A Rigged Election?

The outcome of the biggest out-pouring of reformist sentiment in years has been what appears to be an almost comically lop-sided result. In some ways, you wonder whether the mullahs rigged it this obviously because they sensed that this signaled something real beginning to shift. We'll see. But the story now is what this outrage will do to Iran's civil peace. Mousavi seems adamant about resistance:

"I’m warning that I won’t surrender to this manipulation," the statement said, adding that the election outcome “is nothing but shaking the pillars of the Islamic Republic of Iran sacred system and governance of lie and dictatorship." He warned "people won’t respect those who take power through fraud" and said the decision to declare Mr. Ahmadinejad the winner was a "treason to the votes of the people."

If Tocqueville is right, and these expectations are dashed this crudely, then this is a very dangerous moment for the regime in Tehran.