Iran: What’s Really Going On
Amid all the internet brouhaha over events in Iran — the “greening,” so to speak, of the blogosphere — what has been missed, so far, is the meaning and significance of the American response. On the surface, that response has been rigorously proper. In his most recent remarks, President Obama told reporters that it would be unseemly for the US to be seen as meddling in the Iranian electoral process.
This provoked a fusillade of self-righteous on the neocon Right: “He should speak out that this is a corrupt, flawed sham of an election,” bawled John “Quick Draw” McCain. Unlike McCain — whose tendency to go ballistic is inadvisable in general and impermissible in a US President — Obama understands that a US government endorsement of the Green Revolution would be the kiss of death for Mousavi — perhaps even in a literal sense.
“It’s important to understand that although there is some ferment taking place in Iran, that the difference between Ahmadinejad and Moussavi in terms of their actual policies may not be as great as has been advertised. Either way, we were going to be dealing with an Iranian regime that has historically been hostile to the United States, that has caused some problems in the neighborhood and is pursuing nuclear weapons.”
Harold
