In the most recent issue of TIME, Joe Klein wrote of his recent 10 day visit to Iran. Quoting a prominent Iranian conservative, Klein imparts the stark political reality within the Islamic republic:

Look, for the past 30 years, the Supreme Leader — first Khomeini, now Khamenei — has blamed all our problems on the Great Satan... If you take away the Great Satan and we still have problems, how does he explain it? Almost everyone here is in favor of ending this war with America. But no one has less incentive to make peace than the Supreme Leader.

This reality, perhaps, reveals the motives behind the apparent fraudulent election in which Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was technically reelected despi...

In the most recent issue of TIME, Joe Klein wrote of his recent 10 day visit to Iran. Quoting a prominent Iranian conservative, Klein imparts the stark political reality within the Islamic republic:

Look, for the past 30 years, the Supreme Leader — first Khomeini, now Khamenei — has blamed all our problems on the Great Satan... If you take away the Great Satan and we still have problems, how does he explain it? Almost everyone here is in favor of ending this war with America. But no one has less incentive to make peace than the Supreme Leader.

This reality, perhaps, reveals the motives behind the apparent fraudulent election in which Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was technically reelected despite the popularity of Mir-Hossein Mousavi. Ahmadinejad continuing as the Iranian president contributes to Khamenei's maintenance of the status-quo. An inflammatory statement from Obama would only serve to further entrench the regime.

You need not take my word for it that what McCain and Graham have suggested was, and remains, diplomatically stupid. Just as divisions within the GOP have been evident on several issues since Obama's inauguration, again it has been Republicans who have stepped up to support Obama's approach on Iran. The most significant support came from Richard Lugar (R - IN), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnWY8WH1Nm0&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.care2.com%2Fcauses%2Fpolitics%2Fblog%2Fmccain-graham-dead-wrong-about-obama-approach-on-iran%2F&feature=player_embedded

Additionally, Media Matters and The Nation, among others this week, have posted about conservative media figures acknowledging the Obama administration's shrewd approach on Iran. Most notably, Peggy Noonan, former speech writer for president Reagan, described pushers of the idiot button as political opportunists in her June 19 Wall Street Journal column:

This was Aggressive Political Solipsism at work: Always exploit events to show you love freedom more than the other guy, always make someone else's delicate drama your excuse for a thumping curtain speech.

Aside from the above mentioned reasons for Obama to avoid a direct challenge or subversion of the Iranian leadership, it seems app...

Additionally, Media Matters and The Nation, among others this week, have posted about conservative media figures acknowledging the Obama administration's shrewd approach on Iran. Most notably, Peggy Noonan, former speech writer for president Reagan, described pushers of the idiot button as political opportunists in her June 19 Wall Street Journal column:

This was Aggressive Political Solipsism at work: Always exploit events to show you love freedom more than the other guy, always make someone else's delicate drama your excuse for a thumping curtain speech.

Aside from the above mentioned reasons for Obama to avoid a direct challenge or subversion of the Iranian leadership, it seems apparant that he doesn't have to for the protesters to know where Americans stand on their plight. Thanks is large part to the historic role of online social networking in the Iranian protests, the demonstrators are no doubt acutely aware that, not just Americans, but that the entire world supports them in their efforts.