The "crazy" president is not in charge of Iran's foreign policy, military, intelligence agencies or judiciary. He's also not in charge of Iran's nuclear program, which predates his election back to the 1970's when the US and UK and France and Germany encouraged and supported Iran's acquisition of nuclear technology.

However, since he's a loudmouth, he naturally makes for a good bogey-monster. But Iran is not his little fiefdom, and he doesnt' rule as some sort of North-Korea like cult of personality. He was elected, has 4 years in office, and then will leave office (unless relelected for a final term.)

The prior president was Khatami, the "smiling reformist" who didn't say controversial things -- and the same people who are playing up Ahamadinejad as a "threat" that has to be taken oh-so seriously used to say that Khatami & his effort to reconcile with the US shouldn't be taken seriously since the position of President in Iran was only symbolic anyway....so which is it?