Wed, 06/24/2009 - 3:48pm | by P.J. Aroon


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ANNE

6:43 AM ET

June 25, 2009

She can't say anything unless

She can't say anything unless obama allows and clearly he isn't allowing it, so the poll doesn't really make sense.

 

STACYX

11:21 PM ET

June 25, 2009

I'm a bit conflicted about

I'm a bit conflicted about this because part of me wants to see Hillary get up and take the Iranian govt to task for their refusal to allow free and fair elections and the subsequent violence and terror unleashed on the protesters. But the other part of me feels that perhaps she believes that the reality of the situation may require a less public, and consequently less satisfying, show of support for the pro-democracy movement there.

I think we have to remember that the US has a deplorable history in Iran with respect to not just "meddling" in their affairs, but actually removing leaders and replacing them with pro-American puppets (remember the Shah?) and that helped lead to the rise of the Mullahs and Ayatollah as Supreme Leader.

While I would think Hillary most certainly yearns to use her position and authority to speak out on behalf of the pro-democracy protesters, I also can't help but think that she understands this history- remember during one of her more recent appearances before the Senate (or was it in the House?) Foreign Relations Committee and she matter-of-factly reminded the committee that [and I'm paraphrasing] in Afghanistan, the US' work there is all the more difficult due to our history of supporting certain leaders on the past(Bin Laden(), even if they were essentially despots themselves (not her words, mine), so long as it was politically expedient for us at the time and we are essentially reaping the effect of that. No other govt figure has spoken out so bluntly and honestly about the role our past actions play in current conflicts and that's one of the things I love about her.

I personally think this problem of history is rearing it's ugly head with respect to our response to the situation in Iran. If Hillary is going to speak out on behalf of the protesters and against the Iranian govt, she will have to do so in a way that doesn't allow the current corrupt government to use her statements to claim to the world (particularly the Muslim world) that the US is/was behind the protest movement and claims of election fraud for the purpose of regime change and while that claim sounds ridiculous to most Americans, it could find a receptive audience in Iran and other parts of the Muslim world, possibly undermining Mousavi's movement.

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Secretary Clinton Blog

 

STACYX

11:26 PM ET

June 25, 2009

I'm a bit conflicted about

I'm a bit conflicted about this because part of me wants to see Hillary get up and take the Iranian govt to task for their refusal to allow free and fair elections and the subsequent violence and terror unleashed on the protesters. But the other part of me feels that perhaps she believes that the reality of the situation may require a less public, and consequently less satisfying, show of support for the pro-democracy movement there.

I think we have to remember that the US has a deplorable history in Iran with respect to not just "meddling" in their affairs, but actually removing leaders and replacing them with pro-American puppets (remember the Shah?) and that helped lead to the rise of the Mullahs and Ayatollah as Supreme Leader.

While I would think Hillary most certainly yearns to use her position and authority to speak out on behalf of the pro-democracy protesters, I also can't help but think that she understands this history- remember during one of her more recent appearances before the Senate (or was it in the House?) Foreign Relations Committee and she matter-of-factly reminded the committee that [and I'm paraphrasing] in Afghanistan, the US' work there is all the more difficult due to our history of supporting certain leaders on the past(Bin Laden(), even if they were essentially despots themselves (not her words, mine), so long as it was politically expedient for us at the time and we are essentially reaping the effect of that. No other govt figure has spoken out so bluntly and honestly about the role our past actions play in current conflicts and that's one of the things I love about her.

I personally think this problem of history is rearing it's ugly head with respect to our response to the situation in Iran. If Hillary is going to speak out on behalf of the protesters and against the Iranian govt, she will have to do so in a way that doesn't allow the current corrupt government to use her statements to claim to the world (particularly the Muslim world) that the US is/was behind the protest movement and claims of election fraud for the purpose of regime change and while that claim sounds ridiculous to most Americans, it could find a receptive audience in Iran and other parts of the Muslim world, possibly undermining Mousavi's movement.

**********
Secretary Clinton Blog

 

Madam Secretary is an obsessive blog about all things Hillary Clinton. From her policies to her pantsuits, Madam Secretary delivers up-to-the-minute news, analysis, and gossip about America's top diplomat.