Frankly, I cannot imagine a more devastating reproach to the president and his presidency than this anguished cry from the streets of Tehran. Shame to Obama that the Iranian democrats should actually wonder: "which side are you on?"
This morning, on the thirtieth anniversary of the Islamic regime's takeover of the U.S. embassy and kidnapping of embassy personnel for 444 days, your administration issued a mealy-mouthed statement asking that Tehran reconcile with us. What are the pre-conditions of such a reconciliation?
In any case, the clerical tyranny has already answered you. Just look to an article by Thomas Erdbrink and William Branigin in today's Washington Post. It has three headlines: "Iran's Khamenei rejects U.S. outreach." (This is the "Supreme Leader," not just Dr. A'jad.) "Obama efforts disdained." Can Iran make it any clearer? "Ayatollah says talks would be 'perverted'." The text is, actually, worse.