Iranian Election Fallout

Ok, I'm throwing my hat in the ring here. Mostly because I want to discuss this stuff, but nobody in my life seems to care. Not that anyone will ever read this thing. 

I've read up a bit on this whole election debacle in Iran. I think the American inclination is to identify with the reformist, whom we have identified as Moussavi. And just look at all those Moussavi supporting Iranians in the streets protesting the election results. They obviously have a fire in their bellies, one that clearly trumps whatever suspicions Americans had in 2000 & 2004 elections. I feel a sort of patriotic identification with their rallies; if they were American, they'd be exercising their First Amendment freedom.

But they aren't American. I am seeing them through an opaque American lens. And I realize that. While I won't be traveling to Iran in the near future to get the insider's perspective, I do feel that the sheer level of political upheaval is indicative of election malfeasance. But there's not a damn thing I can do about it. Nor is there a damn thing I should do about it. The Iranians are working it out, and frankly, I think they're going to fail. It's good that there are rumblings of election recounts, but does any of us seriously thing that Ahmedinijad is going to be dethroned at this point? And would it really be appropriate for the US to get involved?  

But God bless them anyway for fighting for what they believe in, and may we all be inspired by it. They are facing far more violent government retaliation than we ever did in this country. And they are out there fighting nonetheless. These aren't Iranian leftist yuppies, as some bloggers have insinuated. They are patriots with conviction. And they are being murdered. 

Despite that, and despite weird accusations that the US is somehow inappropriately participating in this, I see no indication that our foreign policy is seeking involvement in this crisis. Obama has acknowledged the US's inappropriate meddlings in Iranian leadership in 1953. Obama has stated that he doesn't believe the outcome of the election matters much in terms of US foreign policy. While I find that statement highly debatable, the point is that we aren't involved in this thing. We can blog about it and cover it and watch footage on the news. But we are not getting involved politically. And as much as my heart goes out to the Iranian protesters, and especially to Iranian women, I don't see that any official involvement by the US at this point would be useful. But we do have the right to discuss it in our media, just as Iranians have the right to protest in the street.

And while I think we are all stuck with Ahmedinijad for the next four years, I pray that this uproar serves a more long term goal. Perhaps as in America, they will iron out some of the holes in their election system, and elect a reformist next time around.

Or maybe that's just my naive American lens again.