"There is no "leader" of the free world."

Well, since his election, you're right.

But I see he agreed with me and not you and began "meddling" today. I wonder of the US House's 405-1 vote yesterday to "meddle" had anything to do with it. His own party was wondering when he was gonna say something.

And Ron Paul being the only sound vote of the bunch. Is there any doubt that the US 'wants' war with Iran?!

Ron Paul appears to be the only sane voice on many fronts these days.

I don't necessarily think it's meddling for a country to voice its opinion on human rights issues, but this vote served no altruisitc purpose.

We (the US) voiced our opinions and thousands died in the streets in Hungary: we voiced our opinions and thousands died in Czechoslovakia, in Cuba, and more recently in Kurdish Iraq.

I have little praise for Obama’s domestic policies, but he has to play this carefully ....the wrong words can easily be interpreted by the protesters as a sign the 101st Airborne will be arriving shortly, and who ever ends up in power, we as a nation have to deal with them, even as they chant “death to America” over their morning coffee.

Muktah Al Sadr is currently exiled in Iran, and it was his departure that led to a more peaceful Iraq: his return would fire things right back up again….. diplomacy always involves trades off

The recent elections were never going to take power away from the Mullahs, and although a Moussavi victory would have made many both inside and outside Iran feel better things were to come, Obama has to show restraint, despite congress’ saber rattling show of self promotion: remember, they voted on over 45 separate things on Friday, a new one day record, and almost a quarter of all of their work this session, including an apology for slavery that is already being decried as not enough by those seeking reparations, and also not to investigate the CIA-Nancy Pelosi “misunderstanding”, so lets not get too excited.....they have to be able to point to something when seeking re-election

This is a video made by a friend. It was made after she heard that One of the goals of the protesters is to get as much footage and pictures out into the world at large as possible.

To this end, I'm passing the video along. Note that there are images of violence, so if you are upset easily I just felt I should warn you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIbOozRAiIw
Its traveling the internet circuit.

Maybe not in practice, but that wish appears to be what's behind the demonstrations. No wonder the "authorities" both suppressed the true result of the election and were quite prepared to suppress the resulting demonstrations with whatever force/brutality was necessary. This junta has as much right to rule Iran as the Taliban did Afghanistan. The thing is, how will they be removed, because they sure as heck aren't going to give up gracefully.

Could it be that witnessing free elections in Iraq and Afghanistan has emboldened the population of Iran, the vast majority of whom are under age 30, to ask for more democracy in their own country?

Many will speculate that this scenario, and not oil, was at the root of the previous administrations mid eastern policy?

Unfortunately, as long as the guns are in the hands of the tyrants, they will cling to power, and only when the Revolutionary Guards waiver in their support of the Mullahs will the tide turn.

2nd amendment apologists would do well to bear this in mind.

It does look like the more affluent, more educated Iranian youth manifest the greatest protest to this regime. They say the western dress and make-up only come off when a plane begins to descent to Tehran. Ahmadinejad was once like them.

So far you are the only one I know that would suggest President Bush was a visionary! A more likely notion, based on 50 years of US foreign policy would be the policy of containment.

This is one Fox and CNN are not showing but talking about.
You really might not want to watch it. its a voting protester shot and bleeding to death, rumored that 200 have been shot but news says 17.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmi-LePl894