Obama Speaks to Iran: Softly & Without a Big Stick

Sunday Paper - June 21st, 2009

The Iranian people headed out to the streets again on Saturday in direct defiance of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khameini.  This disobedience escalated the people’s stance from dissatisfaction with election results to an up-rise which now challenges and threatens the legitimacy of the current regime.

The Iranian people, fighting the basij (state militia) with only sticks and stones, have reached out to the free-world for moral support using social networking sites Facebook and Twitter with much of their communication in English.  President Obama, after much pressure from Congress, assembled Iranian Americans, and freedom loving Americans all across the country,  has spoken again via a written communication:

President Obama on Saturday called on the Iranian government to “stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people” amid calls for the White House to go further in showing support for the Iranian people after the country’s disputed elections.

“The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights,” Obama said in a written statement.

Obama also referred back to his speech this month to the Muslim world, saying “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.” 

And Obama cited the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s, famous quote: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” “I believe that,” Obama said. “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.”

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Obama received especially sharp criticism for remaining silent especially from leading Republicans.  California Rep. Darrell Issa was frustrated with the lack of urgency displayed by the Obama administration and says they are now behind the eight-ball.

“The Obama administration took a first step today,” California Rep. Darrell Issa told FOX News. “Obviously, Congress was well ahead of the president. I think the president is playing catch-up.” Issa said the president, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other Obama officials should make a series of additional statements to demonstrate when the United States stands. “You have to support these people whose aspirations are only freedom,” he said.

In a statement to FOX News, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, Michigan Rep. Pete Hoekstra, echoed the sentiments of Issa, wanting Obama to send a stronger message in support of those Iranians willing to die for freedom.

“I think what the president can do is make a strong statement on behalf of the people of Iran … making clear it’s not about a certain candidate,” Michigan Rep. Pete Hoekstra, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, told FOX News on Saturday. Remaining silent “sends the wrong message” to Iranians and other people in other oppressed countries.

Those courageous Iranians who have put their lives on the line in the name of freedom have reached out to the freedom loving people of the world and The United States of America in particular.  As they risk everything for the freedom of their future generations, they must know that if they do die, it will not be in vain.  A ‘leader of the free-world’ who says he is outraged, that he condemns the beating and killing of the innocent (women included), and that such actions will not be tolerated by the ‘international community,’ would be more appropriate.  Such words would certainly encourage the Iranian people in their struggle to topple an oppressive, tyrannical regime.  They are chanting “death to Khameini!”

This from FOXNews.com - June 20th, 2009

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/20/republicans-pressure-obama-support-iranian-protesters/

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