George Will: Right-Wing Attacks On Obama's Iran Response "Foolish Criticism" (VIDEO)

George Will, asked to respond by George Stephanopoulos to Republican criticism of President Obama for not being forceful enough in injecting himself rhetorically into the controversy surrounding the Iranian election, said that "it seemed to me foolish criticism" (H/t Think Progress):

The president is being roundly criticized for insufficient, rhetorical support for what's going on over there. It seems to me foolish criticism. The people on the streets know full well what the American attitude toward the regime is. And they don't need that reinforced.

Watch Will on ABC's "This Week" below.

Read more from Think Progress.

Comments

[mjc]

01:08 PM on 06/23/2009

Don't think it can be totally accurate to say that the Iranian public "KNOWS" how this president and this country view the stolen election and the demonstrations in the streets of Tehran. It IS important for Iranians to feel that there is a lot of sympathy for the demonstrators. But just now Obama said that anyone criticizing his comments doesn't face what he would face and right now "we just don't know how it will play out". That is the quintessential Obama: pragmatic, but not particularly the sort of support a Iranian in the street would really crave. Then you have an idiot like Kristol calling for troops to be at the ready. Not exactly dramatic support.

[asemaany]

01:25 PM on 06/23/2009

Yes we know. And we thank President Obama for being silent. We have been hurt a lot in the past with a meddling tone from US officials and any sort of rhetoric will be used as ammunition to suffocate this internal movement. We need to win the hearts of "all" Iranians on the purity of our goal and US support will only make it hard to convince the more religious or less-informed part of the society to accompany us.
So thank you for being silent America. Rhetoric has no use here.

[WaynedKing]

11:41 AM on 06/23/2009

George Will has always been the "thinking person's conservative" and this commentary demonstrates why. However, for some of the neocons who have taken the position that Obama is not being forceful enough their rhetoric is far more insidious than merely "foolish", as this implies that they do not know what they are doing. I believe they know exactly what they are doing and, given the gravity of the danger to US interests inherent in their approach, it borders on sedition.

Paul Wolfewicz and his ilk are in large part responsible for the tar baby that is Iraq and now they seek to further entangle us in the quagmire of the Middle East.

There is always room for genuine disagreement on these matters, and President Obama has been criticized by those from both the left and the right, most of whom would fall into the "foolish comments" category. Not so the Neocons who once again would endanger the long term interests of the United States in order to advanced their own short term political objectives.

[pravdaddy]

10:57 AM on 06/23/2009

My thoughts and prayers go out to George Will and his family.

[Whitley2009]

09:25 AM on 06/23/2009

I rarely agree with George Will, however, he is right this time.

I would really like him to address the reasons why John McCain and Lindsey Graham feel so compelled to go the other way. Those two men are trying to entrap our President and our country for their own selfish reasons.

Oh, Well, it's still the Repubs versus the Repubs with the Repubs losing.

[siepmann]

02:37 AM on 06/24/2009

I think some of those reasons that McCain and Graham (and the other neocons) are pushing for Obama to inject the United States into the unfolding events in Iran can be found here:

http://www.alternet.org/world/140707/why_u.s._neocons_want_ahmadinejad_to_win/

and here:

http://www.alternet.org/world/140805/neocons_are_clueless_about_iran/

The mentality of the Reich wing absolutely requires enemies, and this particular enemy also sits on a pool of oil waiting to be looted. If McCain had won, he would have goaded Iran into unity behind the current regime, and the marchers would be chanting, "Marg bar USA!" as I've stated elsewhere. The marches in this scenario might have been through the streets of Tehran, or it might have been through the bombed ruins of Tehran, but a McCain administration dominated by neocons would have gone out of their way to have made an enemy of Iran.

Instead, all they can do is attempt to goad Obama into doing their dirty work for them and bring their boogyman back. Their hypocrisy never fails to astonish me if only because they keep finding ways to sink lower and lower.

[lloydc123]

05:46 AM on 06/23/2009

George Will is not the only influential "talking head" who is critical. Joe Scarborough said what some Republicans are doing, namely, McCain and Graham, is "stunning."

[rightfromwrong]

01:40 PM on 06/23/2009

it is stunning that they would be so stupid with the remarks they make. and mccain is a snake.

8 months ago he sung a song about bombing iran.

[Martin McCall]

12:28 AM on 06/23/2009

We should only help when asked to help otherwise we are just imposing our will as usual on people whom in one breath we call brothers in the fight for democracy,and in another enemies of America.

[Foreground]

02:53 AM on 06/23/2009

You severely underestimate the lung capacity of American rhetoric; we can say both of those statements in one breath, as well as something about socialism.

[Martin McCall]

12:23 AM on 06/23/2009

I understand that the opposition party should keep their eye on the Presidents policies and offer alternatives, but all I hear is criticism. I think we should help when we are ask to help and not before.Other wise we are doing what we usually do which is impose our will

[starboymikey]

12:15 AM on 06/23/2009

And just what would Republicans have Obama do? Who is he supposed to stand up to? What moral standing does this country retain in the world that we can complain about someone else's rigged elections? What moral standing do the Republicans have after stealing the 2000 presidential election and possibly the 2004 election as well?

I suggest the Republicans stick to what they do best: obstructing health care reform and pressing for more tax cuts for the wealthy. Go with your real strengths, GOP.

[JoeCrownOnTheRocks]

06:59 PM on 06/22/2009

Repubs just can't stand seeing someone take control of their country without their "help".

[cocolola]

06:46 PM on 06/22/2009

I applaude George Will. There is nothing for President Obama to do. The people of Iran have felt the power of protest and they will never be the same again. This may be the beginning of the end for this regime.

[kitkatborn]

06:24 PM on 06/22/2009

I am glad to see this happening. We need more people like George who are willing to buck the tide for what is right.

[grace14]

06:18 PM on 06/22/2009

George Will spoke the truth to fools..and truth hurts. Clean up our own house first before we go telling others to clean theirs...fools fools...finish last like all great empires that fell...greed all is greed

[akaJohnQ]

06:16 PM on 06/22/2009

So far, Obama has handled this situation as well as an American president can handle it. We should keep our distance, remembering that we will have to deal with whoever remains standing, whether we like him or not. American meddling in Iran's election could prove to be harmful to an already strained relationship between the two countries. This is a problem that the Iranian people must resolve for themselves. Did Iran have a right to meddle in the contested 2000 American presidential election? No! It was none of Iran's business. And Iran's elections are none of America's business.

[cutesky]

05:42 PM on 06/22/2009

George Will is so annoying...he needs to remove the stick from his a**.

[DeWayne]

06:14 PM on 06/22/2009

I believe Pres-Obama is wisely holding off, hoping Americans learn the truth about th Middle East.

Concerning the few wealthy-elite in Iran taking off 2-3 weeks to demonstrate, these are very likely the same our CIA gathered in 1953 to protest a good leader, allowing the CIA to overthrow the Iran-Gov and re-install a pawn called the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. These present elite are likely the same used by the CIA to later operate the "SAVAK Secret Police" whose purpose was to stop Iran citizens from voting this Shah-pawn out of Office again.

Iran Pres-Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running on 'Anti-Corruption and strong National-Defense' first won election in 2005 with 61% of the vote. Because of Bush/Olmert continued saber rattling (Nuclear Still on Table), the US initiated Embargo, US-Navy blockade of their Persian Gulf, and fresh memory of 1980's war when US "WMD, Poison-Gas" provided Saddam Hussein killing many thousands of Iranians, it was expected Pres-Ahmadinejad would be re-elected in year-2009 with same 60%+ of Iranian vote.

Can you imagine if these few wealthy-elite tied up traffic for 2-weeks on New York City streets-bridges yelling "My Way or No Way", talk about 19-hurt. How many Americans know that the US-Congress under the Bush allocated $400-million tax-dollars for a "Covert Overthrow of the Iran-Gov"?

[mothertheresa]

11:04 PM on 06/22/2009

Good post De Wayne, very informative and true. We have to wait and see who the Iran people want. Imagine other countries rushing into the US when we've had violent protests. Would completely muddy the waters.

[rightfromwrong]

01:54 PM on 06/23/2009

good post dwayne. i wish americans would put the tribalism aside and look at things objectively.

bottom line, three weeks ago america considered every one of those peolpe terrorists.

and one more thing. if ahmadinejad had lost and those were his supporters in the streets, would we call this election a fruad?

the propaganda must stop. we all know he was the winner, he would have won without these charges. and for america to try to tarnish their election is expected. that makes for a better story.

i dont care for iran or the US for that matter. but i do care for the truth. however hurtful it is.

it amazes me that the media never releases the scathing responses coming from these countries that silence all talk.

n. korea issued a scathing response that couldnt be refuted.
same with iran.

but we wont discuss that. we mentioned human rights, and their supreme leader mentoned waco.

these peole arent dumb. in the face of hypocrisy, your words lack merit when your actions say otherwise.

n.korea issued a statement saying there were 2,054 nuclear tests on this planet.
99.9% of those tests were conducted by the 5 permenant members of the UN security council.
they actually stated that considering that fact, any comment from the US is such a joke it didnt warrant further response.

that changes the tone of things dont you think? the arrogance displayed by the us is also a joke

[BabuS5]

06:15 PM on 06/22/2009

Hell follow after you do the same.

[Fernando]

05:38 PM on 06/22/2009

I love the irony of George Will accusing anybody (even the right wing) of "foolish criticism"... Classic!