Editorial: Ahmadinejad benefited from Iraq war

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be in the United States next week -- no, not to meet with George W. Bush.  The Iranian ruler will give an address at the United Nations in New York City, and will be greeted by throngs of protesters.  Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is calling on the United Nations to expel Ahmadinejad from the global body of nations.

Then again, maybe people like Mitt Romney should consider the impact that the Iraq war is continuing to have on Ahmadinejad's ability to hold onto power despite a struggling Iranian economy.  Before the US invaded Iraq, it was assumed that the right-wing religious government in Iran would be overthrown by the young, liberal, pro-democratic movement, which is strongest on college campuses in that country.

But the threat of war with Iran, including the fact that foreign (US) troops are just miles from their border, has increased nationalist sentiment among Iranians, giving Ahmadinejad an excuse to purge the government of all political opposition.  It is less likely, more so than before the war, that Ahmadinejad will be overthrown.  Maybe that is something Mitt Romney needs to think about.