Obama Should Stay the Heck Out of Iran!

Image by BL1961 via Flickr

The President of the United States, according to headlines in the June 23, 2009 papers, expressed his outrage and dismay at the Iranian government's actions in its ongoing riotous dispute with its democracy-minded people. He has, however, no business expressing an official opinion about Iran's bad behavior.

We must make an effort to separate our feelings as people from the appropriate acts of our government. As individuals, we most of us deplore how the Iranian government is treating its people. The President, as head of our government, has no business with Iran's internal problems and should keep quiet, as should all American government officials.

Of course, the US government cares about what happens, mainly in our own self interest: We'd love to see the government of Iran change into one that respects Western values more, and we'd even more like to see the power of the mullahs curtailed. With luck, they might interfer less in Iraq and in Isreal and environs.

However, we are half a world away from that area. We cannot help the Iranian people by government action; imagine how embarrassing it must be for Iranian patriots to be backed by The Great Satan!

We are in the middle of an awful conflict in Iraq that started with righteous indignation and a desire for revenge and defense, and has degenerated into a ludicrous disaster and a smear on the good name of our country. You'd think we'd learn, wouldn't you?

Remember, we had an election a few years ago that many people think was stolen from the rightful winner, with the acquiescence of the Supreme Court. I'm sure the Democrats would have welcomed assertions on th

Image by US Army Korea - IMCOM via Flickr

eir behalf from the mullahs and government of Iran at the time, yes? Certainly, the government of Iran has been impacted very much since then by the guy who actually took office in the US, so they sure have an excuse!

In North Korea, we find ourselves making efforts to force Japan, China, and S0uth Korea to take the lead in solving the problem. (The North Koreans, no fools, insist that the US take the lead; they love how easily we are mislead and how readily we accept lies at face value.) Really, we need to butt out of that whole mess too -- yes, North Korea could, maybe, lob a missile at Hawaii; why on earth they'd do that I don't know, and neither does anyone else. If we didn't have a mutual defense pact with South Korea and with Japan, and if we didn't have troops in both places, the North Koreans would be no more interested in us than they are interested in bombing Switzerland. Then maybe it would be time for Japan and China to figure out how to deal with those nuts up north.

Is there really no place on Earth our government does not consider game for meddling? Can we not mind our own business? If you would only keep in mind that every time you concede to the government the job of interfering somewhere overseas, that excuse is used not just by the guys in charge today, whom you trust, but by whatever knucklehead we voters fall for in the future! Use your head! Be afraid!