Defying_VVG their_APPGE regime_NN1 once_RR21 more_RR22 ,_, Iranians_NN2 have_VH0 renewed_VVN their_APPGE protests_NN2 in_II the_AT streets_NN2 of_IO Tehran_NP1 ._. 
Last_MD month_NNT1 ,_, when_CS the_AT protests_NN2 began_VVD ,_, the_AT New_NP1 York_NP1 Times_NNT2 ran_VVD a_AT1 story_NN1 hinting_VVG that_CST Iran_NP1 's_GE demonstrators_NN2 may_VM have_VHI been_VBN inspired_VVN by_II an_AT1 "_" Obama_NN1 factor_NN1 ._. "_" 
The_AT article_NN1 suggested_VVD that_CST President_NNB Barack_NP1 Obama_NP1 's_GE diplomatic_JJ outreach_NN1 ,_, unlike_II his_APPGE predecessor_NN1 's_GE approach_NN1 ,_, emboldened_VVD Iranians_NN2 to_TO rise_VVI up_RP against_II their_APPGE regime_NN1 ,_, demanding_VVG it_PPH1 repair_VV0 relations_NN2 with_IW America_NP1 and_CC the_AT world_NN1 ._. 
The_AT Times_NNT2 reporter_NN1 drew_VVD a_AT1 stark_JJ contrast_NN1 between_II the_AT presidency_NN1 of_IO George_NP1 U._NP1 Bush_NP1 and_CC that_DD1 of_IO Mr._NNB Obama_NP1 ._. 
According_II21 to_II22 the_AT article_NN1 ,_, "_" Iran_NP1 's_GE regime_NN1 was_VBDZ able_JK to_TO coalesce_VVI support_NN1 by_II uniting_VVG the_AT country_NN1 against_II a_AT1 common_JJ enemy_NN1 :_: President_NNB Bush_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS called_VVD Iran_NP1 a_AT1 pillar_NN1 of_IO the_AT 'axis_NN1 of_IO evil_NN1 ._. '_" "_" 
Alarmed_VVN by_II Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 's_GE hostility_NN1 ,_, Iranians_NN2 "_" swallowed_VVD their_APPGE criticism_NN1 of_IO &lsqb;_( their_APPGE &rsqb;_) hard-line_JJ regime_NN1 and_CC united_VVN against_II the_AT common_JJ enemy_NN1 ._. "_" 
Setting_VVG aside_RL the_AT article_NN1 's_GE claims_NN2 about_II an_AT1 "_" Obama_NN1 effect_NN1 ,_, "_" its_APPGE characterization_NN1 of_IO the_AT Bush_NN1 years_NNT2 is_VBZ unfair_JJ and_CC misleading_JJ ._. 
As_CSA someone_PN1 who_PNQS served_VVD in_II Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 's_GE White_NP1 House_NN1 ,_, I_PPIS1 can_VM attest_VVI that_CST the_AT administration_NN1 's_GE Iran_NP1 policy_NN1 was_VBDZ far_RG21 from_RG22 perfect_JJ ._. 
The_AT Islamic_JJ Republic_NN1 's_GE ongoing_JJ nuclear_JJ program_NN1 is_VBZ proof_NN1 enough_DD of_IO the_AT policy_NN1 's_GE serious_JJ shortcomings_NN2 ._. 
Yet_RR ,_, I_ZZ1 n_ZZ1 light_NN1 of_IO recent_JJ events_NN2 ._. 
It_PPH1 seems_VVZ apparent_JJ that_CST Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 got_VVD some_DD important_JJ things_NN2 concerning_II Iran_NP1 right_NN1 ._. 
First_MD ,_, some_DD facts_NN2 ._. 
Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 delivered_VVD his_APPGE infamous_JJ "_" axis_NN1 of_IO evil_JJ "_" speech_NN1 in_II January_NPM1 2002_MC ._. 
On_II several_DA2 occasions_NN2 thereafter_RT he_PPHS1 followed_VVD up_RP with_IW statements_NN2 harshly_RR attaching_VVG the_AT legitimacy_NN1 of_IO the_AT Iranian_JJ regime_NN1 ._. 
He_PPHS1 repeatedly_RR distinguished_VVD between_II the_AT people_NN of_IO Iran_NP1 and_CC their_APPGE "_" un-elected_JJ rulers_NN2 ._. "_" 
Did_VDD Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 's_GE confrontational_JJ posture_NN1 really_RR lead_VV0 Iranians_NN2 to_TO rally_VVI behind_II the_AT regime_NN1 ?_? 
Hardly_RR ._. 
In_II November_NPM1 2002_MC and_CC again_RT in_II June_NPM1 2003_MC ,_, student-led_JJ protests_NN2 rocked_VVD Tehran_NP1 and_CC other_JJ Iranian_JJ cities_NN2 as_II the_AT New_NP1 York_NP1 times_VVZ itself_PPX1 acknowledged_VVN at_II the_AT time_NNT1 ._. 
In_II both_DB2 cases_NN2 ,_, demonstrators_NN2 '_GE demands_NN2 included_VVD sweeping_JJ democratic_JJ reforms_NN2 ._. 
During_II the_AT 2002_MC clashed_VVN (_( which_DDQ dragged_VVD on_RP for_IF weeks_NNT2 )_) ,_, the_AT Times_NNT2 reported_VVD that_CST protesters_NN2 had_VHD been_VBN "_" boldly_RR critical_JJ of_IO the_AT government_NN1 ,_, including_II the_AT supreme_JJ religious_JJ leader_NN1 &lsqb;_( Ali_NP1 Khamenei_NP1 &rsqb;_) ,_, who_PNQS is_VBZ normally_RR beyond_II criticism_NN1 ._. "_" 
The_AT protestors_NN2 called_VVN for_IF the_AT "_" secularization_NN1 of_IO the_AT religious_JJ system_NN1 "_" --_NN1 an_AT1 end_NN1 to_II clerical_JJ rule_NN1 ._. 
Similarly_RR ,_, in_II June_NPM1 2003_MC ,_, protesters_NN2 rapidly_RR focused_VVN on_II the_AT need_NN1 for_IF fundamental_JJ change_NN1 ._. 
A_AT1 Manifesto_NN1 signed_VVN by_II hundreds_NNO2 of_IO intellectuals_NN2 and_CC clerics_NN2 declared_VVD that_CST Ayatollah_NNB Khamenei_NP1 's_GE claims_NN2 to_II absolute_JJ power_NN1 were_VBDR "_" a_AT1 clear_JJ heresy_NN1 towards_II God_NP1 and_CC a_AT1 clear_JJ affront_NN1 to_II human_JJ dignity_NN1 ._. "_" 
The_AT BBC_NP1 reported_VVD that_CST chants_NN2 of_IO "_" Death_NN1 to_II Khamenei_NP1 "_" were_VBDR heard_VVN at_II the_AT rallies_NN2 ._. 
More_RRR that_DD1 4,000_MC people_NN were_VBDR arrested_VVN before_II the_AT demonstrations_NN2 were_VBDR suppressed_VVN ._. 
The_AT reality_NN1 is_VBZ that_DD1 large-scale_JJ anti-regime_JJ protests_NN2 erupted_VVN on_II multiple_JJ occasions_NN2 throughout_II Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 's_GE first_MD term_NN1 --_NN1 the_AT very_JJ moment_NN1 when_CS his_APPGE Iran_NP1 policy_NN1 was_VBDZ most_RGT aggressive_JJ ._. 
The_AT suggestion_NN1 that_CST Iranians_NN2 "_" swallowed_VVD their_APPGE criticism_NN1 "_" of_IO the_AT Islamic_JJ regime_NN1 in_II an_AT1 anti-American_JJ response_NN1 to_II Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 's_GE tough_JJ stance_NN1 is_VBZ simply_RR not_XX borne_VVN out_RP by_II the_AT facts_NN2 ._. 
The_AT current_JJ crisis_NN1 in_II Iran_NP1 undermines_VVZ another_DD1 conventional_JJ wisdom_NN1 about_II Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 's_GE Iran_NP1 policy_NN1 ._. 
Many_DA2 believe_VV0 that_CST his_APPGE policy_NN1 was_VBDZ grounded_VVN in_II ideology_NN1 rather_II21 than_II22 realism_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 's_GE assessment_NN1 of_IO Iran_NP1 has_VHZ so_RG far_RR proven_VVN much_RR more_RGR accurate_JJ than_CSN Mr._NNB Obama's._NP1 in_II his_APPGE eagerness_NN1 to_TO draw_VVI Iran_NP1 's_GE rulers_NN2 into_II negotiations_NN2 ,_, Mr._NNB Obama_NP1 has_VHZ gone_VVN to_II great_JJ lengths_NN2 to_TO signal_VVI his_APPGE acceptance_NN1 of_IO the_AT Islamic_JJ Republic_NN1 's_GE legitimacy_NN1 and_CC permanence_NN1 ._. 
In_II stark_JJ contrast_NN1 ,_, Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 always_RR understood_VVN that_CST large_JJ swaths_NN2 of_IO Iranian_JJ society_NN1 do_VD0 not_XX consider_VVI their_APPGE regime_NN1 to_TO be_VBI legitimate_JJ ._. 
They_PPHS2 detest_VV0 it_PPH1 and_CC yearn_VV0 for_IF freedom_NN1 and_CC democracy_NN1 ._. 
Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 knew_VVD that_DD1 regime_NN1 change_NN1 was_VBDZ not_XX the_AT crazed_JJ fantasy_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 small_JJ cabal_NN1 of_IO American_JJ neoconservatives_NN2 ._. 
It_PPH1 was_VBDZ the_AT deepest_JJT desire_NN1 of_IO tens_MC2 of_IO millions_NNO2 of_IO Iranians_NN2 ._. 
Iran_NP1 's_GE recent_JJ turmoil_NN1 also_RR sheds_NN2 light_VV0 on_II Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 's_GE conviction_NN1 about_II pressuring_VVG the_AT Iranian_JJ regime_NN1 ._. 
Critics_NN2 warned_VVD that_CST Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 's_GE attempt_NN1 to_TO isolate_VVI Iran_NP1 diplomatically_RR ,_, sanction_VV0 it_PPH1 economically_RR ,_, and_CC threaten_VV0 it_PPH1 militarily_RR would_VM trigger_VVI a_AT1 nationalist_JJ back-lash_NN1 against_II Washington_NP1 ._. 
But_CCB Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 believed_VVD that_CST such_DA efforts_NN2 were_VBDR essential_JJ ._. 
They_PPHS2 would_VM alert_VVI that_DD1 Iranian_JJ people_NN ,_, as_II31 well_II32 as_II33 Iran_NP1 's_GE elites_NN2 ,_, to_II the_AT disastrous_JJ consequences_NN2 of_IO the_AT Islamic_JJ Republic_NN1 's_GE policies_NN2 ._. 
Today_RT ,_, Iran_NP1 's_GE burgeoning_JJ opposition_NN1 is_VBZ clearly_RR angered_VVN by_II the_AT country_NN1 's_GE dismal_JJ economy_NN1 ,_, ashamed_JJ of_IO its_APPGE status_NN1 as_II an_AT1 international_JJ pariah_NN1 ,_, and_CC alarmed_VVN by_II the_AT growing_JJ danger_NN1 of_IO military_JJ conflict_NN1 ._. 
Opposition_NN1 members_NN2 will_VM not_XX accept_VVI the_AT regime_NN1 's_GE efforts_NN2 to_II scapegoat_NN1 the_AT U.S._NP1 Instead_RR ,_, their_APPGE fury_NN1 has_VHZ been_VBN directed_VVN inward_RL at_II the_AT brutality_NN1 ,_, economic_JJ mismanagement_NN1 ,_, and_CC outrageous_JJ behavior_NN1 of_IO the_AT Islamic_JJ regime_NN1 ._. 
As_CSA Mr._NNB Obama_NP1 reassesses_VVZ his_APPGE Iran_NP1 policy_NN1 in_II the_AT wake_NN1 of_IO the_AT Iranian_JJ protests_NN2 ,_, he_PPHS1 could_VM do_VDI worse_RRR than_CSN to_TO incorporate_VVI at_RR21 least_RR22 a_AT1 few_DA2 pointers_NN2 from_II Mr._NNB Bush_NP1 's_GE playbook_NN1 ._. 
That_DD1 would_VM mean_VVI an_AT1 adjusted_JJ Iran_NP1 strategy_NN1 that_CST sees_VVZ the_AT Iranian_JJ people_NN as_CSA allies_NN2 of_IO the_AT Free_JJ World_NN1 ,_, not_XX the_AT Islamic_JJ Republic_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 would_VM also_RR mean_VVI spending_VVG less_DAR time_NNT1 trying_VVG to_TO reassure_VVI Iran_NP1 's_GE despotic_JJ rulers_NN2 of_IO the_AT U.S._NP1 's_GE benign_JJ intentions_NN2 ._. 
Mr._NNB Obama_NP1 should_VM instead_RR spend_VVI more_DAR time_NNT1 on_II using_VVG his_APPGE enormous_JJ international_JJ popularity_NN1 to_TO further_RRR mobilize_VVI the_AT world_NN1 against_II Iran_NP1 's_GE tyrants_NN2 ._. 
