Jim Sciutto: Obama on Iran – a Scolding and a Bone?
EmailABC's Senior Foreign Correspondent Jim Sciutto reports:
It struck me that even as he was blasting them, Obama still referred to Iran as the ‘Islamic Republic of Iran’.
When he used that phrase in his televised Iranian new year message earlier this year, it was a first and – by recognizing the Islamic leadership as the true government of Iran – was interpreted as a sign that the US was abandoning regime change.
It’s a small gesture amid the threat of harsher sanctions but, in some ways, may signal a wider commitment to staying the reengagement course for now.
And maybe that’s not surprising because, if the US has known about this plant for months, it means that all the offers to engage and all the kind words about ‘unclenched fists’ came knowing the Iranians were outright cheating again.
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Huuummmmm . . . .
Let me rephrase and try again.
Only a stodgy curmudgeon would think that diplomacy will work in dealing with Iran.
Posted by: Noz | September 25, 2009, 11:53 am 11:53 am
One more step towards WW III.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | September 25, 2009, 12:53 pm 12:53 pm
Iranian leadership by owning up to a second plant seem to be coming clean and ready to engage with the rest of the world.Amongst all the posturings,that the Iranian President has pledged to reach out to all honest hands may signal a change in mindset. The Iranians should be encouraged as they take one step at a time. Opening up their facilities for inspection should be the next step to take. nobody loses in this and Iran is better placed to divert the monet for building and maintaing a nuclear facility to regenerate its economy.There is no greater defence than a patriotic and healthy populace.
Posted by: Emeka K Duru | September 25, 2009, 2:22 pm 2:22 pm
Emeka, Iranian leadership didn’t “own up to” their second plant. They are being called out for having it in the first place and pretending they didn’t and lying about it saying they are doing nothing wrong. Had it not been for this, I might agree with you that there is the possibility they could be doing nothing more than trying to create clean power for their country. This, on the other hand, was a blatent lie to the world that they are not doing anything wrong. Even if the second site is also going to be used for nuke bombs, not being up front about its existence makes you wonder why they would feel the need to lie in the first place.
Posted by: CarpeDiem | September 25, 2009, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
Hmmmmmm… Iran fire short range missles capable of being Armed with Nuclear Weapons…… Iran is a Bare Face Liar and decieving the International community….. THEY ARE TERRORIST… PERIOD… Hell bet on the distruction of Isreal and the West….
However, Like some of our bleeding heart liberal Blogers here are suggesting…….. Gee….Give peace an chance and if the United States and the International community sits down to talk to Iran with Milk & Cookies…. Just Maybe, Iran will play nice with their G.I. Joes and disarm their Nuclear Arms Program…..
Posted by: Gregg | September 27, 2009, 4:31 pm 4:31 pm
Unless Russia and China flat out tells them to stop this game with Iran will go on and on and on!
Posted by: ginsengjohn | September 27, 2009, 11:05 pm 11:05 pm
Suspicion of threat to World security is a very serious concern; and, care must be adequately taken to identify and establish such wanting. Sanctions are a way of stopping them if found guilty, of importing spare parts for such weapons yet unseen (Sanctions are a health and safety problem for their citizen – example an old plane that crashed recently – for lack of new plane availability). It will be of everyone’s’ interest to settle the dispute softly and quickly taking into cognisance the influence and affluence of United Nations and the immediate super-powers involvement per se. No serious person is impressed by nuclear energy at this time per se – just like Africans are not very keen on solar energy as it is now. A quote like this is enough for a wise.
Posted by: EMANUWA | September 28, 2009, 8:38 am 8:38 am