Better late than never.
President Obama has finally condemned Iran for the brutal repression of the rightful aspirations of its people. I am not naive enough to think that this represents any kind of sea change in Obama’s policy of “If I am nice enough and turn a blind eye to reality, gosh darnit these countries will like us” foreign policy. Rather it is more likely that Obama has rightly concluded that further silence on this issue will damage his credibility even further and that the risks of speaking out are outweighed – in this one instance.
All that said, this was, even if late, the right thing to say.
ht to AceofSpades
December 29, 2009 at 5:50 am
This guy is not only a disaster as a world leader, he's a disaster as a human being. Maybe if he'd retire to a isolated monastery….
December 29, 2009 at 6:38 am
Yes. Bombing is definitely a better solution. So much louder and better to watch on FOX news.
December 29, 2009 at 8:59 am
Tonite at the gym I had the distinct misfortune of having to watch some smug liberal wannabe chick named Rachel on MSNBC saying the most annoying commentary and and op/ed passing as news. This story did come up, they played the clip, and then they had some guy from some Iranian American Association on asking him if he thought Obama's speech was a new chapter in this current situation. His comments were that there is no real new policy here; that the US has always been on the side of democracy in any country. Obama didn't draw any lines in the sand supporting one faction over another. He merely decried the violence while supporting democracy. Nothing new.
However, it is my opinion that the US has no horse in this fight at all. I think we covered this awhile back; Ahmadinajad and Sistani are BOTH anti-American Mohammedan/Islamists. 6 of one, half a dozen of the other. Don't get your hopes up either way.
December 29, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Rachel Maddow is a woman?
December 29, 2009 at 8:05 pm
P.Button – unless you are a hermaphrodite yourself, you cannot mistake Rachel for anything but a woman. Those kind of comments whether directed towards liberal or conservative women are in bad taste.
December 30, 2009 at 1:50 am
CRM, Are you supportive of a an aggressive foreign policy towards Iran? If so, why? What are the rightful aspirations of their people? Is there some kind of right that people have towards political self determination? If so, does the US have a moral obligation to support political self determination for the Iranian people through force of arms?