RoR: Forum

Obama's French Lesson

By Charles Krauthammer

WASHINGTON -- When France chides you for appeasement, you know you're scraping bottom. Just how low we've sunk was demonstrated by the Obama administration's satisfaction when Russia's president said of Iran, after meeting President Obama at the U.N., that "sanctions are seldom productive, but they are sometimes inevitable."

. . .

Don't take it from me. Take it from Sarkozy, who could not conceal his astonishment at Obama's naivete. On Sept. 24, Obama ostentatiously presided over the Security Council. With 14 heads of state (or government) at the table, with an American president at the chair for the first time ever, with every news camera in the world trained on the meeting, it would garner unprecedented worldwide attention.

Unknown to the world, Obama had in his pocket explosive revelations about an illegal uranium enrichment facility that the Iranians had been hiding near Qom. The French and the British were urging him to use this most dramatic of settings to stun the world with the revelation and to call for immediate action.

Obama refused. . . .

Why forgo the opportunity? Because Obama wanted the Security Council meeting to be about his own dream of a nuclear-free world. The president, reports The New York Times citing "White House officials," did not want to "dilute" his disarmament resolution "by diverting to Iran."

Diversion? It's the most serious security issue in the world. A diversion from what? From a worthless U.N. disarmament resolution?

Yes. And from Obama's star turn as planetary visionary: "The administration told the French," reports The Wall Street Journal, "that it didn't want to 'spoil the image of success' for Mr. Obama's debut at the U.N."

Image? Success? Sarkozy could hardly contain himself. At the council table, with Obama at the chair, he reminded Obama that "we live in a real world, not a virtual world."

He explained: "President Obama has even said, 'I dream of a world without (nuclear weapons).' Yet before our very eyes, two countries are currently doing the exact opposite."

. . .

Post 1

Friday, October 2, 2009 - 9:28am

Look at the bright side. We'll all have universal magical health care to cover the burns, radiation sickness, and flash blindness.

Post 2

Friday, October 2, 2009 - 9:37am

Heh, heh, heh...

Friday, October 2, 2009 - 10:50am

Sarkozy at UN:

"The people of the entire world are listening to what we're saying, to our promises, our commitments and our speeches, but we live in a real world, not a virtual world.

"We say: reductions must be made. And President Obama has even said, "I dream of a world without [nuclear weapons]." Yet before our very eyes, two countries are currently doing the exact opposite. Since 2005, Iran has violated five Security Council resolutions. Since 2005, Secretary-General, the international community has called on Iran to engage in dialogue. An offer of dialogue was made in 2005, an offer of dialogue was made in 2006, an offer of dialogue was made in 2007, an offer of dialogue was made in 2008, and another one was made in 2009. President Obama, I support the Americans' outstretched hand. But what did the international community gain from these offers of dialogue? Nothing. More enriched uranium, more centrifuges, and on top of that, a statement by Iranian leaders proposing to wipe a UN member state off the map.

"What are we doing? What conclusions are we drawing? There comes a time when facts are stubborn and decisions must be made. "

(Edited by Ted Keer on 10/02, 2:11pm)

Post 4

Friday, October 2, 2009 - 1:50pm

In the first year of BO's presidency Russia has advised us of the foolishness of moving too far toward socialism and France has basically advised us to buck up and stop appeasing. Amazing. Truly he can do what was thought to be impossible. I almost wonder if BO is pulling a "God-Emperor of Dune".
(Edited by Ryan Keith Roper on 10/02, 1:52pm)

(Edited by Ryan Keith Roper on 10/02, 7:31pm)

(Edited by Ryan Keith Roper on 10/02, 7:32pm)

Post 5

Wednesday, October 7, 2009 - 8:35am