About That Iran Business
Here’s a little behind the scenes from Politico on Obama’s Iranian panic moment the other day, “Obama’s Unplanned Iran News.” I guess we can set aside that Bush-Lied NIE myth that the Iranians stopped their nuke program in 2004. Looks like, considering at what had just happened to Iraq, they decided the best expedient was essentially to build their nukes in a mosque … it’s under a mountain near the holy city of Qom. It’s like al Qaeda sniping from minarets, it’s a twofer, they get to menace the infidels and if the infidels fire back, big international war crime headlines!
OK, seriously, Obama needs an Iran policy. Suckup, tut-tut and sanctions aren’t going to cut it. Then again, an Iran policy is one item on a very long list of what Obama needs, starting with a clue about which side he’s supposed to be on, a sense of priorities, some functional political instincts, a fundamental grasp of the geopolitical realities of the world and the United States’ place in it … and, not least, he needs to grow a set.
No, seriously, as a lot of people tried to say during the election, this is a really bad time to be playing around with the politics of feel-good gestures, both domestically and in the world at large, but unfortunately, that is what the American electorate decided to do. Now, the learn-on-the-job guy needs to learn on the job.
… Seriously.
NYT with an opinion roundup, can sanctions work and what kind of strategy might?
Washington Post: Obama’s focus shifts from engaging Iran. No kidding. Whether it will shift to anything usefull is anolther issue.
Ignatius, “Cuban missile crisis in slow motion.” Try, Cuban missile crisis in “Doh!” motion.
Obama via The Hill, Iran “on notice” in the face of “unprecedented show of unity.” By which he must mean, with regard to himself and the last eight months. Prior to that, FYI O, show of unity precedented.
via Weekly Standard, Lieberman, Kyl and Bayh, “Whatever it takes … crippling sanctions.” I dunno, I can think of other measures that might be more effectively crippling. Whatever …
Also at WS, Steven Hayes, hurtfully, “Speak timidly and don’t carry a stick.”
Ralph Peters, NYPost, cruelly: “Appease-y does it for weak Prez on the road to a Mideast apocalypse.”
This one could be a fun read, but I need to mow the lawn: Greenwald, Should any Iraq lessons be applied to Iran? Anyone who wants to do the honors, have at it in comments. Meanwhile, I can think of a few quick applicable Iraq lessons off the top of my head. Whack one tyrant, the rest notice. Also, whacking tyrants effectively neutralizes their ability to cause trouble. Also, follow-on is important, don’t let the Euros weasel out of it, and ignore the Dems and the anti-war American left. They are loud, but harmless.
HotAir, helpfully channeling Iran: Why aren’t you congratulating us for our transparency?
Gateway: Obama threatens Iran with “serious meaningful dialogue.”
Powerline weighs in with the increasingly relevant Israeli option. The meaning of an Iranian nuke features a blogging delegation’s chat with Netanyahu on the subject. Judge Not notes that Obama has actually increased the odds of effective action against Iran … by Israel.
Surber, with the cruelest cut of all: Sarkozy mocks Obama.
“President Obama dreams of a world without weapons … but right in front of us two countries are doing the exact opposite. Iran since 2005 has flouted five security council resolutions. North Korea has been defying council resolutions since 1993. I support the extended hand of the Americans, but what good has proposals for dialogue brought the international community? More uranium enrichment and declarations by the leaders of Iran to wipe a UN member state off the map.”
It’s a sad state of affairs when a Frenchman mocks an American president and you have to go with the frog.
Welcome Powerline, Fark, etal. Always so good to see you. Today’s another day. We’re perusing A Modern War Reader, a military engineer’s methodical effort to understand what we’re dealing with. Speaking of which, what’s up with McClellan On The Hindu Kush? And his Partner For Peace!
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Posted by Jules Crittenden at 9:17 am on Saturday, September 26, 2009
8 Responses to “About That Iran Business”
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September 26th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Obama is such an embarrassment.
September 26th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
[...] with a really weak resume In Politics on 26 September 2009 at 4:23 pm Jules Crittenden on Obama and Iran: OK, seriously, Obama needs an Iran policy. Suckup, tut-tut and sanctions aren’t going to cut [...]
September 26th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Obama is not only an embarrassment, he’s becoming a real danger to the US and to the world. I can only hope that when the Israelis finally bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities, the Arab nations will scream loudly in public and applaud in private. Otherwise, we’re in for Armageddon.
September 26th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
[...] Yeah…They’re revealing a second nuclear facility, which will apparently make us all blind. Apparently Bush didn’t lie about Iran after all – Congress and the NIE did. Of course, the ones Obama should be talking with are all the protesters the regime is oppressing- who stand against tyranny and terrorism. They’re even conveniently in NY. [...]
September 27th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
[...] : Jules Crittenden comments on President Sarkozy’s statement at the United Nations last week: “It’s a sad [...]
September 27th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
[...] country (France, no less) has to point out the absolutely obvious to the POTUS, it’s just sad. Jules Crittenden comments on President Sarkozy’s statement at the United Nations last week: "It’s a sad [...]
September 27th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
[...] Es ist ein trauriger Zustand, wenn ein Franzose über den amerikanischen Präsidenten spottet und man dem Frosch recht geben muss. Jules Crittenden, 26.09.09 [...]
September 27th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
[...] Jules Crittenden comments on President Sarkozy’s statement at the United Nations last week: “It’s a sad state of affairs when a Frenchman mocks an American president and you have to go with the Frog.” Here’s what the man said: President Obama dreams of a world without weapons … but right in front of us two countries are doing the exact opposite. Iran since 2005 has flouted five security council resolutions. North Korea has been defying council resolutions since 1993. I support the extended hand of the Americans, but what good has proposals for dialogue brought the international community? More uranium enrichment and declarations by the leaders of Iran to wipe a UN member state off the map. [...]