"THE WORLD IS WATCHING"

So says President Obama regarding Iran's current tightening of the noose around the necks of Tehran protesters. Yes, and the world is watching Mr. Obama's continued wimpy rhetorical response to the situation (well, watching as much as possible since Iranian officials have cut most communications and media coverage). Our last president with a wide, engaging "trust me" smile was Jimmy Carter, the man who got us into the current Iran mess in the first place. The similarities in foreign policy are disturbing. Yes, the world is watching as the speech level goes from "we're concerned" to "VERY concerned".  Part of this concern, of course, is that Iran's leaders will blame the USA for "meddling" if Obama says too much to encourage protestors. That doesn't matter since the Mullahs already do that, even in reaction to Obama's tepid response so far. Isn't it better to use words to empower liberty now, rather than to have no choice but go to military action down the road because the freedom loving resistors were trampled in the streets?

Meanwhile, the Supreme Leader Mullah had no problems with his words in the mosque Friday. With Ahmadinejad and thousands of adherents in attendance, the crowd reacted with chants of "Death the America!" and "Death to Israel!"  Yes, that'll make us "VERY DEEPLY concerned" now.  Maybe.

WEEKEND READING: For important background on the Carter era (1979) loss of Iran to the Mullahs (and a possible glimpse into Obama's reaction to all this) read Mark Bowden's excellent book, "Guests of the Ayatollah: The First Battle in America's War with Militant Islam".  For more recent lessons from the Tiananmen Square massacre (1989), check out "Prisoner of the State: The Secret Journal of Premier Zhao Ziyang".

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