President Obama is avoiding release of stern statements regarding the civilian uprising in Iran after the election a week ago. Yes, it has been a week, and brave Iranians are still risking harrassment, injury, and death to protest on the streets. But President Obama is afraid of offending Tehran by condemning violence against civilians. In fact, he may be confused why people are so upset over the votes…
But as Charles Krauthammer points out in the Washington Times, it’s no longer about the election. It’s about the Islamic republic theocracy not giving the liberty Iranians deserve. It’s about the supreme religious leaders dictating the direction of the whole country. It’s about the freedom Iraqis now enjoy right next door… Iranians, especially the youth, are wondering: Why can’t we have that?
In the region, it would launch a second Arab spring. The first in 2005 — the expulsion of Syria from Lebanon, the first elections in Iraq and early liberalization in the Gulf states and Egypt — was aborted by a fierce counterattack from the forces of repression and reaction, led and funded by Iran.
Now, with Hezbollah having lost elections in Lebanon and with Iraq establishing the institutions of a young democracy, the fall of the Islamist dictatorship in Iran would have an electric and contagious effect. The exception — Iraq and Lebanon — becomes the rule. Democracy becomes the wave. Syria becomes isolated; Hezbollah and Hamas, patronless. The entire trajectory of the region is reversed.
All hangs in the balance. The Khamenei regime is deciding whether to do a Tiananmen. And what side is the Obama administration taking? None. Except for the desire that this “vigorous debate” (press secretary Robert Gibbs’s disgraceful euphemism) over election “irregularities” not stand in the way of U.S.-Iranian engagement on nuclear weapons.
This is exactly what former President Bush wanted to achieve by showing resolve in winning the war in Iraq: sow the seeds of freedom in the Middle East. Let them know that America still supports those who will die for freedom.
Sen. McCain brought up an interesting point about the Iranian protests: All the signs are in English. Why? As Americans we all know the answer.
