Elections in Iran: pre-cooked

In one of those "Pope a Catholic" stories the U.S.-based group Human Rights Watch says un-elected religious leaders are keeping Iran from holding a free and fair presidential election.

Yet is it not a sign of how successful democracy has been that even dictators - who do not depend on elections for their position - nevertheless feel the need to have the appearance of democracy in order that they might gain some of its legitimacy?

Something those who hold to the "Muslims don't do democracy" line should bear in mind, methinks...