Obama response to Iranian election crisis has well-reasoned merit

June 23, 9:32 AMLiberal ExaminerRaymond Gellner

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Iranian election protesters, June 20, 2009  (AP Photo)

As the protests continue in Iran, many eyes are on President Obama and his reaction to this whirlwind of events. Obama’s position is to support the protester’s rights and to decry the use of violence against them, but not to support Mousavi at this time. While there are many Republicans who surprisingly have supported the decision made by the President to not give direct United States support to Mousavi, most notably pundit Pat Buchanan and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, many more have seen this as an opportune time to strike at the issue of the foreign policy experience of Barack Obama. However, by doing so, the GOP continues to show their lack of understanding which has plagued them since the Eisenhower administration concerning the culture and politics of the Middle East.

Obama, like most Americans, wants to see the Iranian people live in a free and peaceful society. To imply that he would want otherwise as many members of the GOP have done is completely inappropriate and again shows a further lack of understanding. Even so, Obama must look at a large scale of events and do what is best for the United States. While his course of action serves our country, in this instance it also is what is best for Iran and the rest of the Middle East at the same time. If Obama officially supported Mousavi at this time, it would further help Ahmadinejad and the theocratic authorities by giving them an excuse and the license in the eyes of many in Iran to crack down even harder on the protesters.

One of the biggest rallying cries in the Middle East for a very long time has been against what was once the European imperialism in their lands, as well as our country’s involvement in the 1953 coup (big surprise, this coup was all about oil rights). Even to this day there are strong emotions against those events; to force our way into their struggle would only serve to inflame such feelings of resentment and focus them back upon us. This is on of the reasons that we were cast as an enemy during their revolution in the late 1970’s. During his reign, the last Shah of Iran brought Iran into the modern western world and helped to bring about many social and secular reforms in the country. Consequently, the Shi’a Clerics lost much of their political power which in turn eventually led to their 1979 revolution. The cultural backlash which fueled this revolution was primarily due to the West pushing an agenda of western cultural development rather than allowing the country to go through its own natural development.

In addition to the previous reason, there is a further reason as to why we should support the rights of the protesters rather than any one of the candidates. Most of the power in Iran does not rest with the President; it is controlled by the theocratic Assembly of Experts and the Supreme Leader. For there to be real change in Iran, there must be a shift in or elimination of the theocratic power structure. If Mousavi became President without a change in theocratic rule, he would not be able to affect any increase in democracy and social freedom. This can only come about through the people’s force for change.

To attempt to understand the complexities of the Iranian culture in a few talking points as the republicans often attempt to do would most assuredly insure the creation of yet another failed policy in a region in which we can no longer afford to fail. My brief discussion likewise is only a brush on the canvas that makes up the history of this country which has existed in one form or another for over 2500 years. As Obama measures his response with the needs of our country, Iran, and indeed the entire Middle East, he has shown not only an understanding and respect of the region, but also the willpower to see it through. As events unfold, there will, no doubt be a time to officially support any changes that may result from these occurrences. However, until that time, if we were to meddle in Iran’s internal affairs, we would be repeating the erroneous policies that have led to the present day situation in the Middle East.

For additional information related to this subject:
Iranian election produces uncertainty for Middle East peace