President Bush's support [1] for Iranian student protesters reminds me of something a Russian friend said to me many years ago, during the Soviet era: "You Americans are an odd people. You love our dissidents, but you don't like your own dissidents. You should support your local dissidents, too."
Don't get me wrong. I think Americans should support Iran's student movement [2]--while understanding that fundamental reform must come about peacefully, indigenously and without US interference. But I'd like to see a little respect for our own dissidents too.
On February 15th [3], when more than two million Americans protested the Administration's rush to war in Iraq, Bush contemptuously dismissed them [4] as a "focus group." White House spokesman Ari Fleischer added [4] that "Often the message of the protesters is contradicted by history." Millions of Americans who have opposed corporate globalization [5] have been treated with even more derision.
The other day Bush said, "I would urge the Iranian administration to treat [the protesters] with the utmost of respect." Okay, but how about treating your own dissidents with some respect, Mr. President?