"The Iranian government must understand that the world is watching. We mourn each and every innocent life that is lost. We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people. The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights.
As I said in Cairo, suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. The Iranian people will ultimately judge the actions of their own government. If the Iranian government seeks the respect of the international community, it must respect the dignity of its own people and govern through consent, not coercion.
Martin Luther King once said - “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” I believe that. The international community believes that. And right now, we are bearing witness to the Iranian peoples’ belief in that truth, and we will continue to bear witness."
Talk about a weak-assed reply. Maybe Iran needs to be run by a fly for Obama to feel riled up about it. I know he's in a catch-22 situation but jeez, a few "strong words" wouldn't go astray. As bad as Bush was at least he wasn't afraid to call Iran how he saw it.
[original illustration by Matt Wuerker]
7 comments:
We elect our presidents to achieve useful results, not pleasing rhetoric.
Ahmadinejad is the main and immediate issue. His early departure would be just the first step in untying the knot in the Middle East. We must understand that Iranians want his ouster for reasons different than ours. (I am not especially hopeful.) With him gone, nuclear energy in Iran assumes a different profile.
The optimal official American position is on the sidelines. Our new president has started the rebuilding of United States' moral and political leadership after its demise during the Busheney years. But we have not yet restored that credibility. President Obama is a mature student of statesmanship who understands that his grasp should not exceed the reach of American foreign policy.
But as Americans, we do not and should not remain on the sidelines. We need to demonstrate our active vigil and witness, together with the rest of the world, on a people to people basis. The technology of the "social network" permits and encourages that now, more than ever before.
Obama's watching - so that's who was behind the curtains the other night.
Vigilante: Thanks for your comment! I wouldn't dream of suggesting that America should start a war with Iran, it has enough on it's plate as is. And I don't see the troubles there as being as simple as black and white. I see a lot of radical "opportunists" jumping on the bandwagon over this election fiasco. I just think Obama's responce was a bit crap tbh. "We elect our presidents to achieve useful results, not pleasing rhetoric." Pleasing rhetoric is one of the reasons Obama got elected, he was championed as the great orator of the 21st Century.
The Shape: No that was me. I'll be around on Wednesday to clean the stain off the curtains... I think I left a "map of Italy" shape on one... or was it a "cowboy boot"...
Oh and Gamma...your cowboy boot tastes funny.
America has a history of great orators...that's why some (and I agree with Gamma) including Obama get into office. I can't think of another country that has more famous quotes from politicians. Even Bush who could barely speak was judged on his oratory skills. It's one of the key things about being a politician in America - how you speak, whether it is good or bad.
Y'all.
I was watching too, for a while. Ahmadinejad is one bad apple. He never helps with the tasks and often makes snide remarks behind other housemates' backs.
He was woeful in the 'how many grapefruits can you balance on your head' challenge on Day 2.
bigmentaldisease: He can't be as bad as Jade Goodey though. Jesus Christ, no one can be as bad as her!
The Shape: Don't forget Churchill in Britain. He saved Britain in WW2 with words alone: " We will fight them on the beaches. We will fight them on the toilet; on the mantelpiece; over the rainbow; in your mother...". Complete pig of a man otherwise. Cowboy boot tastes like a horse panini.
Did you ever notice how much Ahmadinejad looks like Roy Keane? 7 out of 9 Muslims can't tell the difference. Yeah I know it's an old one, but I noticed before anyone else.
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