Obama: sanctions might stand in the way of dialogue with the mullahs
If true, this report is one more example—as though we needed another—that Obama’s foreign policy is misguided at best and willfully destructive at worst:
The United States is opposed to enacting a new set of financial sanctions against Iran that are due to be discussed in the G8 summit next week, diplomatic officials in New York reported Friday…
American officials expressed concern that a decision to enact harsh steps against Iran during the G8 meeting could badly hurt the prospect of Tehran agreeing to renew negotiations with the permanent Security Council members.
I’m getting tired of—let’s be blunt here—Obama’s obsequious and timid ass-kissing of the fanny of nearly every tyrant on the globe. I’m also getting tired of trying to read Obama’s mind, and of constructing these “either/or” explanations for its workings.
“Either he’s a fool or a knave” would cover almost all of them. In this case, either he is so deeply narcissistic/naive that he thinks these “dialogues” have a chance of working (especially with no teeth at all behind them), or he doesn’t care because he has absolutely no interest in defanging Iran.
Or perhaps the report is incorrect and the Obama administration will actually support sanctions against Iran. One can always hope.
Iran – rigs an election and bloodily supresses the ensuing protests (i.e. many people died barbaric deaths for exercising their human right of free association). Result – Obama opposes sanctions.
Honduras – deposes a President flagrantly violating the constitution he’s sworn to uphold and prevents the rise of a would-be dictator (i.e. another Chavez) Result – Obama immediately imposes sanctions.
That’s really all you need to know about Obama when it comes to foreign affairs. It’s a very strange policy where you coddle your enemies and put the screws to your friends.
I don’t like coups either, but what happened in Honduras was not a coup. It was no different than sending Nixon on his way when he showed he couldn’t abide by the constitution he was sworn to uphold. Trying to force Honduras into putting Zelaya back in power would be like other countries trying to force us to put Nixon back in power.
Obama’s naivete or stupidity, take your pick, is dangerous and misguided and the sooner he gets slapped down by wiser heads in the foreign policy establishment the better.
“Either he’s a fool or a knave”
I’d say both.
Summer thunderclaps
Far below: oblivious
Barack claps self on back.
Gee – let’s just give the “mullahs” another “time out”. Then when we let them out of their room they will behave. Never mind that they’re up there torturing the hamsters so it isn’t like punishment at all.
Oh – and make no mistake – the rest of the bad guys will get the message. Wait a sec – what is that I hear ? Oh another North Korean missile being launched. I think that’s number seven for today – July4, 2009 .
Saw an analysis to the point that zero desperately wants to avoid having to do anything forthright in foreign affairs.
So he and the mullahs are pretending to negotiate. It will go nowhere, as the EU negotiations went nowhere.
However, under cover of negotiations, he avoids doing something serious.
Possibly gets the mullahs to promise to stick to peaceful uses of nuclear power.
When they break out with nukes, he sighs and says it’s impossible to do anything but live with it.
It’s the plan.
Looks like it’s up to Israel.
“I’m getting tired of–let’s be blunt here–Obama’s obsequious and timid ass-kissing of the fanny of nearly every tyrant on the globe.”
Yup
My guess the story in Haartz is true. During the protests over the fraudulent election Obama went out of his way not to criticize the mullahs, and only did so in response to political pressure.
Arrogant and narcissistic as he is, he actually thinks he can talk them out of their nuclear program.
I don’t think he wants to deal with anything outside the borders of the US. He is so focused on his domestic policies (or perhaps I should say the domestic policies of whoever is mentoring him far behind the scenes) that he just wants to take the (seemingly) easy way out. Changing the US into an oligarchy of the anointed is much more important than supporting democratic governments or condemning the Iranian mullahs.
And part of me suspects that he really does believe that if he really feels strongly about peace, then peace will have to happen. As has been said here and elsewhere, he’s truly a postmodern president.
It’s clear from the Iran/Honduras contrast that Obama values form over substance. This seems to be a disease of the Left; just as they are unable to look at consequences, so they are unable to look at the reality of actions.
And, unfortunately, the electorate seems to be entranced by it. It doesn’t help that they are steeped in the MSM’s sound-bite approach to education and understanding.
Tom the Redhunter: I think it’s win-win for Obama. He does in fact arrogantly think his silver tongue and appeasing demeanor can talk the mullahs out of doing harm and into a kinder gentler way of life. But he also doesn’t much care if it doesn’t work, because he has no big problem with them having nuclear weapons. He’d rather they didn’t, but no big whoop if they do.
LittleRed1: But that wouldn’t explain his meddling in Honduras. He not only has strongly supported Zelaya, but he worked behind the scenes even before Zelaya was removed, interfering mightily in Honduran affairs. No, I think he wants to interfere in certain foreign actions, just not the ones we’d like him to.
What explains Barack’s stance in Honduras is, I think, that he doesn’t want anything to change in the world. He just wants everything to remain the same. He wants Zelaya to go back and serve out the remainder of his term – and, of course, the wise persons of the world will convince Zelaya to not overturn the Honduran Constitution, and everything will be Candyland.
This, also, explains Barack’s initial reaction to the Russian invasion of Georgia, i.e. both sides should stand down, or something like that. Barack just wants eeeeeverything to stay the same, and eeeeeeverybody to remain sane and calm, and Candyland to remain in effect.
VDH’s story of his own awakening to life’s realities – courtesy of his brutish neighbor on the adjoining California farm – is applicable.