Iran, Ready For a Test Of Wills Iran, Ready For a Test Of Wills

RealClearPolitics: Iran, Ready For a Test Of Wills is a nice counterpoint to my previous post today about the problems that Iran is having with its citizens questioning the legitimacy of its government. This article points out that:

TEHRAN -- Behind President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's defiant rhetoric lies a conviction that is widely shared here: Iran is a rising power in the Middle East while the United States is in decline -- and now is the moment for Iran to emerge as a regional superpower.

The government is stoking Persian pride in order to take their minds off of their problems and to divert the increasing frustration that Iranians have with their government. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.