Does Ahmadinejad “knock on wood” before constructing cabinets?
“Ahmadinejad urges parliament to approve cabinet” from Agence France-Presse, August 30:
Iran’s embattled President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose disputed re-election unleashed the worst crisis in the Islamic republic’s history, appealed to parliament on Sunday to approve his new cabinet.
“I hope the majlis will firmly approve all ministers and with a decisive vote it will turn the hopes of ill-wishers into despair,” he told MPs as he introduced his proposed line-up at the start of a three-day debate ahead of a vote of confidence on Wednesday.
Ever the diplomat!
Ahmadinejad said his victory in the June 12 presidential election was confirmation that the Iranian people wanted his government to “continue on the same path” of his first four-year term.
And what does “continue on the same path” refer to? Fighting the Zionists, of course!
“We are committed to spreading justice, preserving the national dignity, achieve progress and confront the bullying powers. We will continue to support oppressed nations and cooperate constructively with all nations except the Zionist regime,” he said of arch-foe Israel.
Since they weren’t explicitly named “bullying powers,” America and Britain are in the clear, right?
…Iran’s continued hardline stance over its nuclear drive and the crackdown on election protesters has also further isolated it from the West…Ahmadinejad faces a daunting task in securing a mandate from the conservative-dominated assembly for his line-up which includes several new faces, among them three women — a first in the Islamic republic.
Three women! Is the “elected” prez taking a cue from judges in India in the “‘letter and spirit’ of true Islam,” or is this some political ploy counting on opposition to make him appear to be a “moderating” influence in Iran?
… The three female nominees are also expected to face an uphill task as some clerics have questioned the managerial abilities of women.
“Islam respects women, but respecting women does not mean that heavy social positions be given to them,” hardline cleric Ahmad Khatami said on Saturday.
“Never will succeed such a nation as makes a woman their ruler.” –Muhammad in Sahih Bukhari 5:59:709, 9:88:219.
All three (female nominees) are seen as lacking executive experience
No kidding!
Advice for getting a job: “You must have solid work experience.”
Advice on building work experience: “You gotta get a good job!”
but Ahmadinejad said the presence of women in the cabinet had raised the “self-confidence” of women in Iran and triggered “jubilation.”
“The government has fulfilled its task by selecting efficient women and I hope the majlis will help the government in completing the job it has started.”
Conservative MP Qassem Mohammadi appeared to back Ahmadinejad’s decision.
“I do not understand why they want to keep 50 percent of the nation’s potential in the kitchen,” he said, adding that two of the three would probably be rejected.
Quite a statement from a “conservative” Iranian MP.
Influential MP Mohammad Reza Bahonar has predicted that four to five men and all women nominees will fail to pass muster.
And why is that?
“The president wants to be the ruler in sensitive ministries of intelligence, interior, culture, oil and foreign. So he has introduced people whose major quality is that they are yes-men,” prominent MP Ali Motahari said last week.
“Yes” and “men.” Both are operative words.