AHMADINEJAD INAGURATED, PROTEST UNABATED

Ahmadinejad sworn in but as the Economist notes, the battle is far from over BECAUSE the Iranian people refues to be silenced.

Not wishing to alienate the Iranian population (which is mad as is) France, Britain, Italy and Germany have decided not to congratulate Ahmadinejad on his re-election and EVEN the Obama administration has decide to eat its words:

THE White House performed an embarrassing retreat yesterday, withdrawing its description of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Iran's"elected leader" the day after he was sworn in for his second term.

"Let me correct a little bit what I said yesterday," Robert Gibbs, President Barack Obama's spokesman, said as thousands of Iranian riot police beat back protesters outside the inauguration ceremony in Tehran.

"Whether any election was fair ... we'll let (the Iranian people) decide about that."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made further amends for an error that reflected the West's dilemma as it seeks to engage with Iran's new government over its nuclear program.

She expressed admiration for the opposition's" continuing resistance" to what was widely regarded as a fraudulent election and the brutal crackdown that followed.

As everybody in the know know, she has been well muzzled, her words means she got permission to talk.