Posted on 06/16/2009 12:07:52 PM PDT by lewisglad
President Obama said Tuesday that it would be counterproductive for the United States “to be seen as meddling” in the disputed Iranian presidential election, dismissing criticism that he has failed to speak out forcefully enough against the growing unrest in Iran.
“I have deep concerns about the election,” Mr. Obama told reporters at the White House. “I think that the world has deep concerns about the election.”
But the president said any direct involvement by the United States would not be “productive, given the history of U.S.-Iranian relations.” He expressed optimism that the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had called for a review of the election, which on Monday resulted in the largest antigovernment demonstration since the 1979 revolution. Opposition protests continued Tuesday.
“I do believe that something has happened in Iran, where there is a questioning of the kinds of antagonistic postures toward the international community that have taken place in the past,” Mr. Obama said. “There are people who want to see greater openness and greater debate and want to see greater democracy.”
He added, “How that plays out over the next several days and several weeks – that is ultimately not something for the American people to decide.
The tempered response from the Obama administration drew criticism on Tuesday from Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, who said Mr. Obama had not spoken out strongly enough about the political dissent in Tehran.
“He should speak out that this is a corrupt, flawed sham of an election,” Mr. McCain said in an interview on NBC’s “Today.” “The Iranian people have been deprived of their rights. We support them in their struggle against a repressive, oppressive regime.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Harsh. Have you bothered to read Twitter....the only source from Iran?
1377. Iranian people dont want such a president and his group,we want freedom,international community must help us.they are killing our people,shame on them,shame on ahmadinejad,they cheated us in election,help people of my country,you must help us,where is UN ? ,we die ,we shout,we never give up ,but we need you sopurt and help Posted by maryam June 16, 09 11:46 AM
When your eyes are on the teleprompter are they watching the path you need to be walking??
Obami is seeing his future being played out in Iran. He is stunned to see that citizens can actually take matters into their own hands.
Being ‘deeply concerned’ was little Tommy Dashle’s trademark.
Iran is a powder keg.
With a fuse that seems to be lit.
Whatever is going on, is about to rend into very small and seemingly isolated pockets. Some of the provinces may even declare independence.
That and the fact that Obama stole the election for President of the United States in November 2008. The Iranian nut job just took a page out of Obama's own book.
The doofus doesn’t even see that taking terrorist Iran off the board is the greatest gift he could have.
YES....Iranians are fighting for FREEDOM.....take it away from US....and we’ll be in the same boat.
His script writers have decided it wasn’t good to let him adlib the first time.
And like with Letterman, they are hoping “Speech 2.0” will sound better.
“would not be productive, given the history of U.S.-Iranian relations”
The Obama doctrine; look back in history,,decades if need be. Then if the USA has ever made the *slightest* error regarding a nation, proclaim that we must sit quietly and say nothing.
F#@king loser of a president. He hates this nation and all it stands for.
Why do you seem to think the only two possible responses are moronic platitudes or an invasion?
There are a wide range of other possible responses which lie somewhere in between those two.
For instance, the suggestion in Post #7, above does not seem unreasonable.
Even making harsher, more critical, would be better than what our “Dear Leader” has done/said so far.
Correction: “Even making harsher, more critical, STATEMENTS would...”
weak.. almost limp.
no fire.. no sense of history
perhaps , gutless
Jimmah Cahtuh Redux Deja Vu
All we’re missing is a side show of a family.
Actually, what he said was more like uh,uh I have uh, concerns, but I uh wouldn’t want uh to be uh seen as uh meddling.
Oh please...
No one is talking seriously about an invasion.
We could smuggle or airdrop small arms, grenades into Iran.
The islamic regime had no problems smuggling weapons into Iraq or Afghanistan against us.
It’s a two way street, but one side doesn’t play.
We could also help them to with communications and getting information out of country.
I know already that the next thing you’ll whoop out is “we have meddled too much in Iran in the past.”
Any minute he’s going to move up to “outrage” and hang on because the strongly worded letters will be flying then, by golly.
You’re a failure Obama, step down NOW.
Hey, Hussein, you’ve no problem meddling with banks, Chrysler bond holders and the rights of the American people. But Iran’s election...whoa, can’t talk about that. C’mon pal, only YOUR voters are ignorant enough to buy that!
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