High Ground Underground

Voices from Iran The Iranian regime’s violence and killing has escalated against the peaceful mass protests in Teheran. The regime has banned foreign reporters from the streets & from filing reports, and cut cell phone service & otherwise slashed internet & twitter reports being sent from Iranians to the outside world. But we do know there have been massive protests defying their being outlawed by the “supreme leader,” the cleric in absolute power behind Ahmadinejad, and even chants of death to the “supreme leader” (in addition to the dictator) – this is serious stuff. There are reports of over a hundred protesters killed, and many brutal attacks by the plainclothes militia. In opposition, police motorcycles have been burned, a suicide bombing at the national shrine, and a massive natural gas line explosion at the militia headquarters where militia had barricaded inside, and several of them killed. Now reports of demonstrations in several other major cities. And that M

“Leader of the free world” is not just an honorary title defaulting to the president of the most powerful free country. As Sarah Palin so aptly put it in another context during the campaign, “it has some actual responsibilities.” It requires exhibiting actual leadership in the cause of freedom. But Mr. Obama has by silence, inaction and slow action (waiting to see which way the wind blows) renounced that title. It is now being carried by the likes of the president of France, Mr. Sarkozy. Sarkozy has the guts to condemn Iran’s election farce and support those marching in the streets, rather than hedge his bets and legitimize a dictator by keeping the lines of communication open to fruitlessly attempt to negotiate away their nuclear weapons program. Sarkozy also has the guts (along with other European leaders) to say no to more state bailouts, subsidies and taxes. And yes to immigration reform and enforcement. And yes to nuclear power. And to take action against pirates before O