Let Iran Shoot Its Foot Alone

Based on the news coming out of Tehran, it appears President Ahmadinejad's brazen election fix is not having the desired effect.
 
This morning, the Associated Press is reporting that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei wants to take another look at the results. Hoping for a reversal of results or even a run-off is probably a bit optimistic, given his previous assertion that all was well.
 
However, in light of the spirited riots that have taken place in recent days, it's probably not a good idea to cover up an offense that nearly everyone in the world (including the citizens of Iran) sees as a fraud.
 
So what does this mean for our evolving relationship with the Islamic Republic -- how should the U.S. respond to this turn of events? There's a maxim in politics, never help your opponent shoot himself in the foot.
 
For now, the U.S. should sit back, keep with our vocal, long-standing support for free and fair elections, and let history take its course. We should not see this as another invitation to meddle in internal Iranian affairs. We've tried that before with disastrous results, and there's no time like the present to start learning from our mistakes.
 
Nothing is inevitable when it comes to history. And in this case, it's best to let the Iranian people figure out both where they'd like to see their nation headed and what they're willing to do to get it there.
 
The views contained in this post are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of current or previous employers.