There are few things more inspiring than watching those suffering under the boot heel of an oppressive regime stand up and fight for their freedom. The reformist movement in Iran, grown organically from the bottom up has galvanized the population and drawn the rabid attention of the rest of the world. Prior to the protests over the contested, fraudulent election in Iran between current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and reform candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi, the average american probably thought that Iran was made up of terrorists and holocaust deniers. However, since the outcome of the election on June 12, 2009 we have found that generalization to be faulty. We have learned that the citizens of this country (where over half of the population is under 25!) are largely well-educated and hungry for change. Instead of accepting the reelection of Ahmadinejad by a 2 to 1 margin, the Iranians turned their streets into a sea of green (the color of the reform movement). They did not stand for the massive irregularities of the election results. For example, several towns reported voter turnout greater than that of the local population. Ahmadinejad supposedly out polled Mousavi in his hometown and in urban areas where the reform candidate had the most support. And not by small margins. This clearly was a stolen election. So in spite of warnings from Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei that there would be a brutal crackdown against protesters, the people of Iran fight on.
So it is particularly disturbing to watch some politicians in our country attempt to turn THEIR uprising into a political football to be kicked around the halls of Washington DC. Yet that is what has happened. In the senate, that noted voice of calm reflection, John McCain has bellowed from the rafters of congress that the president has to pound his fist, shout at the top of his lungs, and use bellicose language against the government of Iran. Basically, he wants President Obama to do what he would do. You know, act like a child. Joining this chorus of foolishness are South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and Indiana Representative Mike Pence. One wonders what they think Obama should do. There is no diplomatic relationship between the USA and Iran to break off. They are already dealing with heavy UN sanctions and we are not going to attack them militarily. We already invaded a country that didn't attack us and how did that work out?
Now President Obama did release a statement over the weekend. Here it is:
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.
What would these politicians like him to add to this? Foul language? Is that statement not clearly in support of the people of Iran? Furthermore, why do we think that sharpening our tone with their leaders will work to good effect? We do not exactly have copious amounts of credibility with middle-eastern countries, Iran in particular.
Here's a little history on US-Iran relations:
In 1953 the United States used the CIA to overthrow the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadeq after he nationalized Iran's oil reserves. Under the direction of President Dwight Eisenhower, the CIA embarked on their first covert operation against a foreign country. They deposed the popular Mossadeq and replaced him with a dictator, Mohammed Reza Pahlevi who led a reign of tyranny that lasted 26 years until the Iranian revolution of 1979. In September of 1980, Iraq invaded Iran over border disputes and a fear that the suppressed Shia majority of Iraq would be influenced to revolt by the Shia led government of Iran. Iraq was led by President Saddam Hussein (remember him?) during the bloody 8 year war. And you know who supported Hussein's efforts? Well that would be us, the good ol' US of A led by that cowboy Ronald Reagan. We provided them with funds, weapons, and ammunition. Supplies that they would one day use against us.
So why in the world would they be looking to us for guidance now?
Now it should be stated that there are notable republicans who think that McCain is off his rocker (again). Senator Lugar of Indiana who has more foreign relations experience than anyone in congress has supported the President's "arm's length" approach. He, as well as MSNBSC analyst Pat Buchanan, Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan, and no less than George Will have echoed Lugar's sentiments. Buchanan, in fact, has gone the furthest calling McCain's comments "irresponsible." It should also be mentioned that noted journalists Richard Engel (NBC's chief foreign correspondent who is fluent in Arabic) and CNN's Christiane Amanpour (who is Iranian and lived there for 11 years) have said that the President's stance isn't just the best approach but the only one that makes any sense.
The basic concern on the part of these foreign policy experts is that if we weigh in too forcefully, we will then be used as a foil to justify the Iranian government's brutal treatment of protesters. They would claim that the United States government is trying to overthrow the leadership of Iran just like we did in 1953. They would turn this civil uprising into a war against the "infidels." This oppressive regime survives largely on the hatred of the western world and we don't need to provide them with any excuse to legitimize that view.
But here's the thing that McCain, Graham and Pence should take note of. The most successful revolutions come from within. Whether it's Ghandi in India, or George Washington in this country, the point is clear: true uprisings come from the ground not from overseas. And in case you haven't noticed, they're doing just fine without us.
Sumo-Pop
June 22, 2009
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