Escalating violence in Iran

Given the recent violent clashes with protesters, condemnations like H Res. 560--which Ron Paul just voted against--are looking more appropriate.

I still admire Rep. Paul's restraint, but today's subsequent violence has been horrible. Here's Obama's latest statement:

The Iranian government must understand that the world is watching. We mourn each and every innocent life that is lost. We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people. The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights.

As I said in Cairo, suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. The Iranian people will ultimately judge the actions of their own government. If the Iranian government seeks the respect of the international community, it must respect the dignity of its own people and govern through consent, not coercion.

Martin Luther King once said - "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." I believe that. The international community believes that. And right now, we are bearing witness to the Iranian peoples’ belief in that truth, and we will continue to bear witness.

I think this is appropriate--it doesn't threaten Iran in any way, which would undoubtedly be counterproductive for the protesters, given the prevailing anti-American sentiment. It just reminds them the world is watching. And boy, are we.

Should the worst happen, with Ahmadinejad and his allies continuing to crack down and stay in power, I think the outcome will still be positive. The international community--including Europe and Russia--will not be able to ignore the government's illegitimacy--the rigged election and violent crackdown has been too well publicized.