We would all like to see Iranians people rise against their government to establish democracy. Heck, why end with Iranians? North Koreans, Tibetians and the Burmese should all stage a coup to end decades of oppression. Except, of course, this isn’t some Hollywood film where pitch fork wielding peasants rush towards the castle while music swells up in the background.
I’m not Iranian, but I imagine there has to be some similarities between Iranian and Asian dictators. Many military dicators were “elected” by their people in Asia. It still happens today occasionaly, just ask the Burmese. True, the election process isn’t alway honest, and there’s some power play behind it even when it’s not rigged. Then they try to fix the constitution or erase term limits, against the will of the people.
I don’t think John Samford and Redman are being unreasonable, but their smug “matter of fact” approach belies a complex situation. “Your people set them up, so you take them out, and then we’ll help you” Well, maybe they’re responsible for that. But if the Iranians enjoyed that kind of power in the first place, the author would not have written this letter, or ask Americans to take the right course on Iran. WE have the kind of power and resources to make dramatic changes in Iran, whether it involves diplomcay or forcibly removing their leaders. It’s Iranian blood that will be spilt in some ill advised rebellion, not ours. I won’t advise bony North Koreans who live on tree barks to overthrow Kim jong Il hoping for the US to provide aerial bombings from above. (Not to mention America’s poor record in secretly funding rogue rebel groups against leftist regmies)
I support the war in Iraq. Why? Because we found massive piles of WMDS capable of wiping out humanity? No, no. We went 0 for 1 in that department. No, because I recognize Saddam Hussein as a dangerous dictator who would have killed many more of his own people and pose a serious threat to the world in general. I imagine some Americans will vote for Mccain because they share his vision of America as an architect of democracy in Iraq, NOT because they love George Bush or toe the GOP party line. If you support our Iraq cause, is it not because you recognize America is responsible for higher calling?
I know the author is between a rock and a hard place. You don’t expect liberals to mind her. They’ll just dismiss her as a stooge for the establishment out to get Obama. Really, no point in addressing them. But when “conservatives” thumb their nose at her (or is it him?), that’s just baffling. YES, badmanfms, she is taking plenty of ACTION with her online articles. It’s what she can do as an activist and a concerend citizen of a totalitarian regime. Is it plausible for her to take “action” by storming the government with a gun in hand?
