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Old 06-23-09, 02:58 AM   #9
Rip
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skybird View Post
I believe that legitimacy - or lack of - of Iranian elections for us does not make a difference. Thus we must not care - we are not living in Iran.

When elections are being held with a candidate representing a real alternative to the mullah regime whose policy also would make a difference for us (for better or worse) - then caring for the legitimacy of according elections would matter for us.
But if we purport to support the spread of democracy throughout the world we must act differently when we encounter truly democratically selected leaders of nations. No matter whether that democratic choice is the one we prefer. One of the biggest challenges we face in global diplomacy is the impression that we are hypocrites when it suits us.
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