What’s stopping Obama from going to Iran now?
Barack Obama doesn’t want to go to Iraq and re-evaluate the situation there. John McCain has invited him along on an Iraq junket, where he could meet with Prime Minister Maliki and some troops as well. Obama still says no.
As Baldilocks points out, that’s sort of an odd double standard. Obama won’t go meet with our ally, Iraq, yet he has offered to meet, without preconditions, with the leadership of North Korea, Iran, Syria, Cuba and Venezuela.
Marc Ambinder has followed the twists and turns and nuances of Obama’s attempts to wriggle out of the implications of that statement, which don’t look good for Obama. But let’s at least look at what Obama’s website says about Iran today. Bolding is mine:
Diplomacy: Obama is the only major candidate who supports tough, direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions. Now is the time to pressure Iran directly to change their troubling behavior. Obama would offer the Iranian regime a choice. If Iran abandons its nuclear program and support for terrorism, we will offer incentives like membership in the World Trade Organization, economic investments, and a move toward normal diplomatic relations. If Iran continues its troubling behavior, we will step up our economic pressure and political isolation. Seeking this kind of comprehensive settlement with Iran is our best way to make progress.
I disagree, as I suspect most readers here do, but let’s skip that argument for now. Here he is again, a little bit below that last quote, on the subject of more general diplomacy:
Talk to our Foes and Friends: Obama is willing to meet with the leaders of all nations, friend and foe. He will do the careful preparation necessary, but will signal that America is ready to come to the table, and that he is willing to lead. And if America is willing to come to the table, the world will be more willing to rally behind American leadership to deal with challenges like terrorism, and Iran and North Korea’s nuclear programs.
So forget McCain and his Iraq trip. Instead, go meet with Iran, Senator. If “now is the time to pressure Iran directly”, and if you think they would be amenable to your blandishments, set it up. You can lay the groundwork for some of that important diplomacy you’ll need to do once you’re elected. Get all that awkward “wipe-Israel-off-the-map” business out of the way so you can get down to uranium tacks.
Frankly, your foreign policy campaign has mostly just been “I’m not George Bush”. Well, here’s your chance to prove it.
Do the photo-op. Do the handshake. Do the tours. Do the full Sean Penn. What have you got to lose?
As Ambinder notes, your people are fudging on this whole meeting-with-Iranian-leaders-in-your-first-year thing because of those necessary and time-consuming preparations for a Presidential visit. It would take lots of preliminary diplomacy, lots of groundwork, lots of…umm…it’s very complicated…
But now, you’re still just a Senator, and you’ve pretty well sewn up the nomination. You can do it if you want, with far less preparation. Hey, remember when Nancy Pelosi jetted over to Damascus and hung out with Assad for three hours? Remember how mad that made the White House?
If she can do it, so can you. Nothing is stopping you from taking some time and doing that now.
After all, as Speaker Pelosi noted, it was really all that Iranian goodwill that stabilized Iraq. Don’t you agree with her? If so, you’re going to want to make sure that all-important goodwill doesn’t dry up.
And you know, Senator–I think there’s a certain amount of doubt that you really mean some of this stuff. I mean, Samantha Power told the BBC that
Once in office…[Obama] would not rely on a plan “he’s crafted as a presidential candidate.”
Sure, you fired her, but then there’s your other Iraq adviser that called for 60,000-80,000 troops to remain in Iraq until 2010. You could see why people might start to wonder if you’re not just planning on implementing business as usual when you get into office.
So be a leader. Take the plunge. If you really believe your rhetoric, then go meet with Ahmadinejad in Iran next month. Tell him how important it is that he stop funding terrorism, and that he abandon his nuclear program.
Think about how great all those photos will look at the convention, and on the cover of the New York Times–you shaking hands with Ahmadinejad. Think about how, as you said on your website, “the world will be more willing to rally behind American leadership “. What courage! What leadership! McCain would never do that.
You can swing by Pyongyang on the return trip, and totally straighten that out, too.
__________________
{Post by See-Dubya.}
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Categories: Barack Obama, Iran
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Yeah, put up or shut up.
Now the conspiracy I heard on the radio a day or two ago: McCain just invited Obama to Iraq in a hope that he gets tagged.
I’m not making that up. I actually heard that on the radio.
OT, See- dubya, Will Michell bitch slap this hack reporter????? Pretty please with sugar on top!! Just look at his email address at the end of his hit job. CAIR to comment?
I’m wondering if Obama is at least as adventurous as - say - Kelly Pickler…
LOL I’d tag that (Oops did I say that out loud)
Apostasy might be one reason he is unwilling to go.
John–
There’s been a lot of slap-worthy commentary about the Dunkin’ thing–most of it assuming that Michelle called whatsername a terrorist sympathizer, and most of it not really worth a response.
Though I do like the irony of CAIR, which invariably claims an Islamophobic Holocaust is just around the corner, calling Michelle a fear-monger.
:::Psst, see dub, Iraq:::–though I did mention Iran in the post.
It’s that Osama Obama thing.
I heard on Rush today that someone has a video of wifeee on the pulpit at the ‘church’ degrading ‘whitee’. He would not say more, but if it true, this would be a ‘big problem’ for bho. As I said, I have no idea if this is true, but just FYI. Rush said the video would come out in Oct. There is nothing on his site on this. I am not trying to plow up snakes here. Did anyone else hear this??
L
Oh yeah thanks for the link but I was nodding “what he said” to Bob Owens.
Baldi–yeah, that’s my point. BO should do a little one-upmanship here.
If Obama really believes in the mystic power of diplomacy, he should tell McCain to take a hike–and just strike out on his own for Iran.
Well, I kinda understand his apprehension… if he and McCain were to be in the same place at the same time it might just be too much of a temptation for an ambitious & unnamed person to resist.
I added a few words below the second blockquote just to make that a little more clear.
“Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.”
Something tells me that the Logan Act may have some bearing here…
Didn’t stop Pelosi.
I think the Democrats have pretty well decided to regard the Logan Act as optional.
They won’t have the guts to repeal it, though.
Now I’m really confused. I thought San Fran Nan said Iran is Grand? One Democrap tells us they are Helping us and the other says their actions are troupbling. Is there a safe way to dump a ton of brain cells so I can understand liberals?
IMO, Obama doesn’t have the guts to go over there and stand by the strength of his “convictions”. I am sure he agrees with Nancy that Iran is who we need to be thankful to, not the surge and our brave fighting men and women in the military.
yup
JA #15–
Yeah, I noticed that too. Apparently something is troubling the Obamessiah about Iran’s nuclear program.
Nor do I suppose the Justice Department has the guts to enforce it, probably because it’s too politically divisive, which raises the question: if enforcing U.S. law is too divisive, then haven’t we already lost as a nation? If the “rule of law” is no longer revered in this country, then, I would say, we have lost a founding principle of this nation that will forever leave a scar on this nation’s soul.
This is a leadership issue, among many with which our elected officials have failed “We the People.”
see-dub: I see now. My bad.
See also: every post on this site tagged “immigration”.
Obambi might have to return to Springfield I hope it misses them.
Roger. Considering that most folks don’t formulate a systematic world view, but only have opinions about a few topics absent of any context linking any one thing to another, concepts such as “rule of law” and basic freedoms such as speech, religion, separation of powers, etc. are above most peoples’ heads. Most see things in the news and wonder, “wow, how/why do these things happen?” without any attempt to link one thing to another. For lack of a more concise way of explaining this, we are fighting an insurgency on the battlefield of ideas. The “insurgents” are fighting to change things a little at a time, where people will not notice. Then when they’ve changed enough things, probably about the time people truly take notice for the first time, the “insurgents” will have taken away all possible recourses for those who disagree, hence winning the war of ideals.
In a bit of irony, I wonder how many folks recognize the fact that “Fahrenheit 9/11″ was named after Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” and what that book was about. In our “openness,” I wonder if folks will read Allan Bloom’s “The Closing of the American Mind.” I wonder…
No, no, no! The Obama “time table” does not involve surrendering to Iran until after the election. What are you thinking? Done properly, appeasement and surrender take time. He is probably in secret negotiations with the French right now to learn their techniques. Nobody does it better!
Baraque Obameaux 2008!
“He will do the careful preparation necessary…” Does that mean he is unprepared at the present time and would make a fool of himself if he went now?
Probably the only thing that is troubling Obama about Iran’s nuclear program is that it’s existence and his response to it might affect the Democrat lock on the Jewish vote. I highly doubt that it will. Remember the old line about Jews voting like Puerto Ricans? It’s true and it ain’t going to change. So this is really a swell opportunity for BO to do a “peace in our times” number. If Carter can do freelance diplomacy, why not Obama? Maybe he’ll like it so much he’ll stay there.
The week before obummer went to Iraq in Jan 2006 saw 150 people killed, including 11 of America’s finest. That wuss is more than likely terrified to return any time soon. He said he would meet with our enemies. My guess is that he would invite them over here where there aren’t as many bullets flying around. (yet)
I’d rather just see him walk off the end of a Pier.
see-dubya said:
Dubs forget it O’bama is too busy tweaking off the copious amounts of Nicorette he’s chomping on let alone getting prepared to act like a statesman.
He won’t go straight to Ahmadinijad anyway…probably ease into it by talking to the Castro Boys.
John Ansell said:
Nitrous Oxide perhaps?
blah blah, whatever.
BHO will leave Iran just as convinced as “peace in our time2″ , but what he doesnt get is that it will be just another LIE. Like all the other promises (lies) Iran has made (and broken) in the previous 4 decades.
Then again, maybe he could take a pastor or two for spiritual guidance….he has an abundunce of them
Hmmm. So instead of saying he will not meet without preconditions, Obama says instead he “will do the careful preparation necessary”. Has it not occurred to everybody that that is the same thing. Although he has “elaborated” on the initial modification of his position, he still hasn’t placed a precondition on Iran, he’s placed one on himself: he will do the “necessary preparation”. His second position is worse than the first. Brilliant, Obama. Neither I nor anybody else in the world had even considered such a novel idea: make preparation before you meet with a world leader! Simply brilliant. And just to think, up until now, conventional wisdom dictated that world leaders meet with no preparation. Simply brilliant.
LOL Underseige #31. I’m having my beers now. I’ll learn to understand them yet. I understand that the first thing I need to get rid of is Logic. Next is to refute truth and fight against all things good for America.
Now that I think about it, there’s not enough beer to make me think like that.
Shooters seem to work for Hillary.
What’s most interesting about Obama’s current Iran plan is that it’s virtually identical to the Bush plan of the past 7 years that Obama insists is wrong.
.
B. Hussein is such a completely obvious Quisling that it is amazing that anybody has the brass to pretend otherwise.
But much of the public is so completely ignorant of and oblivious to the history of the last 100 years, that he seems to be getting a pass on the basis of how many people he can fool.
Fool 1 and you’re a con man.
Fool 50 million and you’re a presidential candidate.
Wow, this is simple.
McCain — “OK, let’s take a trip together to Iran AND Iraq, along with Condi Rice (and one BOZO like Pelosi) if they’re up for it.
Let’s do everything thing dumber,
oBORGama in November!
Don’t know about the rest of you but that photo of Pelosi and Ferret Face gives me the creeps.
BHO is always saying that our current foreign policy isn’t working, so we should try something different. It makes perfect sense to me, if what is being done now isn’t working just go do something that is “absolutely and utterly stupid”. Don’t sit on the sidelines when you can screw it up totally.
Obama really believes that his “community organizing” experience will transfer to the foreign policy arena. The first time he hits up a third world despot for $500k to build a $200K playground or $1m for a “new church roof,” he’ll be laughed out of the room. Twit.
Received an email from hubby this morning stating that he also felt the troops would run to McCain while a small smattering would run to Obama. They’d be polite but like when John Kerry visited they wouldn’t knock themselves out to be seen with him.
I truly do worry about what will become of our nation if he’s elected. He’s worse than Carter, who at least ran a state (albiet into the ground) but this empty suit has done nothing but run for President since he landed on Capitol Hill. The few votes he has cast has given him the most liberal senator award.
Wonder what A-jad and Obama will have for lunch, arugula anyone?
Well you can bet they won’t be served by a gay waiter, no homosexuals in Iran.
In other words: what Bush has already done in conjunction with the UN.
Is it at all possible that Bush may have access to more information than Obambi? What happens if Nobama has to continue the current policy after he “assesses the situation?”
Does he become Bush III?
If Obama and Osama were both hiding in burkhas, would you be able to tell the difference?
Q: What’s stopping Obama from going to Iran now?
A: He wants to fulfill his pledge to visit every state in the union before he heads overseas. Fifty down, seven to go!
I am starting to disagree with Mr.Obama. At first it was him saying he would meet with these leaders. Now it turned into lower individuals in his administration, now it’s all up in the air. I have no idea what’s going on, but I recently came across my Pamphlet from the Obama Rally in Houston awhile ago, it says on it:
“Do the Texas Two Step”
(Vote and Caucus)
Then below it says:
“Our troops out of Iraq in 6 months.”
Now he is saying that isn’t so.
Well what is it, because I am quite confused on whats the truth going to be and what the truth as it is told now.
.. and don’t forget to bring along some cinnamon for the trip to North Korea to give the people a little variety in their diet; the ones surviving on tree bark that is.
B-Hussein - that sophomoronic, jihadist-hugging, racist, America-hating Dimocrat - just doesn’t want to be confused with the facts.
The Logan Act has been a dead letter since it was passed back in 1799. Only two people have ever been indicted under it, but none was ever tried.
Any claim to negotiate on behalf of the US could raise serious problems under the act, but simply going to “talk” or gather information isn’t enough to trigger a violation, else why isn’t Jimmah Carter in the slammer?
If Obama had any sense he would hop on Pelosi’s thanking of Iran for its goodwill in ending the fighting in Basra and Sadr City by pointing to the goodwill of Al Qaeda in Iraq for dying in record numbers and for its survivors’ retreating to the far peripheries of the country after being forced from their urban enclaves.
Such magnanimity of spirit needs to be recognized and rewarded, no?
Depending on the situation, I wouldn’t mind meeting the leaders of any country if it could prevent a war.
Of course, were I ever to meet with leaders of Cuba, Syria, Iran, N. Korea, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, I would have realistic expectations about the outcome.
Key Realization: Photo ops mean nothing.
It may be a necessary element to the Just War criterion to do this, but if it ’s done, it has to be done with intelligence, care and if he goes OBAMA will have to be the one in control.
And we can have pictures of the group hug on the cover of time so everybody knows that appeasement and submission work right?
And we have a really great comparison coming next week … exclusively for our time-life readers! Next week’s picture will be picture of the AQ photoshop of DC after a much-hoped for nuclear attack and the pictures after the real one AQ managed to pull off after our submission to all of their demands.
Remember to look for the new handbooks brought to you by Time-Life, about Sharia Law so you do not get in trouble with our new best friends. Act now and we will even include sheet music and all of the words to Kumbayah … (just remember not to say “My Lord” lest you once again, offend our peaceful new best friends and allies in the WoT)
Blech! I could really see that happening.
I will not submit, I will not surrender … even if our government already has. Man, I was still feeling good about the Spelling Bee til I read this.
Why in the world would Senator Obama play Senator McCain’s game on Senator McCain’s court? This situation reminds me a lot of the Muhammad Ali/Joe Frasier battle of many years ago. Ali’s “rope-a-dope” strategy appeared to many to be cowardly, yet he did win the fight.
McCain’s dare to Obama merely indicates a strategic defiency on McCain’s part.
I do hope McCain can do better in the time leading up to the actual election.
Ooops…I meant deficiency…Sorry, need more coffee…..
Actually, it reveals a leadership deficiency on the part of Obama. It shows that even though he despises the troops, he won’t put himself in harm’s way (even though it is considerably more safe than ever). It would show that he supports them and honors their service. He won’t do it. His published “solutions” are amateurish at best, reflecting a complete lack of practical experience for the job of president.
Well, let me restate that: when it becomes politically expedient (just like his church membership) he may be forced to go. But we will all know the truth.
Bush, Cheney, Condi, etc., etc., all went, when things were more dangerous than now. Heck, even that weasel Al Franken went, if I recall correctly.
Sure, he can refuse to “play the game,” but he will once again be revealed for what he is.
Getting a bit tedious, isn’t it?
It is looking more and more like this guy has been handed things all his life, and is the product of handlers rather than any sort of genuine product. As someone said above, he is starting to make Hillary look good. No wonder she won’t get out of the race!
Think he will accept Michael Yon’s offer or is that too political?