"The administration has remained as quiet as possible during the Iranian election season and in the days of street protests since Friday's vote."
-- Washington Post , Monday June 15, 2009
"We're going to withhold comment. … I mean we're just waiting to see."
-- Vice-President Joe Biden
"We are monitoring the situation as it unfolds in Iran but we, like the rest of the world, are waiting and watching to see what the Iranian people decide."
-- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
"Most countries appeared to be taking a wait-and-see approach, including the European Union and China, Germany, Italy and Japan -- nations with strong economic ties to Iran. France said it was closely following the situation."
-- Associated Press, June 13, 2009
For those who look to "world opinion," "the opinion of mankind," or to the United Nations for moral guidance or for coming to the aid of victims of oppression, the past few days and presumably the next few days in Iran, provide yet another example of their uselessness.
A million or more Iranians are demonstrating against last Friday's obviously stolen election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and the world -- except for the lowlifes who rule places like Venezuela and Syria and who immediately sent their effusive congratulations to Ahmadinejad -- is quiet. The world is "closely following the situation," just as it followed the situations of the Jews during the Holocaust, the Ukrainians, the Chinese under Mao, the Rwandans, the Cambodians, Tibetans, and so many others.
I have long believed that the citizens of most free countries do not deserve the gift of freedom that they have. Few have any interest in promoting freedom, only in having it for themselves. Insofar as other countries are concerned what matters to most free countries, as to dictatorships, is power.
That is what America and Europe are watching -- where the power in Iran will go. Whoever wins will get free America and free Europe's respect.
Now it may be argued that if the American president speaks out in support of those demonstrating for free elections in Iran, it will be counterproductive.
How exactly? What will the unelected President Ahmadinejad and the unelected Supreme Ruler, Grand Ayatollah, the pre-medieval Ali Khamenei do? Get angry at America? Threaten to annihilate another country? Start building nuclear arms? Stone women who commit sexual sins? Hey, wait, haven't they done all that already?
As bad as most of the world's countries are, those led by left-wing governments are even worse when it comes to defending democracy.
A primary reason America is "waiting" and "watching" and "monitoring" while Iranians are beaten in the streets of Tehran is that the country is led by the left.
Compare the Canadian reaction, now that it has a conservative government:
On the very next day after the Iranian elections, according to CNN, "Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon told reporters in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Saturday, that Canada was 'deeply concerned' about allegations of voting irregularities. 'We're troubled by reports of intimidation of opposition candidates' offices by security forces.'"
Even usually appeasing Germany, now led by a more conservative government, had a sharper response than America:
As reported by CNN, "German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told ARD Sunday that the Iranian ambassador in Berlin would be summoned to explain the treatment of protesters against the result. 'I have already prompted Iran, together with European colleagues today, to quickly shed light on what has happened there -- if one can take the announced election results there seriously or not," he added.
And Germany's Deutsche Welle reported on Monday, June 15:
"German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she is very concerned and condemns the wave of arrests following the Iranian election."
Now compare Labor-led Britain's response:
As reported by CNN: "U.K. Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Saturday that the U.K. government had 'followed carefully, and admired, the passion and debate during the Iranian election campaign. We have also heard the concerns about the counting of ballots expressed by two of the candidates. This is a matter for the Iranian authorities to address. We will continue to follow developments.'"
"This is a matter for the Iranian authorities to address." Surely a proud moment for Britain.
The best example comes, as it often does, from that quintessential man of the left, former President of the United States Jimmy Carter, speaking from -- where else? – the Palestinian City of Ramallah: "I think this election has brought out a lot of opposition to (Ahmadinejad's} policies in Iran, and I'm sure he'll listen to those opinions and hopefully moderate his position."
Not everyone on the left is "sure" that Ahmadinejad will "listen" to his opponents' opinions. But that level of naivete regarding evil is almost exclusive to the left.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member