Even if the other guy won, nothing would have really changed—even all the so-called “discontent” on the part of the educated urban citizenry and the various reports of violent protests are strategically worthless, because none of this is really translating to any significant loss of legitimacy for the regime as a whole. All the talk before the election about how a Mousavi win could mean a thawing of tensions was just wishful thinking anyway.

So it’s at least a comfort to see the U.S. government basically sit down and shut up about it (well, be as quiet as Washington can possibly be about anything) for the time being. People outside Iran who are walking around and alleging fraud are doing it wrong. The last thing you want to do is look like you’re trying to undermine Iran’s government domestically; only a regime that feels safe at home can be convinced that they can afford to negotiate, make some consessions, etc.

My first impression when I saw the headline was “Wow, Obama really has some nuts. No wonder Jesse wants to cut them off.” Then I read the article and realized that Obama doesn’t actually take advice from Leonidas on how to run the world and make our enemies cower in fear. Yea, I know. Sucks.

But what if Senator Obama hired the cast of 300 as his advisers? Better yet, what if he became Leonidas? Our foreign policy would then look something like this:

Barack Leonidas rules.

• Iran’s army uses the most advanced military technology, Photoshop.

• John McCain’s economic adviser says that America has become “a nation of whiners.” McCain promises to banish the freedom-hater to anti-American Belarus. Perhaps to a secret CIA prison. Hopefully.