Very Careful
Regarding the disputed election in Iran, Obama said: “I do believe that something has happened in Iran where there is a questioning of the kinds of antagonistic postures towards the international community that have taken place in the past and that there are people who want to see greater openness and greater debate and want to see greater democracy. How that plays out over the next several days and several weeks is something ultimately for the Iranian people to decide.”
Robert Baer was a field operative (spy) for the CIA. He authored: “The Devil We Know: Dealing with the New Iranian Superpower,” and has been covering the elections in Iran, for many years. Baer’s reacted favorably to Obama’s statement by saying: “We do not want to get in the middle of Iranian politics, which we barely understand. And if the President were to come out and support Mousavi, the democratic opposition leader, it would be fatal for them. We want to keep to the sidelines, worry about the violence, point to the government, saying, you’re doing the right thing by doing a recount, but definitely don’t get involved. Iran is still a very xenophobic and paranoid country. And having the United States in the middle of its politics would really hurt.”
Obama’s comment that Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of Iran, is concerned enough about fraud in the election that he has asked for an inquiry, was very smart. It’s not confrontational, but is supportive of the people, because Obama needs to be very careful not to appear to meddle in Iranian politics. If he does that, he gives the mullahs a perfect target, and discredits the brave people who we are watching in the streets.
This is the most amazing series of events, that we have seen in Iran since the revolution, but America can really mess it up by putting itself in the middle of the story. This is one of the rare times in our history where we’re watching something like a democracy develop. Iranians have a deep fear, that their history has been written by others. In 1953, we staged a coup to installed the shah on the “Peacock Throne.” Before that, Iranians felt that the British were steering their destiny. Today, there are people in the streets who want to write that history themselves and we need to express solidarity with them but, it won’t be lasting unless they do it themselves.
Robert Baer was a field operative (spy) for the CIA. He authored: “The Devil We Know: Dealing with the New Iranian Superpower,” and has been covering the elections in Iran, for many years. Baer’s reacted favorably to Obama’s statement by saying: “We do not want to get in the middle of Iranian politics, which we barely understand. And if the President were to come out and support Mousavi, the democratic opposition leader, it would be fatal for them. We want to keep to the sidelines, worry about the violence, point to the government, saying, you’re doing the right thing by doing a recount, but definitely don’t get involved. Iran is still a very xenophobic and paranoid country. And having the United States in the middle of its politics would really hurt.”
Obama’s comment that Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of Iran, is concerned enough about fraud in the election that he has asked for an inquiry, was very smart. It’s not confrontational, but is supportive of the people, because Obama needs to be very careful not to appear to meddle in Iranian politics. If he does that, he gives the mullahs a perfect target, and discredits the brave people who we are watching in the streets.
This is the most amazing series of events, that we have seen in Iran since the revolution, but America can really mess it up by putting itself in the middle of the story. This is one of the rare times in our history where we’re watching something like a democracy develop. Iranians have a deep fear, that their history has been written by others. In 1953, we staged a coup to installed the shah on the “Peacock Throne.” Before that, Iranians felt that the British were steering their destiny. Today, there are people in the streets who want to write that history themselves and we need to express solidarity with them but, it won’t be lasting unless they do it themselves.
posted by Jim O'Leary | 1:18 AM
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