Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia

and the Iranian supreme leader has always been more powerful that the Iranian president.

I am exited about the Iranian election, the last intrade contract which will pay $1 if Ahmedinijad wins, traded at 20 cents.

Now I am not a betting person. However, the Iranian presidential campaign has already achieved a miracle -- Elliot Abrams just wrote the truth

Iran doesn’t hold elections for supreme leader — Ayatollah Ali Khameini will hold that post for the indefinite future — and the failed presidency of Mohammad Khatami from 1997 to 2005 reminds us that the power of a putative reformist is illusory.

All via Mark Kleiman who notes how proud big brother would be of Elliot's doubleplusgood blackwhite but chose a boring title for his post.