It is great to see the extensive coverage of international news, in this case Iran. One wishes the same coverage would be extended to the protests in Peru, the bombing of Gaza in Dec 2008, the repression of protest in Jammu & Kashmir and in Assam-the list goes on and on.

One wonders at the self righteousness of those who think that the US / the President should comment forcefully on the situation, wag their fingers at the Iranian government for using force against its own citizens. Agreed that the international community should use strong language to condemn violence by the state, but then one expects the same condemnation when the Pakistan government (encouraged/urged by the US) is bombing its own civilians in pursuit of terrorists and rendering a couple of million homeless and scores dead.
Maybe Sen McCain and others think that they can fool the American public , but citizens of other countries can see through the double standards (where were the tears when Saddam Hussein was using US supplied chemical weapons on Iranians? ). If the principle is human rights, then it cannot be used selectively – please be as concerned about it when these are violated in S.Arabia, Gaza, India, Pakistan, Chechnya, Peru or in Chicago.

President Obama claims Abraham Lincoln as his mentor, did he miss this piece of advice,

"You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves."

Diane,
from Illinois

A history lesson: Reagan labelled the USSR the 'Evil Empire". His rhetoric was tough, but his actions and resolve were tougher. The USSR was met with a defense buildup they couldn't match, and a fundamental shift in relations much to the better, as well as the disintegration of the USSR and Warsaw Pact, was achieved without firing a shot. Sucking up to dictators doesn't work. History has shown that time and again as with Chamberlain and Hitler. Obama holds out a hand to those who will just cut it off. Maybe he'll eventually learn, but not until the resistance in Iran has been crushed. Those Iranians now calling out for our help are doing so not because of Obama, but in spite of him.

Nothing significant changed vis-a-vis Iran when the Great One was inaugurated. For example, the US continues to sponsor terrorist/insurgent groups on Iranian soil.

It's interesting how Obama's election transformed many self-described anti-war libs into interventionist patriotards.

And frankly, the morally and culturally decrepit West has precious little to offer Iranians.

Democracy is the government in which power and civic responsibility are exercised by all citizens, directly or through representatives freely elected.

Democracy is a set of principles and practices that protect human freedom: it is the institutionalization of freedom.

most people forget it has been uprising for freedom since the dawn of man. but the difference know the world as a whole is now more morally peaceful killing people because they have different views of what is right and wrong Iran's leadership should fall or evolve like most countries who have lasted i know what i say my never be heard by education allows me to see the injustice not in just iran sudan and north korea people should have the right of food water education but most of all to live the way they see fit as long as it doesn't harm anyone else

CNN Follower,
Chris

i am so sorry to see all these young lives lost in Iran. all Mousavi is asking is about the election but let us not forget everything we see today is been happening for 30 years. it is just that we see it now. Mousavi is just one of them and helped them to become stronger. why is he never talkes about supreme leader abusive power? where is he hiding right now? imagine he is asking to execute a law that has been set up by this same killer mullas.

I'm inspired by the Iranian women.