Iranian demonstrators in Tehran are chanting "Obama, Obama, either with them (the government) or with us". I wonder if he is aware of the gravity of this sentiment on the streets of Iran. What if the people of Iran conclude that the united states would rather play it safe and be content to watch as the Iranian regime tries to crush them. What if they won despite the lack of moral support from the US and it's president?Isn't that a political risk for Mr. Obama?
It is hard to imagine how Mr. Obama can avoid taking a chance and stand with the Iranian people despite what some overcautious politicians think. I hope his advisers are pointing out the fact that it is politically wise for the united states to abandon talks with a government at this time considering that the current regime will never be a true friend to America, in favor of cultivating a better relationship with Iran as a country down the line.
Even if the government of Iran doesn't change the US can pick up were it left off months or years later when the political atmosphere is different and the US won't appear to be appeasing a brutal regime.
The continuation of overtures towards Iran despite the savage crackdown against the defenseless civilians is undermining the future relationship between the two countries. The risk of siding with the demonstrators is much less than the risk of appearing obtuse about the cause of freedom and the wants of the Iranian people.
The current government of Iran blames the US for all ills whether they support the democratic movements or not so why not show some initiative and go all out in support of the peaceful demonstrators.
President Obama is not immune from missing a historical opportunity to do good, just as president Hoover, with his strong financial background, was an unlikely president to miss a historical chance to confront the great depression.
The president is facing a choice and he should know that he can't have it both ways, either stand with the Iranian people in their fight with the regime or pursue an illusive reconciliation with an untrustworthy regime that still celebrates taking American diplomats hostage after 30 years of that shameless act.
I hope he throws caution to the wind and do the right thing. Mr. Obama and The united states shouldn't be on the wrong side of history in this crucial time for Iranians.
America is a mess right now. The Supreme Power, the once known, "Super Power" is losing its luster. At home, much is in complete disarray from our economy, to our health care, to unemployment,blood shed in our military by our own, violence in the streets, and a lack of traditions, morals, values, and ethics in our homes and communities. The list I needn't say goes on. What is most frightening is that the wheels of the radically minded (here and abroad) are turning faster, gaining more strength and fervor to act in maladaptive and deconstructive ways. While America is in utter disarray, the Iranian regime, the Taliban, alQueda, and all radicals alike are able to take advantage and mindfully concoct further means to further deconstruct the sake of the good. In terms of current US involvement and support for the Iranian people against the unhealthy regime, America has found itself so spread thin to even intervene. Needlessly spread thin I might add, and unfortunately so given much is at stake - especially when considering NUKES are in the hands of the wrong people with the means to further dispense and launch them. We wrongfully remain in Iraq to clean up a mess we wrongly created in which innocent others have to live in. 8 years have passed and we remain in Afghanistan with a mission still unaccomplished. Instead of withdrawing troops, we are sending more. Thousands of lives have been lost and cannot be replaced and yet we keep sending more like they are just but lives to be had. Billions of dollars are gone, and still then more monies continue to be exhausted. Our presence in areas where violence is spreading like wild fire, in areas where much is at stake for the civilians there and the international community alike is....... absent. Why? We screwed up and instead of owning our wrongs and fixing them, we egotistically, out of shame, keep making the same gosh darn mistakes. Saving face is costly in varied saddening ways.Lack of resolve in appeasing the American people after 9/11 did not justify us in going to Iraq.Until we say our presence in Iraq was unjustified from the get go, that we manipulated our own people and people abroad as for the Bush administrations mistake to seem justifiable there will be continued insanity with no resolve.We failed miserably.How can any intervention work when the objective is a lie in the first place. Perhaps if our lie was owned, our wrongs were admitted, our military presence in Iraq was lessened and eventually absent then we could genuinely give support and a humanitarian effort in areas where much more is at stake. Until then, fear is warranted here and abroad so far as I am concerned. April Poulin
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