran as damaging to pro-reform groups because the comments appeared to have boosted turnout among hard-liners in Friday's election — with the result being that an ultraconservative now is in a two-way showdown for the presidency.

"I say to Bush: `Thank you,'" quipped Intelligence Minister Ali Yunesi. "He motivated people to vote in retaliation."

Bush's comments — blasting the ruling clerics for blocking "basic requirements of democracy" — became a lively sideshow in Iran's closest election since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. And they highlighted again the United States' often crossed-wire efforts to isolate Iran. . .

But the harder the United States pushes, even with the best of intentions, the more ground it has seems to lose among mainstream Iranians, who represent possible key allies against the Islamic establishment, say some analysts of Iranian politics.

"Unknowingly, (Bush) pushed Iranians to vote so that they can prove their loyalty to the regime — even if they are in disagreement with it," said Hamed al-Abdullah, a political science professor at Kuwait University.