US cuts others more slack on democracy than Iran

WASHINGTON - While excoriating Iran’s clerical regime as autocratic and oppressive, the United States is cutting other countries - such as Middle East ally Egypt - more slack in its campaign for worldwide democracy.


Washington has lost no opportunity to blast Iran’s presidential election this Friday as a virtually meaningless exercise among a field of candidates handpicked by the hardline mullahs, who disqualified more than 1,000 hopefuls.

But it has been more muted on complaints by the Egyptian opposition that widely touted plans to open up the country’s presidential elections to multiple candidates are little more than a sham.

And while nudging states like Saudi Arabia to open up their political systems, the Americans have not made much noise over the absence of elections for the national leadership of the oil-rich sheikhdom.