The BBC reports on the reaction in Iran to President Obama's appeal. At first, listening to Obama, I wondered who could have a problem with that. But the response by Ayatollah Khamenei made a lot of sense.
"We have no experience with the new American government and the new American president. We will observe them and we will judge," said Ayatollah Khamenei in a speech carried live by Iranian television.
"If you change your attitude, we will change our attitude."
He said Iran was yet to see such a change.
"We cannot see any change," he said. "What is the change in your policy?
"Did you remove the sanctions? Did you stop supporting the Zionist regime? Tell us what you have changed. Change only in words is not enough."
Still, I feel the overture on the part of President Obama is a good one. Diplomacy and mutual respect are certainly powerful tools, but can they overcome the obstacles mentioned by the Ayatollah? Time will tell.
What's your opinion?
Can you really have respect for a regime that denies that millions of Jews were killed during WWII and executes it's GLBT subjects?
ReplyDeleteThey're going to play Obama for a chump.
Hey, Mike denies that defensive gun use happens in any measurable amount, despite overwhelming evidence. So why not?
ReplyDeleteAlso note how Mike is pro-gay, but also pro Iran who hangs gays just for being gay!
And then there's this Gem
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/03/19/iran.blogger.dead/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
where on earth do you get that mike is "pro-iran"? that's not what any of this is about.
ReplyDeleteIran's leaders DO NOT have "mutual respect" for us.
ReplyDelete"where on earth do you get that mike is "pro-iran"?
ReplyDeleteI didn't mean Mike was in support of Iran. I meant he was in support of the hanging of gays an oppression of women, and lying to support a wrong argument.
He doesn't support Iran, they're just a kindred spirit.
My basic philosophy when dealing with some country like Iran is pretty simple and short.
ReplyDelete'I would like to be respected but will settle for being feared'
yeah, bob, that was the Shah's philosophy too. look him up; he's why the Iranians don't respect us any longer.
ReplyDeleteWeer'd said, "I didn't mean Mike was in support of Iran. I meant he was in support of the hanging of gays an oppression of women, and lying to support a wrong argument.
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't support Iran, they're just a kindred spirit."
Now, I'm telling you, Weer'd, that's the last personal attack I'm going to accept from you. Keep it constructive, or your blocked out of here. I'll change my commenting policy and you'll lose your voice on my blog, which I'd hate to do because you bring a lot of good here too. But, I've had enough now.
Sorry Mike, but what I say is true.
ReplyDeleteYou lie to support the rights of guilty criminals, and to take means of protection away from the innocent. Your end result is the same that is accomplished in Iran on a daily basis.
Banning me won't make that any less true, nor make you feel any better about yourself.
BTW Mike, when you ban me (it's only a matter of time) don't bother lying about how you "changed your commenting policy"
ReplyDeleteYour posts and comments are just as bad, and Muddy and Micro aren't far behind.
You all should remain. The reason, you don't like what I have to say.