FROM IRAN - AT 7:25 A.M. ET: Via Fox News:

CAIRO — Iran's top electoral body said Tuesday it found "no major fraud" and will not annul the results of the presidential election, closing the door to a do-over sought by angry opposition supporters alleging systematic vote-rigging.

Iranian government officials have repeatedly suggested that a revote is extremely unlikely. However, Tuesday's announcement by Iran's top electoral body, the Guardian Council, was the clearest yet in ruling out a new election.

The announcement on Iran's state-run English language Press TV is another sign the regime is determined to crush the post-election protests — the strongest challenge to its leadership in 30 years — rather than compromise..

There is no news yet on the general strike called for today, but it's apparent that the regime is successfully putting down the protests.  The sad reality is that, within a week, the revolt might be forgotten, much to the relief of the crowd currently running American foreign policy.  This democracy stuff is just too crude.

Russia and China are making it clear in public statements that they accept the official version of Iran's "elections." 

At the same time, Obama's reliable defenders in the press and elsewhere are publicly marveling at his handling of the Iran situation - sneering at those unsophisticated ruffians like John McCain and extolling the virtues of Obama's clearly superior intellect, strategic sense and cultural sensitivity.  Once again, the political left shows that indifference to human freedom is one of the major planks in its platform. 

June 23, 2009