“I understand the concern about meddling in a way that seems to label the opposition as American tools, but the opposition made it very clear they want support from the world,” said Wolfowitz, a staunch supporter of the U.S.-led war in Iraq and a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.

CNN Senior Political Analyst David Gergen added that, “It would be useful for the president to show more forceful leadership internationally on this issue.”
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He noted the graphic images emerging from Iran, including the fatal shooting of a young female protester identified as Neda, saying the violence calls for “some kind of humanity from the West.”

Gergen and Wolfowitz said the United States should rally with other Western nations and even countries in the region — including Afghanistan and Turkey, which have recognized incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the winner of the June 12 election — to support the Iranian people.