The Courage for Changes

Op Ed by Jayakhmer

June 21, 2009

Watching the development in Iran, one could not help but wonder why the U.S. does not take a stronger action to a situation that started as a protest against allegedly fraud elections turned into the challenge to the regime.

As of today at least 10 protesters were killed during the courageous acts of defiance to the regime that endorses what widely believed to be rigged Iranian election of June 12^th. The protesters are directly challenging the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini who approved the questionable elections that declared President Mahmoud Amahdinejad as a winner over the opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi.

Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania told John King of CNN on Sunday morning in response to the criticism that the current administration does not do enough that President Barack Obama “strikes the right balance.” Congress also passed non-binding resolutions “to condemn the ongoing violence against the demonstrators by the government of Iran, and expressed its support for all Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and the rule of law.”

Iranian analyst Afshin Molavi told CNN that President Obama takes the right approach, “He needs to be on the record in standing with the Iranian people, but that does not mean he should aggressively insert himself into the political debate in Iran or aggressively insert himself the battle between the regime and the protesters.”

The delicate balance has to be taken because the U. S. has to deal with Iranian nuclear capability which continues to be a vexing issue that the U.S. will have to resolve to stabilize the region.

The way in which the U.S. handles the situation in Iran puts those who inspired by idea of democracy in notice. That includes all of us. While Cambodia desperately needs changes, external supports are only secondary to the changes from within. The U.S. by its nature has worldwide responsibilities for its security and worldwide security that largely driven by regional stability.

The changes from within can only happen when the majority of Cambodian people feel that the country is heading toward a wrong direction and have the courage to express those desires for changes in elections.