Obama putting watermelons under Iran's arms?

The Iranians have a saying for when people pay you empty compliments in order to get you to do something they want -- "putting watermelons under your arms".

So Obama praised Iranian civilization etc. etc. Very nice. Clinton did that too. So what? How can you one one hand proclaim that a country has a great civilization, and yet on the other hand demand that the same country give up her sovereign rights to have the full nuclear fuel cycle? Is that what great civilizations do, give up their rights in the face of threats and sanctions?

Comments

[Mike H]

I agree - there is a lack of foreign policy. The question is does Iran want democracy, and if so, what is the best way to implement it? An article in the Examiner.com discusses this point:

"How to spread democracy in Iran"
http://www.examiner.com/x-4454-Chicago-Nonpartisan-Examiner~y2009m3d23-How-to-spread-democracy-in-Iran

[homi]

http://www.worldisround.com/articles/98910/

[Arnold Evans]

I think Iran is in a position to win a debate about values, if Obama wants to introduce one.

Iran can and should explain its views to the people of the United States, and if it does so in a high profile way, it can bypass the US' usual foreign policy establishment.

I hope to see a message from Iran's president explaining the values or principles behind its refusal to recognize Israel - and it should add that the same principles led to a refusal to recognize Apartheid when the US was South Africa's main patron.

I hope Iran calls on Obama to explain how the parties Iran supports are called terrorists when the United States supports the Israeli army that has is terroristic by any reasonable definition of the term, not to mention the MEK and PKK on Iran's borders.

I hope Iran explains to the US people that while nuclear power is acknowledged, by a treaty the US signed and ratified, to be a right to be practiced "without discrimination", the US supported a fuel cycle under the Shah and does not today.

Some of these are questions the US never has to answer domestically partly because there is no official body pressing them. Not Abbas, not Egypt, not the Saudis.

I think Obama made a mistake by moving the dispute to one of values and Iran can and should press this mistake. It can make a noticeable difference in the US' ability to demonize the country and can put its harshest opponents onto the defensive.

[Sohrab]

My point Exactly.

How can this be a new beginning where President Obama has just signed another year of full sanctions against Iranian people? What is this community of nations is he talking about? if Israel/US are considered this community aren't we better off opting out?

Obama foreign policy or lack there of is troubling. A month ago he tries to smooth talk Putin a man with an IQ of 148 and fails miserably now he praises Iranians in one sentence in this speech and accuse us of terrorism in the next one?

Give me a break. I am very close to use the phrase smooth talking weasel but I am showing tremendous restraints here.

Thanks but no thanks Mr President.