Finally, Obama grows a pair regarding the Iranian election
On June 12th, the day of the Iranian election and the beginning of the massive protests against Ahmadinejad's blatant theft of said election, President Obama
had the following words to say:
Obama "excited" by Iran's robust election debate
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Friday he was hopeful the robust debate taking place in Iran's presidential election would advance his administration's efforts to engage longtime U.S. rival Tehran in new ways.
"We are excited to see what appears to be a robust debate taking place in Iran," Obama told reporters when asked about the Iranian election during an event at the White House.
Emphasis mine.
It seems that his handlers realized their errors and his TelePrompTer now reads:
Obama to Iran's leaders: Stop 'unjust' actions
WASHINGTON (Associated Press) � President Barack Obama on Saturday challenged Iran's government to halt a "violent and unjust" crackdown on dissenters, using his bluntest language yet to condemn Tehran's postelection response.
Obama has sought a measured reaction to avoid being drawn in as a meddler in Iranian affairs. Yet his comments have grown more pointed as the clashes intensified, and his latest remarks took direct aim at Iranian leaders.
"We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people," Obama said in a written statement. "The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights."
And one woman is wearing the face of the protest -- Neda
From
Time Magazine:
In Iran, One Woman's Death May Have Many Consequences
Iran's revolution has now run through a full cycle. A gruesomely captivating video of a young woman � laid out on a Tehran street after apparently being shot, blood pouring from her mouth and then across her face � swept Twitter, Facebook and other websites this weekend. The woman rapidly became a symbol of Iran's escalating crisis, from a political confrontation to far more ominous physical clashes. Some sites refer to her as "Neda," Farsi for the voice or the call. Tributes that incorporate startlingly upclose footage of her dying have started to spring up on YouTube.
A tragedy but if her death helps to bring freedom to the Iranian (Persian) people, it will be a life well lived. The mullahs have all the guns and the power but the people have the will to live free. We shall see which is the more potent force. Regardless, this is one Genie that will not fit nicely back into its bottle...
Posted by DaveH at June 21, 2009 4:24 PM