Congress Backs Iran Protests (updated)

[ProSense]

Congress Backs Iran Protests

By Caitlin Webber, CQ Staff

The House and Senate Friday adopted separate resolutions of support for Iranians protesting the outcome of that country’s June 12 presidential election, putting Congress at odds with President Obama’s more guarded approach.

The House went first, voting 401-5 to adopt a measure (H Res 560) expressing “support for all Iranian citizens who struggle for freedom . . . condem of ongoing violence against demonstrators by the government of Iran ... and affir of the universality of individual rights.”

The Senate later adopted by voice vote two measures (S Res 193; S Res 196) backing the protests and calling for free speech in Iran, respectively.

“The time has come for the United States Congress to speak out unequivocally in support of the fundamental right of the Iranian people to determine their future for themselves in freedom,” Sens. John McCain , R-Ariz., and Joseph I. Lieberman , I-Conn., in a joint statement. “With this resolution, the Senate joined with our colleagues in the House of Representatives to affirm our shared commitment to the universal values of democracy, human rights, civil liberties, and the rule of law, and to condemn the unacceptable violence against the peaceful demonstrators taking place in Iran.”

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Ron Paul Is Sole Dissenter From Resolution Supporting Iranian Protests

By Eric Kleefeld - June 19, 2009, 1:53PM

The House voted 405-1 today for a resolution in support of the Iranian dissidents and condemning the ruling government. And the one man who opposed it was...Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX).

Paul said in his floor speech that he was in "reluctant opposition" to the resolution -- that he of course condemns violence by governments against their citizens. On the other hand, he also doesn't think the American government should act as a judge of every country overseas, and pointed out that we don't condemn countries like Saudi Arabia or Egypt that don't even have real elections.

"It seems our criticism is selective and applied when there are political points to be made," Paul said. "I have admired President Obama's cautious approach to the situation in Iran and I would have preferred that we in the House had acted similarly."

Check out Paul's full floor statement, after the jump.

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Updated to add:

Pence has called on the United States "to take a half-step back from this administration's olive branch and the apology approach to enemies and countries that have been hostile to the United States of America and our allies, particularly with the road to Iran."

But Sen. John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Washington would be making an "enormous mistake" by taking sides in the Iranian protests.

"There is no need for the United States of America to step into the middle of it and make this about America," Kerry told CNN's "The Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer."

"It is an Iranian moment, spurred on by Iranians, thoroughly supported by Iranians to the degree that the supreme ayatollah has now backed off his own support for the elections called for an investigation," he said.

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Kerry warns McCain and neocon agitators to 'Think Before You Speak' (NYT)

[ProSense]

1. GOP Uses Iran Resolution to Slam Obama, Undermine Iranian People

GOP Uses Iran Resolution to Slam Obama, Undermine Iranian People :

<...>

Through this resolution and subsequent Republican statements which far exceed the moderate tone of the resolution's text itself, the GOP provides Khameini, the Iranian state media, and Ahmadinejad with talking points confirming the regime's assertions of American interference as well as providing the appearance of an American government divided. Such political posturing might help the Republican's cause of demonizing the Administration and decrying weakness of its foreign policy. But in the end, the resolution itself is merely a vehicle for subsequent statements, releases and press conferences. This is where the dangerous rhetoric will emanate from which will only add fuel to the fire for those in Iran who seek to suppress the protesters and quell the march of freedom that continues to build in the streets of Tehran and elsewhere.

While they display the veneer of being on the side of the Iranian people, in the end Cantor, Pence, Rohrabacher and others today confirmed themselves as the leading speechwriters and providers of talking points for Iran's oppressive regime. It's too bad they put partisan American politics above actually supporting the people of Iran.

[timeforpeace]

4. The House vote was 405-1 so a few Democrats must have voted for it

Interestingly, only Ron Paul voted against it. Now he's claiming that he and President Obama are the only politicians in America who think the Iranian regime should not be criticized on this. What a nut.

[ProSense]

7. A few? All, including Kucinich.

Repubs craft a bill to serve their ulterior motive, Dems fall for it. Giving credence to Ahmadinejad and Khameini's claim is not what the U.S. needs to be doing now.

[timeforpeace]

2. Pretty silly to worry about charges of meddling when Iran has already charged you with meddling

anyway, huh?

[ProSense]

3. Yeah, lets justify meddling.

That's what the Iranians expected of us. They just got a jump on it.

[bbinacan]

5. Good point n/t

[TomCADem]

6. I Am Sure President Obama Would Have Welcomed An Endorsement By Hugo Chavez

Or, Al Queda in the weeks leading up to the November 2009 election. Indeed, didn't Respublicans themselves often use support by foreigners against Democrats. Remember John Kerry in 2004, and how the french liked him over Bush?

I think the Obama administration is making the right call, instead, of going out there and declaring "We are all Iranians now," or something to that effect. Yes, it scores some political points at home, but it probably just tends to hurt the people we are supposedly trying to help abroad.

[ProSense]

8. Exactly,

It's one thing when the Repubs pull this crap and the only thing the Dems have to handle or counter is American media spin. In a volatile situation as in Iran, where the public is completely divided, this could be seen as toxic interference. This isn't a government strong arming a group of people with most of the country going about their business. This is a wide-spread protest and the facts are unknown.

[ProSense]

9. The people who are really pushing American meddling

Charles Krauthammer: Hope and Change -- but Not for Iran

Paul Wolfowitz: 'No Comment' Is Not an Option

Just what Congress needed to do, empower these assholes.

[Middle finga]

10. Now let's see the US Congress confront their buddies in Saudi Arabia,

Egypt, Jordan and Kuwait. They have ruling kings and Dictators for life... Oh I forgot they are friendly to us so it's Ok.

[ProSense]

11. No other comments on empowering war mongers? n/t

[dipsydoodle]

12. Wouldn't their time be better spent

sorting out your healthcare ? :shrug:

Or are Iran's affairs more important ? :sarcasm:

[mvd]

13. While I want democracy in Iran, all this meddling does is make things worse

The U.S.'s lead, if anything, could hurt the protestors - since we aren't exactly well respected in Iran.