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GOP Uses Iran Resolution to Slam Obama, Undermine Iranian People
Dave Weigel has a good round-up of the debate that just transpired on the House floor over Iran. No one should be surprised that while the language of the resolution is fairly innocuous, the GOP is going to use it as a wedge against the Administration, and utilize the optics that the House acted on behalf of the Iranian people while Obama remains silent as a calculated strategy to hammer the president's approach towards Iran, which has been supported by Henry Kissinger, Pat Buchanan, Nick Burns, and Dick Lugar, amongst other. Just look at the statements Republicans just made on the floor (from Weigel):
Eric Cantor: "America's moral responsibility to speak out on the protection of human rights wherever they are violated...I urge President Obama to follow the lead of this House."
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher: Silence would be a "betrayal of our fundamental principles" and a show of "weakness," and reminded the House that he had been a speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan.Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart: "The president of the United States has been silent and confused."
And Mike Pence's statement introducing the resolution far exceeded the rhetoric in the resolution itself:
"For days hundreds of thousands of dissidents have taken to the streets of Iran in support of freedom and democracy. The American cause is freedom and in that cause the American people will not be silent.
It's clear that on its merits, the resolution itself is not necessarily bad (and indeed the Administration appears to have a hand in its crafting), and is not completely opposed by members of the Iranian human rights community. But that's in a vacuum. This is American politics and the GOP's political calculation is very shrewd and very insidious. This resolution will give the Republican party cover to slam Obama's "inaction" on behalf of the Iranian people, and sets them up for a weekend of messaging along these lines, including on the Sunday shows. And in the end, while from the domestic political angle this might score points for the GOP at a very superficial and visceral level (especially in the media), the biggest impact is it will provide another talking point for Khameini and Ahmadinejad to accuse America of meddling in Iranian affairs. In fact, Khameini already attacked the West today on those lines:
"The enemies [of Iran] are targeting the Islamic establishment's legitimacy by questioning the election and its authenticity before and after [the vote]."
Through this resolution and subsequent Republican statements which far exceed the moderate tone of the resolution's text itself, the GOP provides Khameini, the Iranian state media, and Ahmadinejad with talking points confirming the regime's assertions of American interference as well as providing the appearance of an American government divided. Such political posturing might help the Republican's cause of demonizing the Administration and decrying weakness of its foreign policy. But in the end, the resolution itself is merely a vehicle for subsequent statements, releases and press conferences. This is where the dangerous rhetoric will emanate from which will only add fuel to the fire for those in Iran who seek to suppress the protesters and quell the march of freedom that continues to build in the streets of Tehran and elsewhere.
While they display the veneer of being on the side of the Iranian people, in the end Cantor, Pence, Rohrabacher and others today confirmed themselves as the leading speechwriters and providers of talking points for Iran's oppressive regime. It's too bad they put partisan American politics above actually supporting the people of Iran.
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This is the one time the Dems should have been the "Party of NO"...!!
What is wrong with the Dems in congress? They went along with this Republican holier than thou sham without a fight. What a bunch of wimps...
Can't they see through these political games?
Congressional resolutions of support to Iranian protesters is like praise of mom and apple pie - great for back home voter consumption - but alas doesn't help. I'm not a fan of Ron Paul libertarianism - but I think this time he was correct. The younger Iranians know who their friends are. Older Iranians don't need any official resolutions that suggest the US is once again meddling in their affairs.
For those who can't understand the fuss about yesterday's congressional resolution on Iran, please stop a minute and imagine the reactions in Isreal, China or Ireland to resolutions, expressing concern on the treatment their citizens, issued by the German, Japanese or British parliments. Regardless of the intent of those governments, a vociferous segment in Isreal, China and Ireland would immediately have a strong negative reaction because of the historical connection with the people making the resolution.
Iran has such a relationship with the United States. They see us thru the prism of the 1953 coup that overthrew their government and and installed the hated Shah. They lived thru a 26 year reign of terror that maintained the Shah in power. They also remember the brutal war with Iraq, sponsored by the U. S., which included a horrific chemical warfare component.
Some of us, evincing a group narcissistic personality disorder, can perpetrate the most horrific deeds (during our collective rage), then surface years later as if nothing ever happened. In fact, we argue, we were actually trying to help the people we victimized. It was they who screwed things by not accepting our good offices to help with their problems. We further claim, it is they who are irrational for clinging to old grievances rather then letting go of the past (which we don't agree even happened) and working with us now.
Hypothetical Time: What if it doesn't matter what the US does because the Ayatollahs do what the Ayatollahs do? Then, what is the best course of action for the US - hardline or softline - Bush or Obama?
The Ayatollahs will do whatever advances their cause - but it might work better if they were unable to exploit western cheerleading of the opposition and link it to previous meddling in Iran. They got in back in 1979 because the WEST had installed the repressive Shah overthrowing the very popular Mossedegh in 1953, and Khomani was the leader of the resistance in exile. The US also encouraged and supported Saddam Hussein - in the war of agression against Iran back in the 1980's. There are lots of older Iramians who unfortunately have no reason to trust the Great Satan. The mullahs as dictators tend to do will attempt to link opposition to their odious regime with a foreign threat hoping to reclaim waning support. Let's not give them anything they can use to stay in power.
I don't really get this post either. Isn't this what politicians do as a matter of course? Paying lip service to a moral cause without benefit of actually doing something? Sometimes our legislature just embarrasses me. You would think that they, like any normal person, would not be so anxious to expose their impotence publicly. The President is obviously trying to take a sane approach to helping the Iranian people, while our legislature keeps injecting a separate approach with the insane routes of the past: 'We are a great nation, therefore it is imperative that we be involved directly. For good or ill.' Frankly, I am tired of being embarrassed for my country. I know now how the Iranians and other nations feel when we judge them based on the actions and rhetoric of their leaders and politicians. Ours seem to be engaged in an endless pissing contest with no point and no idea how to how to cut it off. I want to say to them: 'Here's the knife, cut it off and get on with the real business of the world.'
I think I need another cup of coffee.......because i don't get this post. the way everyone is ranting about a vote in the democrat controlled house, that was 405-1...and some how this is a republican resolution?? The republicans in congress are a tiny minority.... the democrats control what is brought up for a vote.
you're right it was a landslide vote but it was the repubs who made all the sarcastic, demeaning remarks about the prez........which I assume they wanted us to think was because they were so intelligently righteous.
Either the GOP is so stupid that they don't realize they are giving Ahmadinijad a hammer with which to flatten the Iranian people, or they are so craven that they don't care - as long as they can use the issue to try to make themselves seem important. Either way, they need to shut up.
That's exactly what they want Ahmadnijad to do. That's why the Republicans and some Democrats / Independents are called NEOCONS.
Just think back to Michael Moore's "Feirenheit 9/11" movied. They have wanted to have a war with Iraq for a long, long time.
They love war - just as long as THEY don't have to do the fighting.
The GOP is so pro Democratic elections and yet Minnesota still only has one Senator because they are obstructing the results of Novembers election.
How hypocritical.
Oh please give the Iranians a chance! Let them ride the course..the road to Democracy. The GOP are so quick to jump the gun. Why is it that the U.S (govmnt mostly theGOP) have to put their fingures or meddle in other nation's business. The Middle East have not forgotten the arrogance and agressiveness of the U.S towards them. Look at Iraq....
Obama is doing a great job towards the Iranians He's very methodical. The Iranians arn't stupid to be assured that the US is behind them. They got IT..from the speech in CAIRO!
Wise PRESIDENT OBAMA!
Good point tying this back to the Cairo speech.
They need their boogey man Amhadenajad, to keep the axis of evil narrative... Iranians dont want meddling, they want leadership by example. Like not invading other countries
Give me a break Adam; the bill that just passed was ridiculously dangerous for U.S. foreign policy. Why is it so hard to understand what Republicans want. They want to invade Iran, stop the nuclear program and control another country's oil, again....... This is about as irrisponsible as Bush/Cheney after 9/11. Can America not stop from 'nosing' in on other's independance and watch long enough to see what happens? How stupid, how wrecklessly stupid again.
Foreign Policy obviously is not the Repub's forte, look at the dismal past with 1000's dead. When will they ever learn. All of these idiots have not fought or enrolled in a war. McCain was a disaster from start to finish, last year also with Georgia. Can I ask why Darfur, Somalia, Kenya and many other nations are not given the same 'respect' as Iran. That's right. They don''t have the balls for those countries just the middle east where the oil happens to be, government contracts hopefully. They don't care about peace, this is a political propoganda tour for them.
Thank you and well put. This whole episode has had me seeing red all day. I ranted about it with my work colleagues during our weekly roundtable discussion.
Great Post!!!!
How about the Bush election of 2000 that they stole ?!!! The GOP obviously didn't support or respect American freedom of their own citizens and now they cry out to support Iranians in their freedom? May I ask the GOP 9 years after a disasterous and fraudelent presidency... "Where's my vote?!" GOP=Hypocrisy.
Where was all the speaking out against repressive regimes when General Pinochet was murdering democracy in Chile?
Oh, wait, I forgot, he was a Christian murderous dictator. They like those.
Exactly...and who was the murderous christian dictator in Guatemala during the Reagan years, wasn't it Rios Mont?
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher: ''Silence would be a "betrayal of our fundamental principles" and a show of "weakness," and reminded the House that he had been a speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan.''
Is this the same silence that the Republicans wallowed in while Bush and Cheney were ripping our rights and our Constitution to shreds? Why are the neocons now so concerned about a ''betrayal of our fundamental principles'' and ''weakness'' while they stood by and let those war criminals lie us into a needless war? This begs the question: Is there nothing that these desperados won't stoop to in order to undermine the president? That's what this is all about. The people, for the most part, of this great nation are not stupid. I smell political posturing here and it really stinks.
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