> As fucked up as our system is, candidates don't have
> to be approved by a gang of clerics. There are actually a few half-
> decent elected officials in the USA, you know, as dire as the
> situation generally is.
On the other hand, one could mention any number of US clients where savagely violent (as well nonviolent, of course) mechanisms are an integral feature of the political system: Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Colombia, etc. A more relevant discussion would be: why is all our righteous indignation directed again Iran? Perhaps, because the US has an imperial objective in creating a by no means democratic puppet government there?
If one wants to talk about US democracy one needs look at the whole of our empire, and the picture is not remotely attractive. The incumbent regime in Iran may not be great, but in terms of lesser evils way better than just about any the US "supports". And it is apparent a large sector of the rural population--the majority of Iranians living in the country--perhaps all of them, support the current polity, theocratic or otherwise.
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