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Iran and Obama

 
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dmbfan



Joined: 09 Mar 2006

PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:01 am    Post subject: Iran and Obama Reply with quote

So, if we are NICE to these people they still won't want to try and settle things?

Imagine that.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,510059,00.html

Quote:
President Obama intends to press ahead with efforts to open a dialogue with Iran despite an apparent setback yesterday when Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country�s supreme religious leader, dismissed U.S. overtures as a �slogan� offering no real change.

Obama and his aides had already been considering a direct approach to Khamenei as a possible follow-up to the president's unprecedented video address to the Iranian people, released on Friday.

Khamenei�s initial response was not encouraging, but U.S. officials and European diplomats noted that the Iranian leader did not rule out a future breakthrough. A familiar chant of �Death to America� echoed around a religious shrine in the northeastern city of Mashhad as Khamenei complained that Obama had �insulted the Islamic republic of Iran from the first day."

He added: �If you are right that change has come, where is that change? Make it clear for us what has changed.�

His remarks came as a nuclear powered U.S. submarine � the USS Hartford � collided at sea with an amphibious vessel, the USS New Orleans, off the Straits of Hormuz. Fifteen sailors were injured, but the submarine�s atomic propulsion system was undamaged.

The Iranian leader's comments followed a striking attempt by Obama to break the deadlock with the country. The president marked the beginning of the Persian new year with conciliatory remarks intended to establish a new commitment to diplomacy after years of bellicose exchanges between Tehran and the administration of former President George W. Bush.

In the video � subtitled in Farsi � Obama pledged to pursue �constructive ties." The president noted that the process would �not be advanced by threats," and referred to Iran as an �Islamic republic," signalling his readiness to deal with the current religious leadership.
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mithridates



Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency

PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's a strategy to trip up hardliners for the upcoming June election, giving them as little to run on as possible.

http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSTRE52J6F320090320

Quote:
Over time, Obama's strategy may pay dividends by forcing hard-liners in Iran "to justify their often gratuitous enmity toward the U.S.," Sadjadpour said.


Ahmadinejad got elected in 2005 by being able to show that the reformers were getting nowhere with the US and the rest of the world and that the country needed a strong person to be in power. You'll notice that he and Khamenei can't stop talking about Bush even after he's gone.

IOW, wait until June 12th and then we'll know whether this outreach has been successful.
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dmbfan



Joined: 09 Mar 2006

PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
It's a strategy to trip up hardliners for the upcoming June election, giving them as little to run on as possible.

http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSTRE52J6F320090320

Quote:
Over time, Obama's strategy may pay dividends by forcing hard-liners in Iran "to justify their often gratuitous enmity toward the U.S.," Sadjadpour said.



Ahmadinejad got elected in 2005 by being able to show that the reformers were getting nowhere with the US and the rest of the world and that the country needed a strong person to be in power. You'll notice that he and Khamenei can't stop talking about Bush even after he's gone.

IOW, wait until June 12th and then we'll know whether this outreach has been successful.



OK...Good stuff. I"ll check it out.

Thanks for the link!

dmbfan
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NAVFC



Joined: 10 May 2006

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mithridates wrote:
It's a strategy to trip up hardliners for the upcoming June election, giving them as little to run on as possible.

http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSTRE52J6F320090320

Quote:
Over time, Obama's strategy may pay dividends by forcing hard-liners in Iran "to justify their often gratuitous enmity toward the U.S.," Sadjadpour said.


Ahmadinejad got elected in 2005 by being able to show that the reformers were getting nowhere with the US and the rest of the world and that the country needed a strong person to be in power. You'll notice that he and Khamenei can't stop talking about Bush even after he's gone.

IOW, wait until June 12th and then we'll know whether this outreach has been successful.


No what got Amahdinejad elected was promising to improve Irans economy, which he failed to do drasticly.. even during the period of time when gas prices were the highest in history, he still didnt make a dent in Irans economy, and angered alot of Iranians who saw him as needlessly provoking the US with the nuclear saber rattling.


If after June 12, the hardliners still have power in Iran itll essentially be a countdown to D-Day.. D as in Decision, when the US/Israel/regional nations concered will have to decide just how much they want to impede Irans nuclear efforts, and whether military action would be suitable to do so.
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mithridates



Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

NAVFC wrote:
mithridates wrote:
It's a strategy to trip up hardliners for the upcoming June election, giving them as little to run on as possible.

http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSTRE52J6F320090320

Quote:
Over time, Obama's strategy may pay dividends by forcing hard-liners in Iran "to justify their often gratuitous enmity toward the U.S.," Sadjadpour said.


Ahmadinejad got elected in 2005 by being able to show that the reformers were getting nowhere with the US and the rest of the world and that the country needed a strong person to be in power. You'll notice that he and Khamenei can't stop talking about Bush even after he's gone.

IOW, wait until June 12th and then we'll know whether this outreach has been successful.


No what got Amahdinejad elected was promising to improve Irans economy


That's always part of it (nobody gets elected by promising to ruin the economy), but foreign relations also played a big part.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2002341681_iranbush20.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/middle_east/4108452.stm

It might seem weird that Iran would cut off their nose to spite their face in that way, but then again that's what brought their current government into power in the first place so they're certainly capable of that.
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