As we watch so many young Iranians being beaten in the streets and teenager Neda gunned down by a government sniper, asking for freedom as we have it, we are forced to say, “Mr. President your actions in favor of these people is not enough.”  The scenes are so reminiscent of Tiananmen Square in China 20 years ago when George Bush withheld his hand and the future leaders of a free China were similarly beaten and killed.  Both countries have been defined as enemies in their time and each could now be free with non-military encouragement.

In the specific case of Iran the people have clearly “re-voted” in the streets when their ballot vote was denied, and their having protest signs in English is an obvious attempt to appeal to the West for support.  Moreover, they are using facebook and twitter to send video clips in English so current information can be available to us.  Can you not see that you can accomplish what your predecessor George W. Bush could not, by his secretive and unconstitutional regime change ploys, without firing a shot and have the goodwill of the next generation of Iranians also?  Iran will become a nuclear power.  Would it not be better to have such power in friendly hands?

The religious clerics who now rule Iran hate Israel and America.  You are naive Mr. President in believing that any smooth talk will change this regardless of your fine oratory.  You can/ should play your hand in strong verbal support of those wanting freedom.  Everyone except the clerics know that the election was fraudulent.  Why not verbally denounce it?  Why not in the strongest terms and to the court of world opinion also denounce the killing of Neda, the young woman who only wants what you have?  You will have lost nothing in this course of action but you will obtain instead the respect of a new generation of Iranians—regime change without American bullets.  Win!  Win

We live in the day when technology can reveal the secrets and abuses of tyrannical governments and resulting world opinion can pressure government to reform and extend to all peoples freedom as we have it.  A strong verbal stand with the Iranians  can also send a message that others living under tyranny in other countries can take the same course of action and freedom can consume the earth.  This is the right time and the internet can be the best friend liberty ever had.  As leader of the free world you must play this hand.  It is what we are all about.

Oh, one other thing, both houses of Congress and both parties have voted overwhelming to support the Iranian people.  Is your wisdom to do so only mildly superior to their collective wisdom to do so much more strongly?  See supporting video clips to this article at LibertyUnderFire.org.

(In fairness to President Obama, as this went to press, he is finally speaking out a little more boldly on the subject.  Hopefully it is not too little too late.)