BOTH SIDES CLAIM VICTORY IN IRAN: Ahmadinejad and Mousavi both say they’ve won. What would a victory for either man mean for US-Iranian relations? Michael Singh has many good thoughts, including this one:
It is vital to keep in mind that Iran’s presidential elections are not about the United States. As with elections everywhere, foreign policy will be only one element of voters’ decisions, and it will likely take a back seat to more pressing economic and social issues. Thus, while the results will have consequences for the United States, Washington should not fall prey to solipsism by reading them simplistically as a referendum on bilateral relations.
Cross-posted at Conventional Folly
UPDATE: On a related note, see Dan Drezner’s comments on the election.