And he's missing an incredible opportunity to dramatically alter the face of the Middle East by making dictators the exception and democracies the rule, but he's blowing it:
Where to begin? "Supreme Leader"? Note the abject solicitousness with which the American president confers this honorific on a clerical dictator who, even as his minions attack demonstrators, offers to examine some returns in some electoral districts -- a farcical fix that will do nothing to alter the fraudulence of the election.Moreover, this incipient revolution is no longer about the election. Obama totally misses the point. The election allowed the political space and provided the spark for the eruption of anti-regime fervor that has been simmering for years and awaiting its moment. But people aren't dying in the street because they want a recount of hanging chads in suburban Isfahan. They want to bring down the tyrannical, misogynist, corrupt theocracy that has imposed itself with the very baton-wielding goons that today attack the demonstrators.
This started out about election fraud. But like all revolutions, it has far outgrown its origins. What's at stake now is the very legitimacy of this regime -- and the future of the entire Middle East.
This revolution will end either as a Tiananmen (a hot Tiananmen with massive and bloody repression or a cold Tiananmen with a finer mix of brutality and co-optation) or as a true revolution that brings down the Islamic Republic.
The latter is improbable but, for the first time in 30 years, not impossible. Imagine the repercussions. It would mark a decisive blow to Islamist radicalism, of which Iran today is not just standard-bearer and model, but financier and arms supplier. It would do to Islamism what the collapse of the Soviet Union did to communism -- leave it forever spent and discredited.
What a shame Barack Obama so seems enamored with dictatorial leaders of Islamic nations. As a result, the freedom loving people in Iran are more likely to suffer with Obama as president of the United States than if Bush were.
Update: Richard Baehr at the American Thinker has a theory as to why Obama is walking softly and not carrying a stick:
So what have we learned about the Obama administration's views on Iran and Israel this week?With Iran: speak softly and carry no stick. We dare not offend, or look like we are an actor in internal Iranian politics.
With Israel: demand that Israel give up its sovereignty as a nation, and accede to Obama demands to stop having babies in West Bank settlements, then to abandon the settlements, and open up Gaza to any and all things the Hamas leaders in Gaza might want to bring into the strip...
At some point, it seems fair to ask why Obama is taking this approach. There is more and more evidence to suggest that, alone among the non-lunatic nations of the world (North Korea thereby excepted), Obama has problems with only one: Israel. Obama has for all practical purposes, become the salesman for the Saudi "peace plan", designed to drive Israel back to the pre 67 war borders.As for the Iranian nuclear threat to Israel (and others), the Obama approach can best be described as "not a problem", or "mañana".
The question that really needs to be asked is whether Obama's shilling for the Saudi peace plan, and the non-stop fawning attention to the Muslim world since his inauguration represents something deeper, as Daniel Pipes has suggested. Have Americans unknowingly elected a pro-Islamist President?
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Comments (10)
Obama's callous disregard f... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Justrand
| June 19, 2009 7:26 PM | Score: 7 (9 votes cast)
Obama's callous disregard for the Iranian people is shameful. The trolls are out all over the Internet defending him just as the "trolls" of 1938 hailed Neville Chamberlain's "Statemenship" in sacrificing Czechoslovakia.
1. Posted by Justrand
| June 19, 2009 7:26 PM |
Score: 7 (9 votes cast)
Posted on June 19, 2009 19:26
2. Posted by mike from the bay | June 19, 2009 7:39 PM | Score: -8 (10 votes cast)
"And he's missing an incredible opportunity to dramatically alter the face of the Middle East by making dictators the exception and democracies the rule, but he's blowing it"
this sentence blows it
2. Posted by mike from the bay | June 19, 2009 7:39 PM |
Score: -8 (10 votes cast)
Posted on June 19, 2009 19:39
3. Posted by Mac Lorry | June 19, 2009 8:05 PM | Score: 13 (15 votes cast)
The problem for Obama is not that of offending Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, he's already offended by Obama mostly keeping quite. Obama should cite the smell of freedom in the air blowing in from Iraq as the reason for the hope of freedom the Iranian protesters are risking their lives for. Doing so would vindicate America in the eyes of the world once more as the bulwark of freedom even if the Ayatollahs remain in power. Thing is, in doing the right thing for America, Iran, and the world, he would also be vindicating Bush and that's too big a price for Obama and the rest of the left to pay. Better to let millions continue to suffer under totalitarianism than to admit Bush was right to invade Iraq.
3. Posted by Mac Lorry | June 19, 2009 8:05 PM |
Score: 13 (15 votes cast)
Posted on June 19, 2009 20:05
4. Posted by Hermie | June 19, 2009 9:08 PM | Score: 10 (14 votes cast)
Obama follows the teachings of his friend, spiritual mentor, and 'beloved uncle' Jeremiah Wright, the fervent anti-Semite. Wright's pathological hatred of 'Zionists' are part and parcel of the Obama psyche. Why else would Obama threaten Israel and turn a blind eye to Hamas, Hezbollah and Fatah's continuous attacks, and failure to even recognize Israel's right to exist? His silence regarding the Iranian people being beaten and killed by its tyranical government, speaks more volumes about his pro-radical Islamic extremist beliefs than a hundred teleprompted speeches.
4. Posted by Hermie | June 19, 2009 9:08 PM |
Score: 10 (14 votes cast)
Posted on June 19, 2009 21:08
5. Posted by GarandFan | June 19, 2009 9:32 PM | Score: 6 (8 votes cast)
Right on Hermie.........
5. Posted by GarandFan | June 19, 2009 9:32 PM |
Score: 6 (8 votes cast)
Posted on June 19, 2009 21:32
6. Posted by 914 | June 19, 2009 10:01 PM | Score: 4 (10 votes cast)
"The question that really needs to be asked is whether Obama's shilling for the Saudi peace plan, and the non-stop fawning attention to the Muslim world since his inauguration represents something deeper, as Daniel Pipes has suggested. Have Americans unknowingly elected a pro-Islamist President?"
Short answer....Yes.
6. Posted by 914 | June 19, 2009 10:01 PM |
Score: 4 (10 votes cast)
Posted on June 19, 2009 22:01
7. Posted by JLawson | June 19, 2009 10:58 PM | Score: 7 (9 votes cast)
I'm thinking that Obama's reluctance to criticise the dictatorships in the ME (or in Venezuela, for that matter) is a simple case of envy. He KNOWS he's the absolutely best qualified person that's ever been in the office - so why should he limit himself to just two terms? These other countries? They've got it wired. Monarchy in Saudi, ruling mullahs in Iran, an 'El Presidente for Life' in Venezuela - get a good machine in place, (like ACORN) and you'll have the elections go the way you need so you'll stay in power.
That's what's got me concerned over ACORN suddenly becoming essentially a government agency, taking over the 2010 census. He's going to have the election go his way, whether the voters agree or not.
7. Posted by JLawson | June 19, 2009 10:58 PM |
Score: 7 (9 votes cast)
Posted on June 19, 2009 22:58
8. Posted by Arthur | June 20, 2009 12:31 AM | Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
> What a shame Barack Obama so seems enamored with dictatorial leaders of Islamic nations.
Progressives love tyrants.
8. Posted by Arthur | June 20, 2009 12:31 AM |
Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
Posted on June 20, 2009 00:31
9. Posted by Justrand
| June 20, 2009 8:46 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
It looks for now tha the government of Iran has indeed muzzled a nation of 70 million people...with VERY LITTLE EFFORT!
What does that mean for us? It means that our very own Ayatollah Obama is watching this VERY carefully! All you need is:
- a complicit and/or cowered media...Check!
- access to and control of all communicatons...Check!
- a loyal cadre of idealogues will to do anything to amass and defend their power...Check!
Consider that there are only TWO remaining national media voices that do NOT march in goose-step with the Obama Regime: The Wall Street Journal and FoxNews.
Consider that Obama has just created an "Information Czar" who will have TOTAL access and "in times of emergency" TOTAL control. I found the "in times of emergency" section of the announcement to be way past chilling...since the Obama Regime declares a new "emergency" every single day!
Consider that ACORN and the announced (though not yet formed) "Civilian Defense Force" constitute a huge force that Obama will have at his disposal.
Obama is watching Iran carefully all right...he's looking for tips!
9. Posted by Justrand
| June 20, 2009 8:46 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on June 20, 2009 08:46
10. Posted by Paul_In_Houston | June 20, 2009 4:11 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It looks for now tha the government of Iran has indeed muzzled a nation of 70 million people...with VERY LITTLE EFFORT!
I don't see that at all. However, our own in-the-tank media is doing a pretty fair job of absolutely refusing to bring up anything that might upset "The Won". Look how much actual coverage you see in our newspapers.
To them, Obama's swatting of a fly is MUCH more important. Mustn't allow this "distraction" to take our focus off of health care,...right? RIGHT?!
Their attitude is "If you don't mention it, it ain't happening".
But, it IS happening, and is NOT going to be crushed all that easily.
The first time a policeman raised his riot stick and stalked towards a protester, expecting him to run as usual, but the protester just stood there and looked back at him, and it was the policeman that backed down and walked away, was probably the start of a fire that has taken on a life of its' own.
The biggest problem with being an oppressor depending on fear, is "GOD HELP YOU" if they ever STOP being afraid of you.
Yes, the security forces are treacting, but it's awfully hard to stuff the djinni back into the bottle; ain't it?
-
10. Posted by Paul_In_Houston | June 20, 2009 4:11 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 20, 2009 16:11