Daily Alert Archives

Ahmadinejad's Days Are Numbered

(Daily Beast) Reza Aslan - From the moment Ahmadinejad was sworn into office last year, Iranians have been placing bets on just how long into his second term he will last. There is a sense among most Iranians - even among Ahmadinejad's allies - that the alliance of convenience that had formed among Iran's feuding conservative factions will fracture, taking Ahmadinejad down with it. Now comes word that the country's parliament attempted to impeach Ahmadinejad on 14 counts of violating the law, including illegally trading 76.5 million barrels of oil valued at approximately $9 billion and withdrawing nearly $600 million from Iran's foreign reserve fund without parliamentary approval. Iran's economy, already reeling from targeted sanctions, is bracing for what many predict will be catastrophic consequences of Ahmadinejad's plan to end government subsidies for fuel, food, energy, and basic goods like milk, cooking oil, and flour. According to the Los Angeles Times, the price of a kilo of ground beef has jumped from $6, when Ahmadinejad began his first term as president, to $14.50 today. The cost of electricity has soared by as much as 1,000% for some Iranian households. The government claims that 22% of Iranians are unemployed (experts say the number is closer to 40%). Inflation is officially at 10%, though many economists believe it to be more like 24%.
2010-11-25 07:42:01
Full Article