It’s Not What You Know
It’s what you plan to do about it. LA Times reads Obama’s lips on Iranian nukes, notices he’s admitted Iran’s up to no good. This part is kind of funny, in a tragic, Middle East arms race, mushroom cloud kind of way:
As the administration moves toward talks with Iran, Obama appears to be sending a signal that the United States will not be drawn into a debate over Iran’s intent.
“When you’re talking about negotiations in Iran, it is dangerous to appear weak or naive,” said Joseph Cirincione, a nuclear weapons expert and president of the Ploughshares Fund, an anti-proliferation organization based in Washington.
Cirincione said the unequivocal language also worked to Obama’s political advantage. “It guards against criticism from the right that the administration is underestimating Iran,” he said.
OK, Obama’s unequivocably said he thinks Iran is developing, sted pursuing nukes, whatever. I’d be inclined to call the correction an equivocation, but that’s just me. My big question is still how Obama avoids appearing weak or naive. On the second part, I’d be inclined to say that by seeking to give the mullahs equal standing with the Great Satan in direct talks, sure, there is an underestimation of their deviousness and unreliability, but there is also a gross overestimation of their goodwill.
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 12:24 am on Friday, February 13, 2009
2 Responses to “It’s Not What You Know”
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February 13th, 2009 at 11:38 am
You’re in charge of Iran. Who are you going to make any real concessions to? The guy who thinks he can talk anybody into anything, but is afraid to back up his talk with any action? Or the guy who sang “bomb Iran?”
McCain would have given them pause, made them at least reconsider the question of whether developing nukes was really in their long term interests. With Obama, it’s going to be full steam ahead.
February 13th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
“When you’re talking about negotiations in Iran, it is dangerous to appear weak or naive,” said Joseph Cirincione
Too late.