Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Robert Kagan - Obama's Conundrum: Shunning Iran's Opposition


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/16/AR2009061601753.html

Obama's policy now requires getting past the election controversies quickly so that he can soon begin negotiations with the reelected Ahmadinejad government. This will be difficult as long as opposition protests continue and the government appears to be either unsettled or too brutal to do business with. What Obama needs is a rapid return to peace and quiet in Iran, not continued ferment. His goal must be to deflate the opposition, not to encourage it. And that, by and large, is what he has been doing.

If you find all this disturbing, you should. The worst thing is that this approach will probably not prevent the Iranians from getting a nuclear weapon. But this is what "realism" is all about. It is what sent Brent Scowcroft to raise a champagne toast to China's leaders in the wake of Tiananmen Square.

Why is it that Democrats prefer to deal with bosses rather than support individual liberty?  It's as if "making the deal" is more important than freedom.

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