Watching the news that has come out of Tehran has been intriguing to me. Not since the protests of 20 years ago at Tiananmen Square have I felt such a glimmer of hope for a people as I do now. Iran is not simply a country—it is a civilization suffocating under the rule of the clerical tyrants that have been in charge for 30 years. I see the prosperous, progressive society it could become. Unfortunately, the most likely outcome is that it will end as it did in China, precisely 20 years ago, with the regime resorting to naked force to silence the people. But I do hold out a glimmer of hope, and if there is any hope at all, we must stay out of it.
In this instance, President Obama is doing precisely the right thing--- say as little as possible. His remarks have been carefully restrained and circumspect. He has been careful not to be seen as taking sides. And his foreign policy team has been careful not to be seen as tilting one way or the other.
Unfortunately, John McCain has been railing that Obama has abandoned fundamental principles about human rights. Hogwash. What McCain simply doesn’t understand is that the mullahs have made a career out of vilifying the Great Satan. They need to demonize us. Any overt interfering and taking sides will give them exactly the excuse they need to exert force against their own people. We shouldn’t be cheerleading anybody. Obama is entirely correct when he says that, “Although there is amazing ferment taking place in Iran, the difference between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi in terms of their actual positions may not be as great as advertised.”
I have been (and undoubtedly will continue to be) critical of Obama’s approach on many economic and foreign policy issues. But on this particular day on this particular issue, I’m glad that Obama, not McCain is at the helm. McCain does not understand that the protests are not about a particular candidate. The protests are about an Iranian people that want a voice in their own future. The mullahs are dying for us to pick a side. If there is any hope that now or in the near future for a second Iranian revolution, we must be silent.
In this instance, President Obama is doing precisely the right thing--- say as little as possible. His remarks have been carefully restrained and circumspect. He has been careful not to be seen as taking sides. And his foreign policy team has been careful not to be seen as tilting one way or the other.
Unfortunately, John McCain has been railing that Obama has abandoned fundamental principles about human rights. Hogwash. What McCain simply doesn’t understand is that the mullahs have made a career out of vilifying the Great Satan. They need to demonize us. Any overt interfering and taking sides will give them exactly the excuse they need to exert force against their own people. We shouldn’t be cheerleading anybody. Obama is entirely correct when he says that, “Although there is amazing ferment taking place in Iran, the difference between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi in terms of their actual positions may not be as great as advertised.”
I have been (and undoubtedly will continue to be) critical of Obama’s approach on many economic and foreign policy issues. But on this particular day on this particular issue, I’m glad that Obama, not McCain is at the helm. McCain does not understand that the protests are not about a particular candidate. The protests are about an Iranian people that want a voice in their own future. The mullahs are dying for us to pick a side. If there is any hope that now or in the near future for a second Iranian revolution, we must be silent.
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