« Muslim Plea To Obama: Return to 'Islamic roots' | Main | In Country With Our Troops In Afghanistan »
December 08, 2008
Obama Says "tough diplomacy with Iran "
Obama vows tough diplomacy with Iran
WASHINGTON (AFP)
US president-elect Barack Obama vowed "tough but direct diplomacy" with Iran, offering incentives along with the threat of tougher sanctions to disarm the Islamic republic's nuclear drive.
"We need to ratchet up tough but direct diplomacy with Iran," he said in an interview aired Sunday on NBC program "Meet the Press."
As president from January 20, Obama said he would make clear to Tehran that the nuclear program was "unacceptable," along with its support of militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, and its "threats against Israel."
Obama, whose offer of direct talks with Iran represents a break with three decades of US foreign policy, promised a "set of carrots and sticks in changing their calculus about how they want to operate."
Carrots would include economic incentives to the cash-strapped oil producer and greater access to the international trading system, he said.
Sticks comprised enlisting Iran's trading partners such as China, India and Russia "to agree that in order for us to change Iran's behavior, we may have to tighten up those (UN) sanctions."
"But we are willing to talk to them directly and give them a clear choice. And ultimately let them make a determination whether they want to do this the hard way or the easy way," Obama said.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak spoke on Saturday to Obama's incoming secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, and defense secretary, Robert Gates, asking them to cooperate in facing up to Iran.
The United States and Israel say Iran is bent on developing an atomic bomb. Tehran insists the program is solely for civilian energy purposes, and has continued to enrich uranium in defiance of UN Security Council sanctions.
UPDATE: LOL and no surprise!
Iran Rejects Obama's Carrot and Stick Policy
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran has rejected a suggestion by U.S. President-elect Barack Obama that a carrot and stick policy of economic incentives and additional sanctions might persuade the Iranian government to change its behavior.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Hasan Qashqavi, said Monday that Obama's proposed policy was unacceptable and had failed in the past.
Obama told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday that the international community should adopt a carrot and stick policy to alter Iran's behavior toward its nuclear program and support for militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. He also said the U.S. should increase direct diplomacy.
The U.S. accuses Iran of using its nuclear program as a cover for weapons development — a claim denied by Tehran.
Wild Thing's comment.........
Talk’s cheap, obi wa nobama!!
"Tough diplomacy"...isn’t that an oxymoron????
Oho my gawd, I know I have said this before during the campaign, but honestly this guy is soooo not ready for prime time.
Posted by Wild Thing at December 8, 2008 05:50 AM
Comments
Screw Iran and it's cash strapped economy. Let them starve until the people of Iran have had enough and overthrow this Islamist regime.
"Carrots would include economic incentives to the cash-strapped oil producer and greater access to the international trading system, he said."
Let's cut taxes at home and help the cash strapped economy here.
Posted by: Bob A at December 8, 2008 06:43 AM
You are so right Chrissie....."this guy is soooo not ready for prime time."
His "sticks" are lucky to be called "twigs"!!!! Oooooooo...I'm sure Iran is shaking in their boots now!!!!!
"But we are willing to talk to them directly and give them a clear choice. And ultimately let them make a determination whether they want to do this the hard way or the easy way," Isn't this exactly what Bush did to Iraq??? Time after time after time???? Huge difference between Bush and El Stupido is Bush acted!!!!
Obama reminds me of the idiot that keeps drawing lines in the sand and daring the enemy to cross them!!! He is such a loser!!!!!
Posted by: John at December 8, 2008 08:28 AM
"Ahhhhhh... What's up Doc? You know, this means war!"
- Buggs Me Bunny 2009!
-- PB Bunny Sondra Theodore Anytime, Anywhere!
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at December 8, 2008 08:29 AM
The way it's looking now, BHO's foreign policy is shaping up to be a disaster.
Posted by: Always On Watch at December 8, 2008 09:10 AM
Barry O'Vomit has a foreign policy?
hahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahahahaha
Posted by: cuchieddie at December 8, 2008 10:23 AM
This fool must have studied foreign policy under Bill Ayres. On March 31, 1968, LBJ told the nation he had unilaterally ordered the stop of its bombardment of North Vietnam if they would come to the peace table, an act Hanoi denounced , both privately and publicly, during the same speech LBJ announced, " I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President.", setting the stage for failure.
LBJ's weakness was telegraphed to the enemy, it is written in blood and in stone on "The Wall".
Capitulation was signed on Jan. 27, 1973, the last combat troops of the United States were pulled out of South Vietnam on 29 March 1973. 8,500 American civilians, embassy guards, and defense office soldiers remained in Saigon. The largest helicopter evacuation in history occured on 29 April 1975 when 7,000 Americans and South Vietnamese were evacuated from the US Embassy in Saigon. Saigon fell the following day to the North Vietnamese troops.
Now what has Obama learned about our enemies? Nothing!!! It took 5 years to bring the troops home from that war after LBJ and his administration pulled the rug from beneath the troops and another 2 years to bring back our embassy personnel.
We've been at war with Iran since the seizure of the American embassy in Tehran by Iranian students on Nov. 4, 1979. Obama seems to think that because he's a Communist that they'll listen to him.
The puppet masters in Saudi Arabia, Russia and China might think otherwise. Instability in Iran ensures radical Islam in the region and it secures the Saudis a steady income without strife in their homeland, it guarantees Russian influence in the region to keep the Euroweenies from intervening while both Russia and China profit from their arms sales to our enemies.
Meanwhile Iran and Russia are scrambling to get a nuke fired into Israel. LBJ couldn't buy the enemy off then anymore than this Dimocrat can now. It will take an action not unlike that on Iwo Jima or Hiroshima to control the ragheads.
"I'll tell you what war is all about, you've got to kill people, and when you've killed enough they stop fighting." Gen. Curtis LeMay
So zip on over there Barak, I want to see your head lopped off on a You Tube video.
Posted by: Jack at December 8, 2008 11:36 AM
Other than paying off Iran to be nice what incentives can we offer them. The Soviets and the Chinese are helping them. where does Barry get the idea we can out bid the two of them, and also support feeding the world.
Where are the 'fresh new ideas' in foreign policy, this is the same old liberal appeasement line Carter used and refined by Clinton.
Where's the change, Barry.
Posted by: Mark at December 8, 2008 11:40 AM
Iran isn't the South Side of Chicago Barry.
Obama and H. Clinton are going to be like Jimmy Carter and Warren Christopher all over again. Thanks to the unrealistic policies of Carter and Christopher, the Iranian islamic revolution was successful. Now the Iranians have another duo of lightweight dreamers to take advantage of.
Posted by: TomR at December 8, 2008 12:01 PM
Iran is shaking in it's boots. No one before has ever thought of or used "tough but direct diplomacy" on them before. Obama is brilliant beyond belief. Wouldn't it be funny if the first time that Obama meets with Ahmadinejad the Iranian leader asks to see the American President's birth certificate before talking to him?
Posted by: Les at December 8, 2008 02:31 PM
Bob A., I agree....."Let's cut taxes at home and help the cash strapped economy here."
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 8, 2008 07:13 PM
John, LOL yes I bet they are too.
"...I'm sure Iran is shaking in their boots now!!!!!"
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 8, 2008 07:16 PM
Darth, heh heh good one.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 8, 2008 07:18 PM
Always On Watch, it is and he is as well.haha
Obama the disaster can go jump in a lake.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 8, 2008 07:21 PM
cuchieddie, LOL yes he does. hahahahahhaa
Isn't it grand?
hahaha
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 8, 2008 07:23 PM
Jack, that is a perfect quote and that is exactly right too.
"I'll tell you what war is all about, you've got to kill people, and when you've killed enough they stop fighting." Gen. Curtis LeMay
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 8, 2008 07:24 PM
Mark, exactly. LOL Obama has no ideas, no change, he has nothing except his stupid horrible communist agenda.
When I see his photo on the colver of our newspaper I take a majic marker and cover him completely in ink. hahahha
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 8, 2008 07:28 PM
Tom, LOL good one......
"Iran isn't the South Side of Chicago Barry."
Barry the thug thinks he can deal with countries like he did in Chicagoland. hahahaha no way.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 8, 2008 07:29 PM
Hey Jack, if you hold him down I'll do the slicing. heh heh!
Posted by: cuchieddie at December 8, 2008 07:30 PM
Les, ROTFLMAO
Oh my gawd that is hilarious and yesssss gosh I would love it.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 8, 2008 07:32 PM
You all are wonderful.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 10, 2008 08:00 PM
