Iran: Obama's offer to talk shows US failure

[Psephos]

Source: The Nation (Pakistan)

TOKYO (AFP) - Iran is monitoring US foreign policy in countries such as Afghanistan to see if improved ties under President Barack Obama might be possible, its Foreign Minister told Japanese media.

Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran welcomed Obama’s emphasis on dialogue but added that his government would need more detail on US intentions abroad before reviewing Tehran’s relationship with Washington.

“Now we are studying what (are) the practical policies of the US, towards Afghanistan, for example,” Iranian FM Manouchehr Mottaki said in an interview with Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, aired on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Iranian government spokesman said on Saturday Obama’s offer to talk to Iran shows that America’s policy of “domination” has failed. “This request means Western ideology has become passive, that capitalist thought and the system of domination have failed,” Gholam Hossein Elham was quoted as saying by the Mehr news agency. “Negotiation is secondary, the main issue is that there is no way but for (the US) to change,” he added.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/International/01-Feb-2009/Obamas-offer-to-talk-shows-US-failure-Iran/

[BlooInBloo]

1. Iran: Full of shit.

[ConcernedCanuk]

9. Iran hasn't invaded anyone lately - have they? I heard that the USA did -

.
.
.

Isn't the USA currently bombing the shit out of their neighbors Iraq and Afghanistan -

and has been for over 6 years?

oh - and just a wee bit of Pakistan

I wunder why Iran don't like the USA

go figure . . .

[Sultana]

11. You think Iran cares for Iraq, Afghanistan or Pakistan?

*shakes head*

[Rosa Luxemburg]

14. don't worry about these small fries - worry about China

[Baby Snooks]

21. Oh, please...

If Ahmadenijad could convince the clerics to allow him to he would have bombed everyone a long time ago. Not just Israel. The clerics would prefer to just stone women and hang homosexuals and ignore the world.

We have had two maniacs in the world the past eight years. Unfortunately we didn't vote this one out of office along with Bush.

The problem with Iran is even if you got rid of Ahmadenijad you would still have the other lunatics to deal with. The clerics.

We deposed the Shah. And plunged Iran into the Dark Ages of Islam. For oil. Which we didn't get. Time will tell as to whether we have plunged Iraq into the Dark Ages of Islam as well. For oil. Which we probably, again, won't get.

The problem with Ahmadenijad is the number of Iranians who believe him to be the "12th Imam" who may allow him to establish a secular state based on fundamentalism at which point the clerics will no longer be the arbiter of Islamic law in Iran. Ahmadenijad will be.

At which point, well, the missiles will be launched. And if he has managed to produce the warheads from the enriched uranium, they will be nuclear missiles. That is not a fantasy of the Bushes. It is a reality that the Bushes brought to all of us. It was George HW Bush who along with his CIA deposed the Shah. Believing Khomeini offered a better deal on the oil. That we never got. Instead, we got Ahmadenijad.

[conturnedpro09]

25. In all fairness,

didn't the CIA deposed the Shah on President Carter's orders? :shrug: I could be somewhat mistaken.

[acmavm]

18. Oh! So we succeeded then? That's good to know.

[EFerrari]

27. This is spin that is trying to poison the well before Obama can even get to it.

The Iranians have been trying to engage Junior for years and all they got was put on the Axis of Eeevil.

[metapunditedgy]

2. Which talk shows is Obama making offers to, specifically? n/t

[aquart]

3. Nice spin.

Not untrue, either.

[hedgehog]

4. "America’s policy of “domination” has failed."

can't much argue with that. Isn't that why we elected Obama, to change the policy of world domination?

[conturnedpro09]

12. Actually, I thought the exact opposite was the reason we elected Obama...

...to REGAIN our status as the world's leader and "beacon of hope." :shrug: In other words, a superpower based on noble ideals goodwill to others, NOT "goodwill to a few/side with us on everything we do or get bombed or worse." I don't mind being the former-- in fact, we SHOULD be.

Oh, and it's obvious that Iran would love nothing more than to be as important to global affairs as we are. Their whack-job leadership speaks out of pure envy and raw jealousy. President Obama should make note of this. I think he sees them for all they really are.

[Lucky Luciano]

19. Spot on...spot on. nt

[Psephos]

26. Well said! n/t

[Mz Pip]

5. So what does A-mad think we should do?

Bomb the fuck out of them?

That'll show 'em whose dominate. If he prefers that to dialogue... Well be careful what you wish for.

[pacalo]

6. Their choice of words reminds me that the Iranians don't have much command of the English language.

I worked with two young Iranian men in the early 1970s. Both were well-educated & came from prominent homes (one's father was high up in his town's government, but I can't recall exactly what it was), but there still remained a huge language & culture difference. We had fun when they mixed up words & expressions, which was often.

One day as we were waiting to go home for the day, the phone rang & Jhoti (pronounced "Jody") answered it. It was one of the engineers' wife, who talked with Jhoti for a few moments. He came back with a huge smile on his face, obviously flushed in the face.

"That was Jimmy's wife," Jhoti said. "She said she was pleased to meet me," with Jhoti nervously running his hands through his hair as he blushed. He took this often-said American comment literally & he was stoked with pride.

"Jhoti, you need to go comb your hair," someone said.

Before it dawned on him that someone was messing with him, he went to look in the mirror in the hall, then meekly came back smiling.

The Iranian spokesman couldn't possibly know that he's playing into BushCo's hands when he uses the word "passive". The word "negotiation" certainly isn't a "domination", but it also isn't "passive". It's a proactive step toward peaceful solutions without force.

I hate this article.

[Indenturedebtor]

15. Or maybe he's just an asshole?

Everytime an Iranian says something inflamatory and/or controversial someone blames it on the person's command of English. Maybe he's just an asshole? :shrug:

[rosesaylavee]

17. I think you may have something there.

Let's hope so.

[ohio2007]

22. I disagree. As you know,the world of diplomacy has its own dictionary with precise, accepted

word translations. They spend days and weeks choosing their phrases. Diplomacy is a game wielding the pen to sharpen the tongue

Sorry, they can't be that illiterate to plead ignorance after stringing the IAEA along for?
How many years ?


jmo
when Barack said We will extend a hand if you "unclinch" your fist put the mad dinner jacket into a scientific tailspin.



Interesting article that qoutes posters from the DU

Come and get us: is Obama sending wrong message to Iran?
Mixed reaction to news US president has drafted a letter aimed at smoothing relations

snip
Many blogs have printed extracts of the Guardian article and links to it, allowing readers to make their own assessment. So far, there seems little enthusiasm. Even over at the liberal Huffington Post mega-blog, the bulk of the 170-plus comments harbour doubts about Obama's plan.

snip

It takes a visit to the Democratic Underground blog to find more consistent backing for the plan.
"We need friends around the world, no more enemies for us," one reader comments. Another says:

If true, which sounds like it is, this would be really great. This would really send a message to the rest of the world that our foreign policy actually CAN change when a new president is elected.




http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2009/jan/29/obama-iran-letter

on edit, this is one comment from the hyperlink posted at the above UK blog to DU
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3711964#3712133

[pacalo]

28. Great post! I hadn't seen that, so thanks for providing the info.

:hi:

[FrenchieCat]

7. They better be careful....cause they are about to get what the GOP just got

From Obama.

[bertman]

8. Expect more of the "badass" dialogue from the Iranian leadership. They cannot negotiate

ANYTHING with the American President without putting up a giant smokescreen of belligerence to make it look like they're in the catbird seat. Any other approach would make them look weak to their anti-American constituents and allies.

[Loudmxr]

10. With all the repugs on TV Obama's offer to the talk shows is a failure.

[conturnedpro09]

13. The land of Sharia Law and state-ordered homosexual hangings

is telling us that "there is no way but for (the US) to change"?! Yeah, right. Our "capitalist" way of life sure as hell ain't perfect, but compared to life in Iran? Please. There really is no comparison.

Let's face it. President Obama as the new face of the USA makes us look better than ever, and only amplifies the absolute wreck they call a governing authority over there. These people--Iran's leaders--are green with envy. That's all it is.

[lovuian]

16. Well from what I heard we had a Iranian supply ship

to hamas and Obama let it go

Seems like the US knows that with Afghanistan going sour and in so much debt that our days of BOMBING are over

[IsItJustMe]

20. Hell yes it has failed. Anyone want to tell me it has been a success.

[conturnedpro09]

24. "Our way of life" has failed? I don't think so.

Compared to a system of state-ordered female stonings and homosexual hangings, I'd say that it is our 100 x more attractive and civil way of life--topped with a stunning new president--that is leading Iran's wreck of a government to make these kind of statements.

Plus, BS nonsense like this from Iran only helps GOPers who will now loudly proclaim from every rooftop that, "See, direct talks with foreign tyrants DO make us look like weak pussies! We told ya so!! Blah, blah, etc., etc."

Progressives need to make the case that diplomacy makes us STRONGER than before, and sure as hell stronger (and smarter) than Iran. In fact, it's President Obama's (and America's for that matter) current cool confidence and resolve that is driving our enemies to say the crap they're saying. Let's face it-- Iran was completely used to the unhinged, whack-off hot headedness of our deranged former administration. America's new tone has caught them completely off guard. And it worries them.

Overall, I trust in Obama to prove their point otherwise. :patriot:

[ohio2007]

23. Pakistan ; Lahore PPP vice president shot dead ( it's 3 am somewhere )

LAHORE: PPP’s Lahore vice president Malik Shahid Imtiaz was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the Mughalpura police limits here on Saturday.

The police said Malik Imtiaz was coming from Gulberg in a car being driven by his cousin Malik Amir when two armed men on a motorcycle intercepted them near Singhpura at 1 pm. They fired only one shot at Malik Imtiaz, which hit him in the chest.

Malik Imtiaz was taken to the Shalimar Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.

snip


In separate messages to the bereaved family, they condemned the murder and directed the provincial authorities to investigate the matter and submit a report. They praised the services of the victim for the party and democracy.

snip

http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=20012

wonder what the investigation will turn up.