The Iranian government must understand that the world is watching. We mourn each and every innocent life that is lost. We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people. The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights.
As I said in Cairo, suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. The Iranian people will ultimately judge the actions of their own government. If the Iranian government seeks the respect of the international community, it must respect the dignity of its own people and govern through consent, not coercion.
Martin Luther King once said – “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” I believe that. The international community believes that. And right now, we are bearing witness to the Iranian peoples’ belief in that truth, and we will continue to bear witness.
If the cops turn, it’s over …
[url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/opinion/21tehran.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss]Cops are wavering[/url], as they did in Prague and Manilla.
[blockquote][i]A man at my side threw a rock at him. The commander, unflinching, continued to plead. There were chants of “Join us! Join us!†The unit retreated toward Revolution Street, where vast crowds eddied back and forth confronted by baton-wielding Basij militia and black-clad riot police officers on motorbikes.[/i][/blockquote]
Where in the name of God is Obambi? Absolutely AWOL, at an historic hinge point. Out of his depth. Befuddled. Unwilling to commit to democracy and freedom.
Iran has a deep democratic spirit. Pray for them … that their half-century of darkness may end.
[i] Comment deleted by elf. [/i]
[url=http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDlhMmZmY2I1MjI0MTZlNDBhZmI3N2Y3ZDk2ZGZlYjA=&w=MA==]Mark Steyn[/url] had a pretty good take on the West’s neutrality:
[blockquote]And how did it go down? At Friday prayers in Tehran, Ayotollah Khamenei attacked “dirty Zionists†and “bad British radio†(presumably a reference to the BBC’s Farsi news service rather than the non-stop Herman’s Hermits marathon on Supergold Oldies FM). “The most evil of them all is the British government,†added the supreme leader, warming to his theme. The crowd, including President Ahmadinelandslide and his cabinet, chanted, “Death to the U.K.â€
Her Majesty’s Government brought this on themselves by allowing their shoot-from-the-lip prime minister to issue saber-rattling threats like: “The regime must address the serious questions which have been asked about the conduct of the Iranian elections.â€
Fortunately, President Obama was far more judicious. And in return, instead of denouncing him as “evil†and deploring the quality of his radio programming, Ayatollah Khamenei said Obama’s “agents†had been behind the protests: “They started to cause riots in the street, they caused destruction, they burnt houses.†[/blockquote]
I mean, if you’re going to hang for a thief, why not steal something?
I thought Bill Clinton had a simple but profound insight into what is going on in Iran, too:
[blockquote]”What’s going on in Iran, really?” Clinton asked. “They have some ethnic differences there and some religious differences, but basically, this is about a government trying to deny the modern world.
“And the idea is they just don’t think they can keep control, if everybody gets to say what they really believe, and go where they really want, and be who they want to be,” Clinton said, adding with a chuckle: “And they’re right, right there.”[/blockquote]
Well said, Mr. President.
I feel for the people of Iran. Morally I am behind them all the way. But we need to let them sort this out themselves. If we stick our nose into their internal affairs we will be playing into the hands of the hard liners. But there is a more important principal too often lost on Americans. It’s none of our business.
I sat here crying earlier today as I watched the video of the young girl being gunned down by the National Guard. If you google “Her Name Was Neda” you will pull up quite a few results. I think in the moment her eyes glazed over in death, tremors were felt all over Iran. Because in that instant what the current Iranian regime stands for becomes to clear for us to ignore.
Paula
The same could be said for any government in any country.
I can’t believe that I finally agree with Ad Orientum on something, but being interventionist hasn’t worked out well for us in the past.
I am happy that our President has condemned the violent suppression of protest. I wish he would also comment upon what was apparently a rigged election.
Brian, I am not so naive as to think Iran is unique in the annals (sp) of government abuse of citizens. But gosh if at all times we used the argument “well others have done it” we can pretty well throw any notion of personal or public justice to the winds.
And by us I don’t necessarily mean US intervention. As I too share the hesitation of Ad Orientum and yourself. But I do mean us becoming aware and pressing the UN and this administration and other nations for some kind of response.
A quote from Conservative Columnist George Will.
“The president is being roundly criticized for insufficient, rhetorical support for what’s going on over there. It seems to me foolish criticism. The people on the streets know full well what the American attitude toward the regime is. And they don’t need that reinforced.”