Has Obama Snubbed Iran's Democrats?

Thirty years ago, radical Islamists took American hostages during Iran's 1979 Revolution, but now democratic activists will eschew and subvert the usual "Death to America" chants through rallies aimed at apologizing and offering friendship to the U.S. In Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal, a human rights activist and an insider from Tahkim Vahdat, the organization which took the Americans hostage, make the case that the Obama administration is betraying "the Iranian people and American values" by emphasizing national security and the prevention of nuclear proliferation at the expense of "the Iranian people's struggle for human rights" at a time "when the Iranian regime is at its weakest." In other words, the authors say, "America is pursuing a policy of appeasement.” It's not too late to support fledgling democracy in Iran, though. The article's authors argue that the Obama administration should publicly press Iran on human rights and including rights discussions in all negotiations with the regime, fund the Internet and civic engagement training, and directly voice solidarity with young democrats on the popular Voice of America and Radio Farda broadcasts.