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Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/opinion/26thur2.html
Iran Punishes Its People
(New York Times) Editorial - Iran's fraudulently elected president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, will clearly stop at nothing to stifle legitimate dissent and hold on to his illegitimate power. The most recent horror is the sharp rise in executions since the June presidential elections. Human rights groups and Iranian political experts believe that the rising numbers are meant to frighten anyone who might criticize or openly oppose the government. The viciousness of the current repression is another sign of the government's desperation. We believe that the Obama administration was right to reach out to Iran in an effort to curb its nuclear ambitions. But we also believe that there have to be limits to that forthcomingness, and time is running out. Obama has set a deadline of the end of this year for diplomatic progress on the nuclear issue. He should keep to that. If Iran continues to repudiate the exchange deal, the U.S. must line up other members of the UN Security Council, including Russia and China, for much tougher sanctions. Iran's repressive leaders cannot be allowed to threaten the rest of the world with a nuclear weapon.