Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has raised his own profile within the US by being the first Iranian president to visit the country since the 1979 revolution, as well as his outspoken defiance of Bush's nuclear ultimatums, and a near constant needling of Bush and US foreign policy. Now he's decided to take a page from Bush's own repertoire by writing an open letter to the citizens of the US.

The full text of the letter can be read here.

Bush should take home one lesson from this exercise in diplomacy: while it's fine to criticize one's own country, it's annoying as hell to hear some know-it-all from another offer the same criticisms, particularly when his own record isn't exactly spotless. People in Iran aren't stupid, they feel exactly the same way when Bush offers these "heartfelt pleas" to them to rise up against their own government and boot out Ahmadinejad and the clerics. In fact Iran has an active political movement against its theocracy, one that is widely supported by the populace (and despite Mohammed Khatami's perceived ineffectiveness he did try to initiate pro-Western reforms in Iraq during his tenure.)

But condescending to the Iranian people through cheap publicity stunts like "open letters" will just piss them off and likely stoke support in the exact opposite direction. Notice that spontaneous pro-Ahmadinejad rallies haven't sprung up around the US in response to his letter.

The best way to support dissent in Iran is to lead by example and offer help to dissidents whenever they ask for it. No one wants opinions from foreign despots shoved down their throats though.