Monday, June 15, 2009

Obama Weakens America's Global Standing

From Nile Gardiner, "The Iranian Election: Barack Obama’s Cowardly Silence":

The Obama administration's response to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's fraudulent election victory is cowardly, lily-livered and wrong. The White House's refusal to officially question the result or even condemn the brutal suppression of opposition protestors, is undermining America's standing as a global power, and is little more than a face-saving, cynical exercise in appeasement that will all end in tears.
Read the whole thing, here.

See also, "
FOX News Poll: Americans Say Obama Not Tough Enough on North Korea, Iran."

More at
Memeorandum.

Photo Credits: Boston Globe, "
Iran's Disputed Election."

19 comments:

Mark Harvey said...

That is the intent of the socialist class, weakening our standing. They are ashamed of the success of this nation is spite of all their efforts to destroy us from within.

They despise our Constitution and that is why they run away from any debate when the US Constitution is brought into play.

Law and Order Teacher said...

Dr.D,
To hear the MSM tell it nothing is going on in Iran. The slavish devotion to their ideology is staggering. Regardless to what the One does, the MSM is on board.

As Ed McBiden said during the campaign this president will be tested overseas. So far he has earned and "F".

Dave said...

"As Ed McBiden said during the campaign this president will be tested overseas. So far he has earned and "F"."

Hell, I think Obama never reported to class.

LOL-Ed McBiden"?

-Dave

cracker said...

Put yer guns back in yer holsters boys....

Let these folks fulfill there own destiny....this is a conservative principal, let them fight for it, let them own it.

Rusty Walker said...

I am all about letting the Iranians fight for it, but that is a separate issue. The leader of the free world has an obligation to forcefully condemn Iranian brutality in the handling of these riots and call them on what is an obvious corrupt election. To not do so, is a sign of weakness. This backward country has paper ballots, not the speedy, electronic technology with sequential blue states and red states coming in and yet, the election was called within two hours of closing as a 2/3 vote for Ahmadinejad – this was pre-determined. For Obama to remain in his non-committal state of mind is proving to be weak and irresponsible.

Dan Nexon said...

Right. Because it worked out so well the last time an American President gave rhetorical support to the Iranian opposition.

I'm glad the grownups are in charge, even if it means the right lands some cheap political shots at them.

Dave said...

Screw it. I give up.

-Dave

cracker said...

Oh cmon Dave.... have some jello

pick yer squirt gun back up, we'll put the posse back together tomorrow, there's other verbal lynchins to be had,.....

Rusty I agree with the obviousness of the corruption.....but you still must have some evidence before you speak out.....if you dont have
E V I D E N C E
Your at risk of revealing your over-reaction and incompetence, once thats happened its impossible to recover (see Bush-Cheney admin).

Sure your hearts in the right place, but right thinkers follow right methods.

"Proving to be weak and irresponsible"to whom?...maybe to you, ....

Prudence my man, it garners strength. Otherwise known as "give em enough rope". Did yall just not listen to your Grandfather?

So far we've had the mass demonstrations, at "Peace Square" and it didnt turn in to Tianammen....the Ayatollah has just called for an investigation, officially screwing himself....

You Neo-cons.....yeesh ; )

JBW said...

You guys must be some of the worst chess players in the world. Obama has already condemned the violent acts committed against the protesters but he is right to say that Iran must work this election out for themselves.

The U.S. has already meddled in past Iranian elections and the leaders in Iran are well aware of this. If the president of the United States were to come right out and side with the opposition Ahmadinejad would use his words as propagandized proof that the U.S. was behind the revolution and again meddling in their affairs.

For the people's protests to continue to have merit they must be seen as being wholly Iranian and entirely free of foreign manipulation. This situation is too precarious at this point for an American president to swagger into the middle of things. Prudence and caution are neither sexy nor exciting but they are the responsible ways to handle the events that are now unfolding in that country.

cracker said...

On a side note

have any of you read "The ideological Origins of the American Revolution" by Bernard Bailyn?

I asked the Prof. to let us know what texts he used since "Ideology" is his main course of study.....but I'm sure he's very busy...

Also there was a You tube video posted by the Proff. not to long ado about the spectrum of Left to Right Ideologies.

I cant recall the name though.

DrCruel said...

This election has proven very handy for the Iranian mullahs. As for the Bolsheviks and Soviet collaborators of Hungary in 1956, it helps them easily identify dissidents for processing and termination.

Tim said...

I'm breathless, once more, by the stunning stupidity of right wing "thought." Before any information actually comes in, Obama is supposed to weigh in and proclaim the election fraudulent? So glad we have intelligence in the White House, and the ignorance remains firmly here, in the blogosphere.

JBW, thanks for being a voice of reason amongst the pitch forks and torches. Jesus H.

Rusty, I am glad people like you are not in power man. Rush to judge. Philippe, your knowledge of history is staggeringly bad. Whatever you do, don't learn by past mistakes.

Seriously, did anyone think this election would be anything other than a fraud? And who exactly was overseeing it all?

I count this as one more of Donald's incendiary pieces, designed to stoke the outrage of the disenfranchised right wing lunatics.

Another great example of why Donald and his clown troop are not politicians!

EDGE said...

This is awful, but not suprising. It must be a hard job at MSNBC, CNN, and CBS to keep a pro-Obama spin on this situation.

courtneyme109 said...

44 made much of 'smart power' - so he should unleash some now.

Like asking the Ayatollah to turn the internet back on.

Tim said...

"I think for the moment our position is to allow the Iranians to work out their situation," said Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana. "When popular revolutions occur, they come right from the people." He said he did not think it would be wise for the United States "to become heavily involved in the election at this point."

Please discuss, oh wise ones.

JSF said...

Tim,

The comenter willing to put blood on everyone else's hands but refuses to accept them himself for his actions.......

I have always asked what would President Obama sacrifice his popularity for?

He did not do it for DADT or DOMA.

If he won't sacrifice his popularity for his allies, why does anyone think he actually cares about non-voters of Obama in Iran.

Tim, it costs nothing for President Obama to stand up and say: The people in Iran are right, President Ahamadinijad must step down. This is not 1953 (and we have paid for the sins, no?).

Hope and change means the President must inspire. Go on Tim, tell me with all your hate of Bush, why we should think Obama would sacrifce for a concept as simple as "Freedom," when everyone knows he would never sacrifice his popularity.

But I know you'll start your answer with "I hate Bush..."

Rusty Walker said...

“Please discuss, oh wise ones.”

LOL…cute, Tim.

I don’t think I am wiser than the next guy, though -just concerned about the administration using such guarded language that the student protestors don’t feel that the free world, in particular, the leader of the free world, doesn’t fully support and back their heroic efforts. Gee, I am not saying I would invade the country, but I don’t think we should be suggesting by all this laid back rhetoric that Iran is our moral equivalent.

I got your reasonable point, Cracker.

Today Iran kicked out the foreign news, has been brutal on the students, and now, the Guardian Counsel is the body that will recount, and they are Khamenei loyalists.

In deference to the “oh wise ones” discussion, I humbly offer this. It is an interesting bit of what appears to be non-partisan discussion from the National American Iranian Council:

http://niacblog.wordpress.com/

cracker said...

Rusty
Great link man

"2:43 pm: NIAC action alert: What should US officials be doing?

#1: The US shouldn’t interfere.

#2: U.S. involvement would be counterproductive, but human rights violations must be condemned.

#3: The US should voice its support for the demonstrators.

Write your elected officials and give them a piece of your mind."

What that it imparts to me is....Dont look to the President. this is a Peoples Revolution, not a political one. So WE peoples here must keep it relevant, keep it out front with FB, Twittwe, whatever.

Its a solid grassroots message, its steam will come from the people.

Interesting Times Aye!

repsac3 said...

I third appreciation for the site Rusty mentions, and the particular post there cracker alludes to: A call to action - niacINsight: Beltway insights for the Iranian-American community.

(Cracker's quote of it though, while technically accurate, is a little misleading (That, or I'm just dense.)... As you'll see if you go there, each of those numbered statement's is a link to a different letter, depending on which of the three statements you agree with and support, in a letter-writing campaign to the White House and to your US congressional representatives.)

Good site!!