This doesn’t strike me as being a waste of taxpayer money at all. But I’d be interested in what the menfolk here think.

There are fresh reports that Iranian police are cracking down on protesters in Tehran. I’m thinking of Prague Spring, 1968; Tiananmen Square 1989; Saffron Revolution, Burma, 2007. I hope we won’t be adding Tehran, 2009, to that sad list, and the result this time will be more democracy in Iran, not more brutality.

Juan Cole’s backgrounder on what’s been going on the past couple of days is a recommended read. Also, h/t Talking Dog, keep up with the latest at Al’s Place.