Should We Support The Iranian Protesters?
When the people of Iran flocked to the streets in protest of an election that was obviously rigged by the ruling Mullahs, the American Government was quick to abandon those brave souls, using the excuse that they didn't wish to "meddle" in Iran's business. Many Americans did not agree with the Administration's position, and instead applauded the bravery of those young people in Iran who were calling for reform in a society controlled by fascist religious Islamic rulers.
Some folks were confused by the support for the protesters by the political Right, asking, "How can it be that you are supporting the Iranian people when you recently supported Israel's desire to launch a preemptive strike against Iran?"
The leadership, not the people, is the problem.
The facts are obvious. The Islamic Regime in Iran needs to be dealt with. The nuclear facilities, if being used for the purpose of war, need to be disabled. If not by willful compliance to United Nation's demands, then by force. Israel is already on the verge of doing just that. The Iranian Government is out of control, and needs to be dealt with. The Islamic Leadership in Iran is as radical as it was the time it took office in Iran thirty years ago.
During the reign of the Shah of Iran, the people in Persia were very pro-American. The Shah got along with The West, and the people in that Middle Eastern nation agreed with his pro-West attitude, despite the fact that he was an allegedly ruthless dictator. The Iranian People enjoyed soda-pop, blue jeans, and Hollywood films. We had a fairly good relationship with Iran, despite the Islamic rumblings in the background.
Jimmy Carter abandoned the Shah as an Islamic uprising took place in Iran. American hostages were taken at the U.S. embassy, and the action by the Islamic radicals should have been considered an act of war. Instead, Carter cringed in the corner, fearful to do anything that might make him look bad, and finally, after much criticism, launched an ill-planned rescue attempt that ended in catastrophe, and the death of eight good men.
The people of Iran, regardless of their pro-American sentiment, fell under the rule of a ruthless, fascist government using an oppressive religion as its guide. The religion, Islam, is a violent political ideology with world conquest, and the destruction of all Christians and Jews, written directly into its dogma. As in Nazi Germany, the people were under the control of a government whose interest was not the people's, but of retaining their own power. Also like Nazi Germany, a large portion of the people did not fall for the deception - but unfortunately, there wasn't a whole lot they could do about it.
Children grow, and they were raised hearing the stories of an Iran before the Islamic Revolution. They listened to their parent's yearnings for the olden days. Western culture, also, caught the attention of these youngsters. The technology available to them allowed them an occasional taste of The West. American tid-bits became available to them through Twitter, Facebook and You Tube.
Hungry for reform, they gathered at the polls, casting their vote for the man they figured would pull Islam out of the grip of radical Islamic control - Moussavi.
The Mullahs chose Ahmadinejad as the winner long before the election began. The Supreme Leader had already determined the victory would be a landslide, and that nationwide celebrations would be held to make it look like the country embraces the leadership of the ruling clerics, and President Ahmadinejad. Easy propaganda that has worked many times before. No worries.
The Religious Leaders of Iran did not take into account the hunger of the people for freedom. After Ahmadinejad was declared the winner, the people protested, truly believing the results of the election to be a lie. The Mullahs promised to look into the allegations of fraud, but how do you trust a pack of wolves to check and see if all of the chickens are still in the hen house?
Unrest gave way to protests in the streets, and the protests became a clear cry for freedom. The Iranian leadership, like any other power-hungry political regime, responded with force. Batons and shields were used as riot police advanced upon the crowds, and eventually it all led to gunfire. Citizens demanding freedom were being killed in the streets of Iran as the government took control of technology, disallowing Internet access, and blacking out any media coverage.
When a young woman named Neda got out of her car, was shot, and died in the street for all of the world to see on You Tube, she became the face of revolution, and a rallying cry for freedom.
This is not the first time this kind of anguish over the control of Iran by Islamic fascist rulers has risen.
In 2005, when Mehdi Karoubi, a reformist cleric and candidate, lost, he accused the government of rigging the vote in Mr. Ahmadinejad's favor. Mr. Ahmadinejad won the election with ease, even though the night the polls closed the vote count proclaimed it too close to call. Mr. Karroubi's charges were never investigated.
So, back to the original question: How is it that Conservatives can support the Iranian People in the streets staging protests, when shortly before that GOP Presidential Candidate John McCain was singing "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Iran" to the glee of his supporters?
Comparisons to World War II, and Nazi Germany, have been used so many times, it is almost cliche - but, it is the best comparison, and the easiest way to illustrate what I mean.
Germany lost World War I, but the decision was a simple cease-fire to end the war. As time passed, the people were ripe for someone to direct their anger, and Hitler appeared on the scene at the right time. However, most of the citizens of Germany were not actually Nazis, or fully understood what the government was doing. It wasn't for Nazism that they fought, for the most part. They took arms in World War II for Germany.
The allies did not desire to go in and kill the German people at random. We did not "hate" the Germans. We sincerely hoped the Germans would rise up and dethrone the Nazis, but the deception ran deep, and the people followed Hitler's lead like a bunch of unknowing sheep being led to the slaughter. American forces did not desire to kill civilians, or just go in and bomb cities, but the Nazi rule made such a decision necessary. War, in the long run, was necessary to save the slaughter of even more lives in future.
Our beef in Iran is with the Iranian leadership, as was our beef with Saddam Hussein in Iraq, and Adolf Hitler in Germany. In the case of Hussein, we recognized his continued support and alliance with Islamic terrorism, and realized that his support was directly, and indirectly, partially responsible for the act of war against the United States on September 11, 2001. Weapons of Mass Destruction was the excuse used, but it really didn't matter if we found any or not, though I am a firm believer those weapons were moved into Syria in 2002 based on the testimony of General Sada. Hussein had the weapons in the past, and as dictators always do, he would find a way to create and use them again in the future, anyway. He had the labs and the factories, and the hate for Israel and America. Iraq, like Iran, is a lynch pin in the Middle East, and for those states to lose control to radical Islam to rain terror throughout the area would be devastating for the people of the Middle East, Israel, and our political and economic interests in that part of the world.
The people desire freedom. As the nation seen by the world as the beacon of liberty, isn't it America's responsibility to assist, or at least support, the fight for freedom around the world?
Our founding fathers wisely discouraged the United States from being involved in foreign entanglements that do not concern America. Terrorism, however, was brought to our door on 9/11, and so by default, the fight against Islamic Terrorism around the globe becomes our fight too. Our concern is especially ignited when the fight for freedom is by the Iranian people against an Islamic regime that is known to fund and support terrorism, as well as its attempt to compromise American forces in Iraq.
The people of Iran rose up and declared that they desire freedom. Conservatives answered that call with "We Support Your Fight."
The Leftist Democrats, confused as to why we would do such a thing, answered with their own proclamation: "We don't want to meddle." But, by refusing to take a stand, they stood with the fascist Islamic government, allowing the Mullahs to continue their reign of terror by simply stepping aside and watching from the stands.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
By Douglas V. Gibbs
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