Watching and Waiting
BBC News has a neat, compact summary of the Iranian situation by Jim Muir. Balanced, in the sense that we should not get our hopes up for real progress in Iran, but nevertheless advising us that we continue to watch the situation carefully.
Mr. Muir reminds us that Iranian protests have recently been larger and aimed at freedom, but also suggests that those earlier, failed movements were different for two key reasons:
- These have a real, reactive issue: the allegations (or rather exposure) of voting fraud blessed by the government
- These are seen as Iranian-only protests, whereas previous ones were dismissed as triggered by the US
In that respect, it may be good that POTUS Obama has yet to discuss the situation: the more the Iranians think this is their doing, the greater the number of people willing to join in.
Also helping to fuel the situation is that the other three candidates are fomenting the desire: although each of their aims is a little more selfish, the net result could be good for the planet. The blatantly criminal responses from Ahmadinezhād’s supporters is turning folks away from him, as well.
New to the discussion, though, is the supposition that the timing is bad for Obama, in that the election and subsequent protests are revealing Iran to be the unreasonably ugly animal it is, and making Israel—with a well-timed discussion of a separate Palestine state—seem like a bunch of nice guys. We continue to watch and wait.
Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.