There is more opposition in Iran than we — and probably Iranians themselves — knew existed, and thus more opportunity for change.

I really don’t understand how the intelligencia(liberals) in this country can be so completely unaware of anything happening outside their little cocoon.

Let me quote a wise man nearly some 6 years ago:

In Iran the demand for democracy is strong and broad … The regime in Tehran must heed the democratic demands of the Iranian people, or lose its last claim to legitimacy.
George Bush 2003

So, why are people like Dionne so late in coming to the party and why is our current stubborn headstrong leader so intent on negotiations that he ignores all of history?

They live in the same cocoon and the light, particularly the light of reality barely enters the shell!
David

Khomeini coup ’79 – Handed to the mullahs by President Carter. Can anyone argue that the Iranian people are better off today than they would have been if still under the Shah?

Today – As stated in Powerline; we owe a blood debt to the likes of Amadinejahd. For the first time in history, America is not standing true to our base principles. Who are we as a country if we don’t stand for freedom and individual rights? That the President of the United States has to be pulled, reluctantly, to support people dying in the streets of Baghdad is a tragedy.

And more to my point, Dionne admits that the level of opposition to the Iranian regime has caught most of what he calls the “realists” on the Left by surprise, apparently including the White House. Why are they surprised?

Because most on the left thought than any hostility inside Iran was mainly due to opposition to the U.S. Middle East policies of George W. Bush, and that once Obama was in office, the Iranian leadership would become less autocratic and the public in turn more supportive of their leaders, because Obama makes the world go ’round.

jon1979 on June 22, 2009 at 3:57 PM

Also known as the “Hey – I’m not Bush!” school of foreign policy.

And more to my point, Dionne admits that the level of opposition to the Iranian regime has caught most of what he calls the “realists” on the Left by surprise, apparently including the White House. Why are they surprised?

Because most on the left thought than any hostility inside Iran was mainly due to opposition to the U.S. Middle East policies of George W. Bush, and that once Obama was in office, the Iranian leadership would become less autocratic and the public in turn more supportive of their leaders, because Obama makes the world go ’round.

Bill Clinton apologized for the CIA role in the mid-1950s coup that put the Shah back on the throne. Iran continued to support terrorists and wage low-level war against the US.

I keep reading about the CIA role in the 1953 coup in Iran like it is an established fact. This is utterly false like the idea that Al Gore claimed to have created the internet. Both ideas are just repeated in the absence of facts. Here are the facts. A CIA agent Kermit Roosevelt went to Iran, and is alleged to have overthrow a democratically elected government by clever persuasion and small bribes.

If it is true that Roosevelt contributed the 1953 coup, about the most that can be said is that the United States helped the factions invovled in the Iranian coup. You don’t have a stable government, if it can overthrown by small bribes. Another viewpoint–the one I support–is that Kermit had more than a touch of Walter Mitty in his personality. His success was simply getting Dulles and Churchill to believe his fantasy.

Even if I’m wrong and Kermit contributed somehow, the United States CIA was at best a minor actor in 1953 Iranian coup. Let’s stop giving the United States major billing.
I would go so far as to say that giving United States top billing in the 1953 coup is racist. It reduces the Iranians to puppets of the CIA which they weren’t. Iranians are more than smart enough to throw own coup.

Apparently, we all could use a bit of real history, at least according to a fantastic book I’m now reading, “Lies Your Teachers Told You.”

It’s a critique of history textbooks in the US.

Check it out. Fascinating.

AnninCA on June 22, 2009 at 1:00 PM

Yeah, the reviews at Amazon pretty much sum it up: “In Loewen’s ideal text, events and people illuminating the multicultural holy trinity of race, gender, and social class would predominate over the fixation on heroes and acts of government. Such is the mood adopted throughout this critique of 12 American history texts in current use. Vetting 10 topics they commonly address–from the Pilgrims to the Vietnam War–Loewen bewails a long train of alleged omissions and distortions. To account for the deplorable situation, he offers this quasi-Marxist explanation: ‘Perhaps we are all dupes, manipulated by elite white male capitalists who orchestrate how history is written as part of their scheme to perpetuate their own power and privilege at the expense of the rest of us.’” (Booklist)

I think Ryan Mauro’s article spells out with extreme clarity just how important this uprising in Iran actually is. If Obama sits the fence on a situation like this when so many other pieces of the chess board are at risk, we shouldn’t let him continue to be President – period. The entire middle east is possibly up for grabs all because of the courage of the Iranian people and Obama goes golfing. That is what nightmares are made of.

Oh ye of little faith.Our messiah Obama will heal all, our messiah Obama will bring those dead back to life.All we need to do is chant, Yes We Can, Yes We Can!

Jeff from WI on June 22, 2009 at 1:33 PM

No wonder Obama has crosses, covered up, when ever he’s to speak at a function, where a crucifix hangs. Who needs THAT kind of competition, and pressure. LOL

As always the left is saying “this or tha president whose foriegn policy we hated, did what Obama is doing therefore it’s OK.” To which I say what? I mean, what? Why isn’t your fracking head exploding from that? You LIKED RONALD REAGAN”S FOREIGN POLICY NOW?

billhedrick on June 22, 2009 at 1:34 PM

Right on. Idiots and trolls always trot out “well, Boosh/Ray-gun did it”. They go silent when you ask them “So, you’re holding up Bush and Reagan as models to be emulated, then?”

They can never get past the “nyaa-nyaa” level of discourse, and it’s generally useless even trying to get them to frame a cogent argument — that’s why they’re liberals.

Barry on ’smart diplomacy’. Once again, a day late and a dollar short.

GarandFan on June 22, 2009 at 1:29 PM

But with promises that his actions will create or save days and dollars.

I think it’s a mistake for the GOP to attack the president on this issue. Most people are probably more like me. I tend to be agree with conservatives on some issues, not on others.

It’s ridiculous to go much further than he already has gone.

AnninCA on June 22, 2009 at 12:59 PM

Yeah, why would the American President stand up for the concept of freedom to assemble. It’s one of those rights in the Constitituion you statists tend to overlook in your zeal to create an oppressive regime in this country.

Obama failed no matter how much you nutjobs want to apologize for the incompetent filthy liar.

Barry on ’smart diplomacy’. Once again, a day late and a dollar short.

GarandFan on June 22, 2009 at 1:29 PM

Oh ye of little faith.Our messiah Obama will heal all, our messiah Obama will bring those dead back to life.All we need to do is chant, Yes We Can, Yes We Can!

I think it’s a mistake for the GOP to attack the president on this issue. Most people are probably more like me. I tend to be agree with conservatives on some issues, not on others.

It’s ridiculous to go much further than he already has gone.

AnninCA on June 22, 2009 at 12:59 PM

I think most Dems agree with Republicans on this. Hell, even Biden, and Hillary voiced their concern over his reaction, or lack there of.

I think it’s a mistake for the GOP to attack the president on this issue. Most people are probably more like me. I tend to be agree with conservatives on some issues, not on others.

It’s ridiculous to go much further than he already has gone.

AnninCA on June 22, 2009 at 12:59 PM

People have accused you of being a ‘bot’ and I can see why. You’re comments are so monotone in delivery, so…what’s the word….almost like you’re hypnotized and reading from a talking points memo issued by Axlerod.

You think it’s a mistake to attack the President of the US for not supporting, with all his might, the young voice of revolution in a country that has been hard-line for 30 years, wants to wipe Israel off the map and wants nukes so bad they have the shakes?? It’s ridiculous to go further?? Are you serious? You are either a computer with some AI or you are literally hypnotized with no ability to think rationally for yourself.

Obey Obama….Obey Obama…we shouldn’t criticize Obama…It’s ridiculous to do more than he has already done…Obey Obama…Obey Obama…He’s right in his actions…

creepy

Instead, we would give encouragement to the people of Iran to keep working for freedom, which is much less of a long shot than Obama talking Khamenei out of his nuclear weapons.

One has to believe in freedom first in order to support it.

I tend to be agree with conservatives on some issues, not on others.

AnninCA on June 22, 2009 at 12:59 PM

You’re just as dumb and naive as you were the last time we spotted you around here.

You need to go back and at least read a little history. I know they don’t teach anything vaguely resembling U.S. history in CA, but at least get your facts straight….. Your comments are embarrassing because they are so flawed…without even sourcing a specific text, I recommend a few small things…. the liberation of Europe 1944, the liberation of Kuwait 1991, Kosovo, the Balkans, millions in Afghanistan, and millions in Iraq. Our help has freed millions from tyranny… you just choose the wrong side because of how you are wired…. wrong.

Apparently, we all could use a bit of real history, at least according to a fantastic book I’m now reading, “Lies Your Teachers Told You.”

It’s a critique of history textbooks in the US.

Check it out. Fascinating.

It’s ridiculous to go much further than he already has gone.

I willingly admit that I believed the war in Iraq was as much about Iran as Saddamm, surrounding Iran with fledgling democracy was the ultimate plan and end game, hoping the Iranian people would take matters in their own hands and overthrown the Islamofundies in Iran. That opportunity is upon the world stage as I type this.

All this time waiting and hoping and it’s here, now. And who do we have at the top of the US to lead the change? Jimmy Carter V.2.0, Barack Hussein Obama.

I makes me want to puke.

booter on June 22, 2009 at 12:27 PM

I just want to say me too.

And I have to wonder just how much this plays into Obama’s reaction because he doesn’t want to admit that Bush was right and a great deal of what is happening in Iran was motivated by Iranians looking across their border at a truly democratic process of a government elected by the people. It’s a “if Iraqis can have it, why can’t we” moment and Obama can not allow himself to acknowledge it.

Look, Ed, you and a lot of other folks don’t seem to get it, so I will explain it to you. Liberals refuse to acknowledge any FACT or DATA that contradicts their weird and rosy little view of the world.

This is a phenomena I refer to as “Militant Ignorance”. It’s a “don’t confuse me with the facts, I’ve made up my mind” mentality. The libtard builds up walls of unreality, myth, halucination and delirium to preserve their view of things, yet somehow manage to insist they are open minded.

Which bears repeating the best post I’ve read so far; “You can lead a liberal to facts, but you cannot make them think.”

dogsoldier on June 22, 2009 at 11:57 AM

“A lie isn’t a lie, if you believe it”-George Costanza

As for EJ Dionne, all you need to know is that he “wrote” for the NY Fishwrap before he wrote for the Washington Compost.