Afraid To Speak For Freedom and Change When it Matters

On Monday, President Obama said it was none of his business to get involved in Iran's sham elections where President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad clings to power through his usual thuggery.

Yesterday, Obama changed his mind and climbed into bed with Ahmadinejad, laying waste to the hundreds of thousands of brave protesters who have taken to the streets in search of freedom in the form of political challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi.

"The difference between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi in terms of their actual policies may not be as great as has been advertised," Obama said yesterday in an interview on CNBC.

"Either way we are going to be dealing with an Iranian regime that has historically been hostile to the United States."

In other words, "change" is entirely overrated.

He may as well have scoffed at protesters: "Let them eat hummus."

Amazingly, this is even worse than what Obama had to say the previous day, when he finally felt moved enough to comment on the surge of freedom watched around the world.

Asked if he had a message for the protesters, he said Iran is a sovereign nation, which is diplo-babble for "none of my business."

Obama said he does not want the United States to become an issue in the election and has suggested that was why he was tempering his comments.

But this is a moment when the United States can be an issue the good old-fashioned way -- as a beacon of hope for the oppressed everywhere. That's certainly why the protesters pleading for freedom aren't speaking Farsi, Hebrew or French.

They're begging for freedom in English.

About the time Obama was giving the shiv to protesters yesterday, Shirin Nariman stood outside the heavy black iron gates that protect the White House.

She was born in Iran, was jailed for opposing the regime, escaped to America and last year proudly voted for Obama.

Desperate for any small way to help amplify the cry for freedom she hears from family and friends back home, she stood outside the White House.

"Who is the champion of change?" asked Nariman. "The people of Iran are not asking for military interventions or any kind of help like that. Just hear us. That is all we ask."

Charles Hurt, NY Post, 6/17/09