Posted by Phil Giraldi on 06/19/09 4:12 PM   [Newer: Dangerous Times] [Older: Dennis Ross Moves Office (Again)]

There has been a lot of agitation from both the left and the right to intervene in the politicial turmoil taking place in Iran by supporting the reformers.  There a number of good reasons to leave Iran alone.  First, it is none of our business anyway and the record on US interventions over the past fifty years has been universally bad.  Second, it is up to the Iranian people to sort out their own political future.  Outsiders weighing in will only make that process more difficult.  Third, Ahmadinejad just might have won in a fair election.  Attacking him because we don't like him will only harden the conservative case that the West really does not want democracy.  Fourth, linking the US and Europeans to the cause of the reformers will only be useful in discrediting them. 

Everyone should note first and foremost that Iran held elections at all, a relatively rare event in that part of the world.  It indicates that the regime there does recognize that there exists a popular mandate for its continued rule.  When the Iranian people are ready to change their government they will do so all by themselves, without the help of the CIA and the NED.  Fantasies about democracy sweeping the world coupled with threats of intervention and regime change will only slow the process of political liberalization, not help it.  It will also encourage the growth of phony pastel revolutionaries, as we have seen in Eastern Europe, nearly all of whom are just as corrupt and authoritarian as the communists they have replaced.-Phil Giraldi, American Conservative Defense Alliance

Posted 06/19/09 5:29 PM rmalfer Cypress, TX

You are right, sir. This is an issue that can only be properly dealt with by Iranians, not by some outside force. Lack of interference will go a long way in ameliorating the tensions between everyone. Remember, the president there is a figurehead.

Posted 06/19/09 5:32 PM KDelavar Washougal, WA

I like this post. I am an Iranian American. The only question I have is: why is it that when the masses throw themselves in the street to fight for their freedom, America stays quiet? It seems that the US chooses when it wants to step in, but for the side of freedom, it is all of a sudden - non-interventionist.

Posted 06/19/09 6:01 PM MarilyninLakeJackson Lake Jackson, TX

Dr. Paul and most here are always non-interventionist. After watching the Iranians on TV, it looks to me like they don't need or want our "help". I admire the citizens there for taking to the streets to change their government. They have more determination and backbone than we've seen here in our country, as far as I'm concerned.

Posted 06/19/09 8:02 PM vintovkamossina Smithville, OH

Nailed it on the head again Phil! While I will commend those brave young people in Iran for their dissent which by the way Ben Franklin said dissent is the highest form of patriotism, I'm sadden by a government or a collective of Governing bodies ordering police or militant militias to open fire on people who are armed only with protest signs and items to start fires. Whether or not who won the election isn't a big concern for me.It's people being killed,frightened and harassed for being a dissident. Makes me wonder if/when we all will face the same situation in this country.

Posted 06/19/09 10:08 PM JimMN Eden Prairie, MN

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Endowment_for_Democracy

Posted 06/19/09 11:47 PM austriantheory1 Monroe, NY

It's sad that America is so easily distracted by things like Specter changing teams, Miss California, swine flu, and Iran. There are serious threats to American sovereignty, such as the 10 year projection of the deficit, hyperinflation, and our frightening loss of liberty with the PATRIOT Act & universal healthcare.

Posted 06/20/09 12:12 AM AirForceIraqVet Spring Park, MN

Honestly, I'm a bit perplexed by Mr. Giraldi's comments on Iran. I think the absolute WORST thing we can do right now is ignore what is transpiring there. While it is true that our POLITICAL dealings in that region of the world have been (and continue to be) horrible failures, one thing we should NOT do is convince ourselves that this isn't our problem. That's foolish and ignorant. The only credible information we are really able to get is in the form of Tweets and the occasional Facebook posting from the people who are living in Tehran itself. This is a human rights issue as well as a political one. I certainly hope that Mr. Giraldi doesn't actually believe that the best course of action is to turn our backs to a potential humanitarian crisis if the blood that the Iranian government is threatening to spill is actually carried out. I fundamentally agree with most of the Campaign for Liberty's positions on a wealth of issues, but I will NOT ignore what is happening in Iran. The United States has a responsibility to stand up for human rights...at the VERY LEAST! My God, what happens there affects us here at home as well! As for Mr. Giraldi's assertion that people support the reformers because they simply don't like Ahmadinejad I say, so what? We're not talking about subverting the Iranian government. We're talking about standing shoulder to shoulder with a people that WANT change. Doing so ISN'T MEDDLING and there is no shame in it! If, as Mr. Giraldi insinuated in his post, the Iranian election was free, and Ahmadinejad was actually fairly re-elected, how come the election was called so soon? They don't use e-voting machines over there...every vote had to be hand written and hand counted. Even the Iranian state reported record turnout...almost 80 million ballots cast. It's mathematically impossible that Ahmadinejad, who was slightly behind to dead even with Mousavi, could have come back to win by 11 million votes as quickly as he did. Not if the votes are hand cast and hand counted. The fact that he would even SUGGEST that this may have been a free and fair election is laughable. I respect everyone's viewpoint, but I am going to break with the C4L on this one and will CONTINUE to support the Iranian people in their struggle to rid themselves of a tyrant, some of you may think it sacrilege defy our movement, but I don't really care. Doing the right thing is more important to me than a political movement in this instance.

Posted 06/20/09 12:25 AM austriantheory1 Monroe, NY

AirForceIraqVet: Fortunately, this isn't a cult, it's a community based on common ground issues in a non-partisan manner. For the purpose of conversation, what specifically do you mean by "right thing?" It doesn't sound like your suggesting that we use the American military to go overturn the election and make them do it our way. It just sounds like your supporting liberty for all people and showing solidarity with opressed citizens in Iran. I think we all agree that the government of Iran (like most governments) is way out of line.

Posted 06/20/09 12:33 AM AirForceIraqVet Spring Park, MN

austriantheory1, by "right thing" I mean "human thing". I 100% understand the C4L's position on non-intervention and such, and I agree...to an extent. However, we are still a superpower, and as such, there are certain responsibilities that go along with that title whether we like it or not. Politically, I don't think we should get involved. Individually, we absolutely should. The Iranian people are going to have to engage in this battle, in the physical sense, alone...but I still don't understand why Mr. Giraldi would want us to ignore their plight. Because America has problems we should ignore everyone elses? Ignorance is the last thing any of us should tolerate, especially in today's screwed up world.

Posted 06/20/09 12:41 AM austriantheory1 Monroe, NY

AirForceIraqVet: Right, I generally think that's everyone's opinion. In the context of C4L, non-interventionist is defined as being against our government's use of coercion here and abroad. I think this defintion was what Giraldi was referring to, especially in his reference to the CIA. Individually speaking, it'd be rather hypocritical of us to say, "liberty for us -- and only us."

Posted 06/20/09 12:58 AM clint4liberty Louiisville, KY

I am always going to stand up for liberty, freedom of speech, petition, demonstrate/assembly, and for the govt. to actually listen then act. It all comes down to the rule of law and unfortunately the ruling religious clerics run Iran. So, what do you do when the rule of law is based on a theocracy? The answer is simple is that if the Iranian students, women, and opposition continue to protest and it will be Iran's version of T. square. We cannot allow a freedom movement to be crushed because thousands if not ten of thousands of people are marching in the street. So, we must support the Iranian public who are standing up for liberty.

Posted 06/20/09 01:00 AM clint4liberty Louiisville, KY

We cannot allow this to stand, folks. Do you honestly believe A. actually won the race of President of Iran?

Posted 06/20/09 06:22 AM Phil Giraldi Purcellville, VA

I have been somewhat misinterpreted in some of the comments by AirForceIraqVet. I did not state that Iranians support the reformers because they dislike Ahmadinejad and I did not state that Ahmadinejad was elected fairly - I only said that he might have been. We don't really know. Also, individuals like AirForceIraqVet are free to support whatever and whomever they wish, including Iranian reformers even though it might send the message that this is all a western conspiracy. I was really talking about our government staying out of it, which is pretty much what Obama is doing. Congressional resolutions help no one and only give the bad guys ammunition for their propaganda. I am all for positive change in Iran, but I believe that it will only happen when the Iranians are able to do it themselves. See also my colleague Doug Bandow's blog item on this subject, which notes how there is a clear ideological agenda relating to who is saying what about Iran. - Phil Giraldi, American Conservative Defense Alliance

Posted 06/20/09 06:39 AM Break your chains Byron, GA

John Quincy Adams had it right: July 4th, 1821; Speech to the House of Representatives ------------ And now, friends and countrymen, if the wise and learned philosophers of the elder world, the first observers of nutation and aberration, the discoverers of maddening ether and invisible planets, the inventors of Congreve rockets and Shrapnel shells, should find their hearts disposed to enquire what has America done for the benefit of mankind? Let our answer be this: America, with the same voice which spoke herself into existence as a nation, proclaimed to mankind the inextinguishable rights of human nature, and the only lawful foundations of government. America, in the assembly of nations, since her admission among them, has invariably, though often fruitlessly, held forth to them the hand of honest friendship, of equal freedom, of generous reciprocity. She has uniformly spoken among them, though often to heedless and often to disdainful ears, the language of equal liberty, of equal justice, and of equal rights. She has, in the lapse of nearly half a century, without a single exception, respected the independence of other nations while asserting and maintaining her own. She has abstained from interference in the concerns of others, even when conflict has been for principles to which she clings, as to the last vital drop that visits the heart. She has seen that probably for centuries to come, all the contests of that Aceldama the European world, will be contests of inveterate power, and emerging right. Wherever the standard of freedom and Independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions and her prayers be. But she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. She will commend the general cause by the countenance of her voice, and the benignant sympathy of her example. She well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom. The fundamental maxims of her policy would insensibly change from liberty to force.... She might become the dictatress of the world. She would be no longer the ruler of her own spirit.... [America's] glory is not dominion, but liberty. Her march is the march of the mind. She has a spear and a shield: but the motto upon her shield is, Freedom, Independence, Peace. This has been her Declaration: this has been, as far as her necessary intercourse with the rest of mankind would permit, her practice. ------------------- http://www.fff.org/comment/AdamsPolicy.asp

Posted 06/20/09 06:54 AM TessyRenberg Mechanicsville, VA

Under constant threat from the West, equipped with a massive army which is loyal to the Ayatollah, and extreemly high unemployment due to sanctions,the Theocracy can not let go in this environment. Foreign interests may have thought that getting behind the student unrest would quicken a regime change, but the students are being pushed at the wrong time. Also read up on who Mousavi is.

Posted 06/20/09 07:52 AM Glenn Cumming, GA

Thanks, Phil Giraldi and Break your chains. C4L went through similar growing pains when we started last summer. There were folks all up in arms over human rights violations in China - THE U.S. MUST DO SOMETHING! The main point for me is that the U.S. Constitution doesn't give authority to the U.S. Government to interfere in the affairs of other nations. Supporters of intervention are flawed in their logic: as long as they can get someone else to interfere on their behalf, all is well. Challenge them to gather like-minded individuals and take action - will disappear like dust in the wind. They hide behind the military. Support your own damn cause is my reply! All my best to the Iranians. May Persia rise again.

Posted 06/20/09 10:10 AM Liberty for Life Lake Forest, CA

"Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations--entangling alliances with none, I deem [one of] the essential principles of our government, and consequently [one of] those which ought to shape its administration." --Thomas Jefferson: 1st Inaugural Address, 1801. ME 3:321 If our government does not honor that, we have to get the one that will...

Posted 06/20/09 3:46 PM Joetheunemployed Murfreesboro, TN

Who are we to judge what is going on in Iran? Americans should look to the Iranians as an example of how a democracy really works. Thomas Jefferson would be proud of them. Unlike lazy Americans, who could care less that their country is falling apart, concerned Iranians are handling their own business just fine and we should be sweeping off our own front porch before we start sweeping off other's.

Posted 06/20/09 4:09 PM AbstractVagabond Modesto, CA

"We need to get involved. Show Iran how democracy should work. You got the 10,000 Diebold machines ready to be sent out? Alright. Let's do this." Thus another sad day will have ended.

Posted 06/20/09 4:53 PM Al Langhans Elizabethville, PA

"Unlike lazy Americans, who could care less that their country is falling apart, concerned Iranians are handling their own business just fine and we should be sweeping off our own front porch before we start sweeping off other's." I like that quote the best. I support the Iran people's choice to protest, unfortunately people get hurt/die when they rise against the machine. But surely some of you have thought of what would happen if millions of people protested in the streets of major cities across America? Martial Law, "accidental protester deaths", etc. I hate to be pessimistic, but those things will happen when a country is run by power dealers instead of people who care about the people and constitution. Many people are so concerned about their own lives, with kids, taxes, debt, laws, etc that they have a hard time seeing outside the box. Or have the mental strength to deal with it all.

Posted 06/20/09 5:37 PM AirForceIraqVet Spring Park, MN

Hi Phil, I respect the viewpoint that our government should stay out of it, but lets face it, our country's political structure (as it is now) isn't going to allow us to do that. The United States was 100% wrong to invade Iraq and overthrow it's government. There is no question about this, but there ARE/HAVE BEEN instances where I will argue that we have/had an obligation to step in and do something. Darfur in Sudan now, or Rwanda in the early 1990s...for example. Right now, the Iranian government is using HOSPITALS as "traps" to snare demonstrators by the hundreds. Our allies who have embassies in Tehran are opening their gates to accept the wounded and dying, and the Basij police are blocking access (even if there are foreign nationals among the crowd). The Iranian government is now even threatening our allies for interfering with their apparent plans to systematically murder or detain hundreds of people at a time. The Iranian authorities are showering the crowds with ACID. Tell me, is this really something we can afford to stay out of politcally for very long? I know I said in my original response to your blog entry that we shouldn't get involved politcally, but what a difference 24 hours makes. This has the potential to get really bad, really fast. We have no business intervening in a country militarily, to that I agree...especially if they pose no threat to our immediate security. However, the United States CANNOT take a neutral stance on this particular issue. That's preposterous. We have to respond, even if that means we simply issue a condemnation of the Iranian government. Either way, we're damned if we do and damned if we don't. Even if we choose to ignore what is happening there from a governmental standpoint, we will STILL be blamed, in part, for causing it. That's a given. Besides, it's impossible for any nation to employ total neutrality in anything.

Posted 06/21/09 01:49 AM PolishAmerican Irving, TX

Absolutely right. Being Polish American, I can say the remark about Eastern Europe is really true.

Posted 06/21/09 2:34 PM Liberty for Life Lake Forest, CA

"...But she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. She will commend the general cause by the countenance of her voice, and the benignant sympathy of her example..." -JQA Dr. Paul, a principal man, a reminder of the great minds of the founders...