IRAN IN CRISIS – 12:56 P.M. ET:  Iran will probably be Obama's first major foreign-policy crisis of 2010.  The place is erupting.  The latest, from AP:

Iran's opposition leader on Friday pledged to remain defiant in the face of new threats - including calls by hard-liners for his execution - and said he would sacrifice his life in defense of the people's right to protest peacefully against the government.

Mir Hossein Mousavi's remarks come after the worst unrest since the immediate aftermath of the disputed June presidential election. At least eight people died during anti-government protests on Sunday, including Mousavi's nephew.

In one of his strongest statements to date, Mousavi said he was "ready for martyrdom" - the sacrifice of one's life for a higher cause - and lashed out at the bloody crackdown the authorities are waging against the opposition.

He said the government was making more mistakes by resorting to violence and killings, and that it must accept the people's rights to hold peaceful demonstrations.

COMMENT:  With the exception of the bare minimum of pro-democracy statements, the Obamans have greeted the new uprisings with marked indifference, reflecting the general lack of interest in human rights of the "change" agent at the top. 

The Iranian pro-democracy movement will probably try to force the hand of the president, pressuring him through its own sacrifice to come down hard on the mullah regime.  It is in our interest that the mullahs be overthrown.  The replacement government will probably be far from perfect, but it's likely to be much, much better than what Iran has now.

The president has been out to lunch, and dinner, and a nice breakfast.  It's time for someone to read him the job description.

January 1, 2010