Politics: Don't Get Too Uppity, Kids

Reuters has an interesting piece on the response by President Bush to the rioting in Tehran by students protesting the conservative Islamic government in Iran. It's interesting that Bush would make conciliatory gestures toward these students, which is a thorny step to take. These kids are going to get their asses kicked, Iran-style (and it's already begun happening), and there isn't a lot that the U.S. government would even be willing to do about it. What's the purpose, then, of Bush taking a walk in this patch of shark-infested water?

This is not an administration that can take free-lancing lightly. Whenever Bush opens his mouth, he says or does something stupid. Bush's comments have drawn angry denunciation from Iran's government. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher tried to smooth things out, but the fire was stoked.

Now it has to be asked: do we really think it's such a good idea to carelessly offer encouragement to insurgents in Iran? Politically, I don't know that we can attack Iran (though I think a lot of people have always wanted to). It's irresponsible to weigh in if we aren't prepared for those comments to have an impact. I don't believe they could be taken as a signal that we will support an uprising. I'm almost more concerned that Bush and Boucher's comments will lend credence to the cleric's claim that the US is behind the protests, which could cause people to stop attending the events.