The Christian Science Monitor excuses (and, in essence, apologizes for) the Iranian president's remarks on the grounds that he is inexperienced in foreign policy matters: In states like Iran — which has diplomatic relations with neither Israel nor the US — there are fewer perceived costs for such angry tub—thumping, at least for a man like Ahmadinejad. So in the context of modern Iranian history, the fiery rhetoric of the populist leader at a "World Without Zionism" conference was hardly surprising. Ahmadinejad, whose supporters are drawn by the zeal with which he advocates both the anti—imperial claims and social justice goals of Iran's Islamic revolution, appears more interested in shoring up his credentials at home than appeasing the US or Israel. "I don't think he understands that if he says something like this the world will hear him. I think he's still in mayor of Tehran mode,'' says William Beeman, an anthropology professor at Brown University and...(Read Full Post)