Years ago I watched President Reagan, who was not half the president the Republican party pretends, be very careful about the Philippines when obvious and clear election fraud was committed by the followers of Ferdinand Marcos. That election had followed the assassination of his opposition, which his government was implicated in. The US had backed up Marcos, who stole billions from his people, and stood by him when he declared martial law.
The fraud was too much for the US senate however, and the Reagan administration offered to get Marcos and his shoe-happy harpy to Hawaii. American influence supported Marcos through his atrocities and American influence also decided when it was all over.
And now... Iran.
Very different situation. Iran, unlike the Philippines, is not a US ally. Very, very far from it.
Obama is criticized from being too gentle with the Iranian government, but too heavy a hand could provoke another Tiananmen Square massacre if the Ahmadinejad regime feels the need to appear defiant and in control. Set back democracy in Iran even further.
I'm not sure what the critics would have Obama do instead (but then some of those same critics were happy to nuke Iran, oppressed citizens and all, in another conversation).
The fraud was too much for the US senate however, and the Reagan administration offered to get Marcos and his shoe-happy harpy to Hawaii. American influence supported Marcos through his atrocities and American influence also decided when it was all over.
And now... Iran.
Very different situation. Iran, unlike the Philippines, is not a US ally. Very, very far from it.
Obama is criticized from being too gentle with the Iranian government, but too heavy a hand could provoke another Tiananmen Square massacre if the Ahmadinejad regime feels the need to appear defiant and in control. Set back democracy in Iran even further.
I'm not sure what the critics would have Obama do instead (but then some of those same critics were happy to nuke Iran, oppressed citizens and all, in another conversation).
This isn't the Philippines.
And let's not be rosy-eyed about the opposition.
People standing on rooftops yelling "death to the dictator" and "God is great" does not go down a treat in the West normally. Neither should it in this situation either.
Obama calls for a "peaceful resolution".
That'd be great. But let's hope that "peaceful" doesn't end up just meaning quiet mass murders.
And let's not be rosy-eyed about the opposition.
People standing on rooftops yelling "death to the dictator" and "God is great" does not go down a treat in the West normally. Neither should it in this situation either.
Obama calls for a "peaceful resolution".
That'd be great. But let's hope that "peaceful" doesn't end up just meaning quiet mass murders.
Agreed. It's obvious that Mousavi is nothing close to a Barack Obama, just Ahmadinejad lite. If he eventually wins out I still don't see an enlightened, secular Iran arising from the ashes. But it would still be an improvement over the current crew.
ReplyDeleteIn this case no-one has to get into what's worth dying for or what soil we should defend... that's where the likes of AmPow get delusions of moral grandeur.
ReplyDeleteWhen an election is believed on credible grounds to have been subverted, and people are being beaten to death and 16 year old girls are being taken out by government snipers, the international community should be vocal about it.
If their pain is ignored it will turn to rage and that's how the worst political turns happen. We know how lies can be built... someone could actually sell some of the people the tale that Ahmadinejad betrayed his people to America and Israel (and if we don't believe that could happen... we need only consider the number of Americans who think Obama is a Muslim dictator), and then suddenly we have a worse regime.