Speak Up?

I am horibbly torn on whether or not Obama needs to speak up on the events in Iran. On one hand, the internal Iranian revolutionaries are on an island alone right now, with no support, taking on a ruthless band of tyrants. The media is doing a pitiful job of covering these developments which is easing the external pressure on the regime. The mullahs actually value legitimacy very highly and the more we can expose them on the international stage the more likely they are to realize their goose is cooked. A high profile, world-wide broadcast speech by the President could draw the world’s attention and a spotlight on the Iranian regime that they cannot ignore. They are not the Chinese, they do actually care whether they are considered a legitimate government. Enough spotlight and they might just accept that their 30 year experiment in populist autocracy is over.

On the other hand, silence may be golden. The more organic the revolution, the more effective the revolution, and interference by the U.S. might just give Ahmedinejad and the mullahs the pretext to label their opponents as American puppets. The red, white, and blue is still  a controversial symbol in that region (well, obviously) and any sign of it might turn some reluctant supporters of the revolution against it.

Very, very torn. But very, very hopeful.