www.washingtonpost.com June 17,2009

President Obama's response to Iran falls squarely in the category of "pretty good" and slow to the draw. He seems to be so worried about not being George W. Bush that he's forgetting to be the American president. His expression of "deep concerns" about violence directed at peaceful protesters is weak tea. Concerns?

The alternative to being an unapologetic defender of democratic principles and process doesn't have to be a war-mongering, swaggering, preemptive bully. Or however Obama would characterize Bush. Come on, Mr. President, now is the time for eloquent men to be full-throated. Now is the time to say, sure, this is for the Iranians to work out, but the U.S. stands strong against tyranny and the suppression of free speech. Obama doesn't have to support a particular candidate, but he does have to support a particular point of view. Rather than expressing passive concern, he should actively urge the Iranian government to not use violence against peaceful demonstrators. Urge the government to respect free media and the flow of ideas. Condemn the detention of citizens whose crime has been to protest an election.

Isn't that the least we should say?

Instead, what Iranians are hearing is... not much. As Jeff Gedmin, president of Radio Free Europe, said to me on the phone today: "When we don't speak, that's also speaking." Meanwhile, Iranian human rights reporter Golnaz Esfandiari, working from Prague, has been on the phone with friends and family in Iran. She told me three things of particular interest:

1. The protests are not restricted to northern Tehran, as has been reported, but are taking place in several cities.
2. The protests were not orchestrated, as is often the case, but have been entirely spontaneous.
3. Iranians do not feel the moral support from the U.S. that they hope for.

They do feel that support from former Czech president Vaclav Havel, who yesterday said that Western nations should "express solidarity for those [Iranians] who are defending human rights."

Esfandiari today also tracked down Iranian Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi, who called for new elections with international observers in place to monitor results. (Here's the full interview.)

Obama's calm and reserve are among his best traits. But sometimes you get the feeling he doesn't quite believe he's president. Sometimes, as Bill Maher said, he could stand to be a little more like George W. Bush. If the planet's chief spokesman for democratic principles and human liberty is perceived as tentative, those fighting for freedom in Iran and elsewhere may be doomed.