NEWS JUNKIE POST
Jun 16, 2009 at 12:01 amIranian Crisis: Is The Obama Administration Too Cautious?
Bears From State Department Gift Shop
Opinion by Gilbert Mercier, News Junkie Editor.
Today, strong condemnations concerning the Iranian election and its aftermath, came from Europe. The British, German & French foreign ministers had very strong language, including mentioning election fraud, to depict the situation in Iran.
The Obama administration is coming short of doing the same. On the Department of State’s web site today, the post title was: “US Encourages Iran To Meet Its International Obligations.” This is not even mild pressure, they could have used “urges” instead of encourages, and still stay within the boundaries of courteous diplomatic language.
It seems that the Department of State is adopting a “wait & see” attitude towards a crisis still very much in flux.
When Hillary Clinton accepted the position of Secretary of State she said she would implement strong but smart diplomacy. Secretary Clinton is not projecting a great deal of strength in the matter, but it could turn out to be a wise decision for two reasons.
First: If the Clerics, the military and Ahmadinejad have ultimately the upper-hand in the current Iranian turmoil, it would make any diplomatic progress over the nuclear program practically impossible.
Second: Aggressively denouncing the election as a fraud and showing support for Mousavi would be used immediately by the Iranian regime to galvanize their supporters (they do have some) by playing on deep rooted anti-American sentiments within the Iranian population.
It could indeed be “Smart Diplomacy” to stay a bit on the sideline, as long as it is not interpreted as sign of weakness or indecision.
At yesterday’s press briefing, Ian Kelly (the Department’s spokesman) was elusive and quite skillful at saying as little as possible. White House Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, didn’t say much either in yesterday’s press briefing from Air Force one.
However, judging by the statement of Senator McCain ( attacking the Obama administration for not been more forceful in the Iranian election matter) Americans can estimate themselves lucky that the ” Bomb Iran” candidate didn’t get elected.
All B.O. is doing is telling Iran that the U.S. will sit idly by and allow people to be shredded. No position of strength for the U.S. as that might make it harder to negotiate with people that were never going to negotiate in the first place. Our President is incapable of anything but campaigning and what we need is leadership. McCain is right and you are too deep in the can for “The One”
If I may – what the F**k do you want him to do? Attack?
You had your chance for John McCain, Dick. It didn’t happen. So just sit like the rest of us did when your idiot was ‘in power.’
Iran had elections. We cannot interfere. What’s not to understand there? You’d be having pissing fits if Iran or another country voiced STRONG concern over the elections here and attempted to bring it to the forefront of world politic day after day.
Besides the fact that none, outside of the principals involved, have any idea what’s going on behind the scenes.
I’m SICK of those who have stood by idly HERE in the United States while the ReThugs, Dick, shredded our Constitution, pounded our good name into the mud, tortured, cheated, stole, and godknows what else. All I can say, is I’m incredibly thankful John McCain is NOT our president and never will be.
Thank God there are thoes out there that still feel the way you do. We can not get involved, let the Iran handle their own problems. That was our problem when we got involved in Afganastan. Look at our men and women that are fighting for us today. It has been at least 8 years and they still are not home. What results have we gotten out of this war?? Now our “right radical republicans” want us to once again jump into a big mess that we have no resolution. Let Iran iron out their own elections mess. It is horrific with what is happening Mideast. Pray that the Iranian government will be overthrown by the People, and they will have Democracy.
I agree with Wordsmith. The United States, as a nation, cannot officially take sides in the Iranian election. However, the United States of America, as a political entity, doesn’t need to do anything: the People are doing it via Twitter and solidarity demonstrations going on in cities across the country.
The United States of America, as a political entity, are at loggerheads with the Iranian High Command, on so many levels. Frankly, as long as the Ayatollahs and the mullahs are in power, that election was nothing better than a very expensive game of charades. I personally don’t like any of the (hand-picked, it must be stated) candidates.
I’m old enough to remember the first Iranian Revolution. I went to school with kids whose families fled Iran because of the Shah and they were just as upset about the Revolution. That was thirty years ago; I’m hoping that there’s another Revolution to overthrow the Ayatollahs, but ultimately it’s up to the People of Iran — in the streets, protesting and dying as we speak. We’ll see no peace in the Mideast until Iran is a true democratic republic and not an Islamic theocracy.
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