Congressional Attempts to Undermine People of Iran, Obama Continue Unabated

Today, Mahmoud Ahmadinajad emerged after nearly a week of virtual silence with the following blustery and propagandist statement:

In a speech in the port town of Assaluyeh he said: "Do you want to speak [with Iran] with this tone? If that is your stance then what is left to talk about? I hope you avoid interfering in Iran's affairs and express your regret in a way that the Iranian nation is informed of it.

While Ahmadinejad is clearly absurdly twisting Obama's words to serve his own political and repressive objectives, his statement can be viewed as actually justifiable. Not in terms of action or rhetoric coming from the administration, though, which has been broadly and in a bipartisan fashion praised by Iran experts, members of Congress from both parties, former Secretaries of State and National Security Advisers as well as conservative commentators, Peggy Noonan, Pat Buchanan, and George Will, but in terms of Congress, which remains for the most part largely myopic and oppositional to the administration in its approach to Iran. It's almost as if they are continually and proactively playing right into Ahmadinejad's hands:

A Republican effort on Tuesday to cut off U.S. loans to some companies doing business with Iran will bring Congress deeper into the fray over the U.S. response to the Iranian elections.

The amendment to the draft fiscal 2010 State and foreign operations appropriations bill will give members their first chance to vote on binding Iran policy since that country's presidential election June 12.

Rep. Mark Steven Kirk , R-Ill., said the amendment was aimed at Reliance Industries, a large energy company based in India that reportedly has provided Iran with as much as a third of its refined petroleum. He will offer the measure when the House Appropriations Committee takes up the draft bill on Tuesday.

Well, the amendment passed in committee and now is attached to the must pass foreign operations appropriations bill. It's just shocking to me that the committee would allow through such a dangerous amendment. It both undermines President Obama's methodical approach to the situation in Iran and goes far in actually confirming the propaganda coming from Ahmadinejad and the oppressive regime that the U.S. was actively interfering in Iranian affairs and undermining the Iranian people. And this makes the legislation, and rhetoric coming from Kirk, even more insidious:

[Kirk] offered another reason to back his plan: "Our amendment is a go because AIPAC supports it," he said, referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a leading pro-Israel lobby.

So, we have the U.S. Congress, in collusion with AIPAC, passing legislation to cut-off oil supplies to Iran during a major political crisis. This is red meat for Ahmadinejad and the Khameini regime. How can members of congress not see this as anything but a dangerous abrogation of their duties as elected officials, playing right into the hands of the very regime they are despising with rhetoric yet uplifting with legislation? They are not only stifling Obama's ability to steer a properly diligent foreign policy course here, but also going far in actually harming the Iranian people's attempts at reform and change. It's truly baffling and I hope for the sake of America's strategic positioning and the Iranian people that this is stripped from the final bill when it comes to a vote. But the damage may have already been done, as AIPAC's former top Iran analyst acknowledges:

Keith Weissman, AIPAC's former top Iran analyst, strenuously disagreed with such initiatives, at least FOR right now. "The best policy now is, 'Do no harm,'" he said.

Neither sanctions nor diplomatic engagement has meaning now, since the country is in internal turmoil, Weissman explained: "What AIPAC is doing here is hurting the very people the U.S. and the rest of world would like to assist in Iran. Any kind of message like this just proves what the bad guys in Iran have been saying to their people for years. It makes it easier for them to hurt the people Obama is trying to help.

"I hope that when American Jews and the organized community look at it, they will say: 'Hold on a minute. Let's wait and see what happens.'"

American Jews might agree with that lat sentiment, but it's clear there is a concerted effort from the organized community and some members of congress to do not what's right for America and the Iranian people, but what's right for their own, narrow self interests. And sadly, in the end it's the people of Iran who will suffer the most.

Comments

[grammy11]

McCain made a statement on one of the TV shows that Congress and the Administration are equal partners. Guess what McCain... only the President has veto powers .

[Deparis]

More and more we are seeing the hands behind Iran's post-election protests. I hope the sheep in this country will smell the coffee and wise up.

[Roozbeh]

I praise your comments about characteristics of A. politics. He is playing now, in regards to the US, the fox game. When a fox feels fatal danger he pretends to be dead. He is in disadvantage now and is trying to buy the regime enough time to purge all dissent. The most frightening scenario for the regime would be a talk of cutting off benzine exports to Iran and, in general, talk of sanctions. He would then be trapped by angry Iranians (in the case of Benzine shortage) which would lead to a major shakeup on the heels of the recent protests, to force the regime to make concessions to its people. But for this to happen the US must accept to go its way in the Middle East without Islamic Iran's help. But that should not be a big obstacle. Historically any major upheaval in Iran lasts around a year and at the end of it something good comes out (Islamists stole the revolution for democracy on 1979). If and when Iranians rise up there is no way to end it without major changes. So,, it would be prudent for the US to raise the heat. The regime in Iran is in disadvantage now. They are trying everything to turn it around. Therefor there is not much time left.

[noaxe397]

So we want to pass a bill against a company that supplies Iran with 1/3 of its oil. Good thing they've got those nuclear reactors, you betcha.

I've been saying since January 20 that there is colusion between foreign forces that want to harm Americans and the Republican Party. A few weeks ago Ed Schultz said he thought Cheney wanted there to be an attack on America so he could say "I told you so." He was roundly condemned for the remark, but did not back down.

Leon Panetta, when he said something similar about Cheney did back down. Cheney said something like "I hope my old friend Leon simply misspoke."

Question: Has Cheney ever directly refuted the claim he wants to see America attacked? I've not heard him say this. I have not heard Cheney say he DOESN'T want America attacked.

What is one to think of this?

BTW, it was Cheney and Rumsfeld, when they were in the Ford administration, who pushed for Iran, then our ally, to build nuclear power plants so that they would not be as depended on oil given the geopolitical nature of oil in the 1970s.

Republicans use muslim nations the way an abuser uses their spouse. One minute lovey-dovey, then when things don't go well start the fighting.

[AnimalLover6]

So who are the Democrats who support this bill?

[AbrahamSadegh]

Let's see!

The Republicans want the President to fail and making it harder for him to deal with Iran is one manifestation of that.

Israel would rather have the likes of the present regime in my native land of Iran in power rather than a liberal and democratic regime Iranians have been yearning for for decades. An aggressive Iran distracts the world including the United States from the Palestinian issues and helps the likes of Netanyahu to stay in power and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee as influential as ever in affecting our foreign policy in the Middle East to the detriment of our nation’s long-term interest.

By the way, economic sanctions against dictatorial regimes only impact the ordinary people who are already suffering under such regimes. How can economic sanctions affect the government of Iran, for example, since it has all the nation’s natural resources at its disposal?

Also someone needs to remind our Republican law makers that our government is in red in terms of human rights as the result of the vast gap that exists between what we say and what we do as reflected by the policies and actions of the previous administration.

[pissedmichael]

They are not myopic. This is just the latest folly of the Republicans and others. They have only one purpose in all of this: To take whatever position opposite that of the administra­tion--it's a toss of the dice, hoping for the opportunity to say I told you so. They simply don't give a good damn that this approach will only hurt the U.S. It's an approach as old as politics and politicians--never, ever be perceived as being in agreement with your opposite number, otherwise you have no reason to exist. Exactly.

[pomegrante]

unreal.

[ScreenName05]

So, are they going to cut off business with AT&T, AIG, and CitiGroup? The Republicans better take a close look at who they are going to hurt and the exceptions they have created for the last 30 years for their friends before they blow off at the mouth any more.

[LMPE]

Another day in politics. It's as American as a politician talking about family values and then disappearing for a week so that he can have an affair.

[KaPi]

It's amazing that so many of America's elected officials work against this country's best interest. Either they are too ignorant, corrupt, or narrow-minded to be in office.

[khepri]

If American voters weren't such morons, these fools would not be in office, and their policies would be a thing of the past. There's democracy for you.

[BiBiJan]

Take a look in the mirror. Listen to yourself describe the president of iran. 85% voted in that election. When you say Iranian people, who exactly do you mean? The folks Joe Biden incited into riots by "doubtin" the election results? An election was won. Despite lack of evidence (and Mr Naiman has offered $10,000 to anyone with evidence) MSM kept on to their "rogue" narrative. As far as you are concerned everything Iran says is a lie, an exaggeration, a ruse, etc.

When Ahmadinejad points out the bleeding obvious -- the pointlessness of talking to people who demonize you such, predictably you call it "absurdly twisting", "bluster".

Come up with something new, will ya?
http://www.bibijon.org/iranimage/articles/Iran-election.htm

[cruzy]

I don't agree with the antagonistic approach taken by certain members of Congress, but let's not kid ourselves.

Whether or not there was fraud in the election, this much is true: Iran is neither a democracy, nor a representative republic. President Ahmadeinejad is directly answerable to the unelected Ayatollah and his religious cabal which determines the supreme law of Iran and has maintained an iron grip on the country for the past 30 years. Also, I don't think it is unreasonable to say that the election results were unusual and highly surprising at best; therefore, it is not out of line to ask for a full accounting of the results. As for the protestors, regardless of who you think "incited" them (and really, sugar, you attribute far too much influence and charisma to dopey Joe Biden) you must agree that none of them deserve to be murdered by military snipers as has been done.

As for Mr. Ahmadinejad, he is right about one thing: It is pointless for him to try to talk to his critics. They don't want to talk to him, they never will, and I don't blame them.

[BiBiJan]

Ieft the reply above. Sorry hon.

[mendelcrosses]

Neither is America a democracy,else how come W Bush became President? Did he win the 2000 election?

Also America is not representative republic,else how come 76% of the population are for health care reform with public option and yet,they are being told that wont happen.

[Roozbeh]

@BiBiJan ----- Here are some lines form your holy book:
SURAH 002.010: AL-BAQARA (THE COW) ----- In their hearts is a disease, and Allah increaseth their disease. A painful doom is theirs because they lie.
SURAH 002.011: ----- And when it is said unto them: Make not mischief in the earth, they say: We are peacemakers only.
SURAH 002.013: ----- And when it is said unto them: believe as the people believe, they say: shall we believe as the foolish believe? are not they indeed the foolish? But they know not.

[juanjorhe]

These people disgust me. They care about nothing and no one except their own egos and scoring what they think are political points.