Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Comment Elsewhere: Strategic Silence

SEK made a point that I've seen elsewhere: expressed US support for the pro-democracy protesters in Iran would hurt their cause by associating them with foreign power. I responded:
In theory, then, the Obama administration ought to announce immediately and loudly that it accepts the results of the election as announced, and is looking forward to working with Ahmedinijad on critical regional and bilateral issues.

This would result in the implosion of any number of crania, probably to the good.

Actually, it probably should be "cranii."

For more detail on the uprising in Iran, see Andrew Sullivan. But be forewarned: he has a policy of showing violent and disturbing images, if they're real and relevant.

1 comment:

terry said...

I've been following the protests via Andrew Sullivan. In many ways it reminds me of 1979, though hopefully for a better cause. I question, though, the fate of women should this revolt succeed. Will it be used as another excuse to shove women into the margins of society, as the 1979 revolution was?

Part of what props up any movement is a common enemy. With the mullah's govt in Iran that's Israel and the US. So yes, if we express any support for the protesters it will backfire on them. Then, too, is the way Bush I sold out the anti-Saddam groups in the wake of Gulf War. Would we do the same to the Irani protesters, making them even more vulnerable? Were I them, I'd be very suspicious of anything the US has to say.