89 Comments

1. Self-hating Boomer:

Obama has applause for the moment, it is true, but for all our sakes, he better start thinking of respect from the ages.

Egad. One more way in which he’s like Carter. To this day, Carter wanders the earth, demanding respect, and not getting it. This is the fate that awaits Obama. Unfortunately, the fate that awaits the people of America is worse.

Jun 14, 2009 - 7:00 pm 2. Allison Aller:

Obama is not going to change.
History instead will have to play itself out, and change the ground out from under him….and the rest of us along with him.

Jun 14, 2009 - 7:40 pm 3. Charles Gordon:

Our pitiful submission to insurgent Islam can only strengthen the Mohammedan creed’s belief in the infidels’ weakness, from Khomeini’s holding forth with the Western press at the gate of his compound outside of Paris while Carter abets the Shah’s destitution (’79), to the Marines’ massacre in Beirut (’83), GEN Powell’s cordoning off our pursuit up the highway of death in the wake of Desert Strom to consolidate Saddam’s authority (’91), and ensuing decimation of our sponsored rebels in Basra (’99), the Rangers’ humiliation in Mogadishu (’93), the wasteland in downtown NYC symbolizing Al Qaeda’s victory (’01 to ‘09, and years forth), our historic first Islamic apostate president’s private swearing in without a Bible (’09), to the foreseeable annihilation of the Jewish state.

To the politician in Washington who spends more time sitting in a makeup chair for a show than reading the legislation he sponsors, his only enemies are an upstart in his own party threatening his incumbency, the opposition party across the isle taking away his majority perks, or a loose-canon Inspector General enforcing the law.

Islam is not a threat to them, so long as they think appeasement secures their day in office, collectivization enhances their power, the press strokes their narcissism while airbrushing their flaws, and their fealty is rewarded by the current clique of political thugs for whom the abuse of power causes no remorse.

Who can find fault in the temerity of the Islamists’ attempt to rise above the legendary corruption of the West? They see their best ally with his feet comfortably propped on the desk in the Oval Office, a satisfied smirk on his face, praising their history and ambitions.

Jun 14, 2009 - 7:56 pm 4. John Becker:

Obama is a child, much like Clinton, abandoned by his parents when he was young. He knows that he may not be the best president, but he hopes to be the best-loved president.

Jun 14, 2009 - 8:04 pm 5. TLM:

Outside the Ivory Tower moral relativism does have consequences. Obama may learn that bitter lesson very shortly here. The hard way. If there is a Tiananmen Square repeat in Teheran this week, Iranian blood will be on his hands. And if the situation calms down and Obama recognizes the election as legitimate, those kids rioting in the streets will just slowly disappear into the dungeons. Either way, he bears some responsibility for their fate.

Whatever happens now, Ahmadinajad will blame the unrest on Jews, the CIA blah blah blah (thanks for apologizing for ‘53 Mr President — your timing couldn’t be better). If he stays in office, Ahmadinajad will consolidate his base and quash dissent. At that point, talking him out of developing nukes will be futile, if it isn’t already. Unfortunately for Obama, this degree of political unrest ups the ante on allowing Iran to gain nuclear power status. If he accepts that reality as the default position, believing it to be inevitable, it’s no longer merely indecisiveness or absence or moral judgement on his part. It’s active commission of a sin, the wages of which will fall on the state of Israel.

Jun 14, 2009 - 8:08 pm 6. David Thomson:

“So what constitutes Obama’s morality?”

Barack Obama is a self-hating American. This is not much of a secret. After all, he is something of a follower of radicals Saul Alinsky and Martin Luther King, Jr. —and both men considered the Vietnam conflict as America’s racist war on the dark skinned Vietnamese. Obama is existentially convinced that America is responsible for most of the world’s evil. Iran would be a land of peace, love and magic carpet rides if only the United States had not gotten rid of Mossadegh in 1953. What can we do now? It’s obvious that American direct diplomacy will only make things far worse. That’s how Obama, alas, perceives the present crisis.

Jun 14, 2009 - 8:21 pm 7. Joseph:

Don’t just blow hot air, do something, call the Iranian interest section (202) 965 4990 they open at 8:30 eastern time. Remember an email can be deleted, a call has to be answered.

Jun 14, 2009 - 8:38 pm 8. Dave the Kapampangan:

Free people of varying levels of personal motivation are only “equal” within a country when a Nanny State forcibly takes from the hardworking best and divides the spoils among the nonworking rest. It’s an artificially maintained “multicultural equality of success” (masking thuggish entitlement) that lasts only until the nanny state bankrupts itself.

Applying the same “all are equal” philosophy to the wider world — doling out favors to thugs while shortchanging high achievers– fails for the same reason. Thugs have infinite greed, but high achievers have finite, limited resources and finite, limited tolerance for getting ripped off.

Obviously, papering over differences with flattery and handouts to brutal anti-social losers only breeds brutal anti-social losers with an even bigger appetite for flattery and handouts.

Since Obama is “sort of God” to Newsweek’s Evan Thomas or to MSNBC’s “My, I felt this thrill going up my leg” Chris Matthews– I wonder why liberal wunderkind Obama doesn’t simply cease the free “legitimacy” to Emperor Palpatine and his ilk.
———————–

Contrast Oba-Messiah’s “studious hesitance” with a clear 2008 message from unsophisticated Texas simpleton George W. Bush:

“We have problems with the (Iranian) government because the government has been threatening, has made decisions that –and statements that — really have isolated the people of Iran….My message to the young in Iran is that someday your society will be free…. My message to the women of Iran is that the women of America share your deep desire for children to grow up in a hopeful society and to live in peace.”

Jun 14, 2009 - 8:39 pm 9. Doug Wright:

So, the supposed Chinese curse about interesting times is not a myth. It’s also not a myth that history does repeat itself except are we so sure that we shall soon recover from this convergence of true evil in the world?

A resurgent North Korea, Chavez in Caracas, Peru and Bolivia’s self-styled Mini-Mes, Ahmadinejad, Pakistan on a brink of going over or not, a Russia that wants empire again, coming events could well be much worse than the 1930s.

We’ve long talked about the troubles Munich brought to the world and very little real knowledge or insight as to what the next such event shall bring.

What’s troubling is that it’s really not necessary to have a replacement for Munich except we don’t learn; but we shall experience it. Can we get through what’s coming and survive as a country? Who knows?

Jun 14, 2009 - 8:41 pm 10. Dave the Kapampangan:

BTW, the 2008 Bush quote was from this web site (I think’s it s comment by Kevin Gregory to the Gateway Pundit Blogger):

http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/06/outrage-cbs-meet-irans-george-w-bush.html#157383

Jun 14, 2009 - 8:45 pm 11. Torqued Marine (USMC):

Right on. I have to agree, when our enemies begin to become this friendly with us or should I say our pres. it really worries me.

All I can say is watch your “6″.

Keep em. coming I like your style a-lot.

Semper Fi.

Jun 14, 2009 - 9:30 pm 12. Sam H:

Well done professor…bravo!
And thank you.

Jun 14, 2009 - 10:48 pm 13. Fat Man:

Not an unclenched fist, an upraised middle finger.

Jun 15, 2009 - 3:51 am 14. Lawrence Kohn:

Bush actually missed the boat on Abbas who he saw as different from Arafat. This unfortunately led to the policy continued by Obama of re-arming Fatah, Abbas’ group. He also fell short in the early years about Putin and only at the end of his term did he recognize Putin for who he is. Yet, Professor Hanson’s point remains valid when comparing the two presidents. One sees, however, the power of articulation; the current president captures audiences through his delivery; the former was incapable of verbal articulation. George Will once wrote that had there been television in 1862 the North would have quit the war. Were we to rely on written speeches read in newspapers today without TV I wonder how much narrower the articulation gap would have been between Obama and Bush. History, if democratic polities survive to 2050, will judge Bush vs Obama as Hanson sees them.

Jun 15, 2009 - 4:51 am 15. Ron Kean:

I wish I could remember who coined the term ‘The Hate-America Left’ and when. It may have been in the ‘W’ years. As Obama cried, ‘Don’t question my patriotism.’ his actions speak today.

How can a man NOT be influenced consciously or unconsciously, mentored by Frank Marshall Davis, William Ayres, Rev. Wright, Sol Alinsky, and Michelle (I was never proud of this country) Obama? Obama must have contempt for a free capitalistic democracy. That’s how he was trained.

The alternative is a venal totalitarian government which we’re seeing develop as Obama throws money around to manipulate people in a way not seen before in my experience.

But why do prosecutors, courts and judges seem to be under his thumb? Congress is unpredictable. Blue dogs may shift some power. But where are the courts?

The internet is the only real check but can’t bring balance unless we find that knowledge itself truly has power as VDH thinks that the Iranian people are being frustrated by the knowledge of the democracy next to them.

This vindicates the previous American president.

Jun 15, 2009 - 5:49 am 16. Jack:

Again we are seeing the real problem with Obama. Real good at speeches, as long as the MSM is there to cover his back. He can say anything. Then he can say the exact opposite. The MSM does not care; in fact they hide it.

Prejean comments honestly about gay marriage: Outrage.
No gay marriage in Cali? Blame the Mormons, even though the proposition was heavily favored by blacks and latinos.
Obama’s DOJ doesn’t support gay marriage: blame Bush.

And Obama is really, really, smart. But we can’t see his college or law school grades. Can’t see his SAT scores. I really wonder how he passed his bar exam. Though I understand that Illinois’s is the easiest in the nation.

Jun 15, 2009 - 6:17 am 17. Doug Wright:

My goodness, even people here repeat the myth about “W!” “W” was very articulate except he was also an “Aw Shucks” kind of guy and he had his moments like when he said he was “Misunderestimated!” “W” also didn’t seem to give a rat’s patooty about academia and its social stereotypes; shame on him, he was not worthy, double triple shame, shame, shame.

So, this is also what we’ll except from both supporters and detractors of Sarah Palin, who’s very much an “Aw shucks” kind of gal, who can think on her feet and can connect the dots; with no damned apologies to Katie What’s her name.

Look at what what we’ve got with a Marxist Ivy Leaguer who can’t connect the dots without his teleprompter and please try to explain how Barry O is so much more articulate when his script follows the conversation? Does anyone here recall some of Barry O’s campaign stops where he couldn’t answer an unscripted question? Gee, that really gave a new definition of being articulate. Or, does anyone here recall the many times when Barry O’s “Um” and “Ah” counts sky rocketed when he’s off teleprompter? Barry’s sure articulate alright, just as Chris Matthews is inquisitive and searching for the truth when his leg isn’t tingling.

Please recall how to use the tap code (Cf. McCain et al) and how to stealthily pass on messages when we’re all in Barry’s Gulag.

Jun 15, 2009 - 6:37 am 18. Shaun:

I have to agree with #17 on GWB’s alleged lack of articulation. He positively soared on occasion. Think about his second inaugural for instance. His presentation of vision was powerful, sincere, and moving. Sure he lacked the “stentorian” voice of BHO but he had that direct no-BS appeal that could only come from a Texan.

In fact, as I read Netenyahu’s speech on the Palestinians, it brought back memories of good GWB.

Time will serve his reputation well. Can’t wait for his book.

Jun 15, 2009 - 7:40 am 19. David:

Typo: Iraq typed instead of Iran

2)…One of two things is happening in Iraq: either a boasting, cocky Ahmadinejad rigged the election…

Jun 15, 2009 - 7:44 am 20. Delia:

Ahmadinejad,

Die please.

Jun 15, 2009 - 7:59 am 21. CTCrew:

Remember when the phrase “speaking truth to power” was so misused and so admired?

Jun 15, 2009 - 8:20 am 22. karlstro1:

Obama is way out of his comfort zone when dealing with foreign affairs. Mr. Hollywood does not understand that holding hands with dictators is not good policy. This country will regret in short time Obama’s Hollywood style of leading.

Jun 15, 2009 - 8:38 am 23. Bill Menge:

A “nut who rigs elections”. Fort a minute I thought you were talking about George Bush.

Jun 15, 2009 - 8:45 am 24. Delia:

23. Bill Menge:

A “nut who rigs elections”. Fort a minute I thought you were talking about George Bush.
~

Yeah, Bill. The ‘majority’ of useful idiots really wanted the creator of the ‘internetz’ and ‘global warming’ to be prezzy-dent.

No soup for you!

Jun 15, 2009 - 9:02 am 25. Sherab Zangpo:

Let’s try some math here:

if comrade Chavez says that Ahmadinejad is an ally and a friend in the great cause to destroy capitalism and America

and comrade Obama loves Chavez

hence

comrade Obama loves Ahmadinejad

This obeys to the first theorem of mathmarxism: the comrades of your comrades are your comrades.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Jun 15, 2009 - 9:09 am 26. Meryl:

23. Bill Menge

Hey, Bill, you maybe didn’t get the memo…but there were mental health sessions offered after the 2000 election for those in Florida who were suffering from post-election syndrome.

Sorry you missed that. Maybe there are some catch-up sessions you could get in on.

The problem in 2000 was a bunch of libs who couldn’t figure out how to read ballots.

Jun 15, 2009 - 9:12 am 27. Kurt:

Thanks for asking these tough questions (and making so many relevant observations). Now if only our toothless press would start doing the same.

Jun 15, 2009 - 9:15 am 28. The Shadow:

What is conveniently left out of this account, typical of this right wing shill who is descending into wingnuttery, is what the Bush policy on Iran achieved – nada

Jun 15, 2009 - 9:17 am 29. proreason:

It’s simplisitc to cridit Obama with being a moral relativist or someone unwilling to recognize or unable to distinguish good from bad.

If his actions are not deliberate, then why are they so consistent?

The plainer truth is that he is doing exactly as he intends.

The question we should be contmplating, is why.

And the need to know the answer is extremely urgent.

Jun 15, 2009 - 9:22 am 30. tanstaafl:

…osmosis from free Iraq is proving more destabilizing to the theocracy in Iran than are Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and shaped charged IEDs to Iraq.

A’jad’s supporters, few & far between

and

Tens of thousands defy ban to march in Tehran in support of Mousavi

‘I wish to be loved, adored, to be seen as absolutely even-handed, even more than I do to take risks for those of you who bravely risk even more by championing freedom and consensual government.’

Narcissism. Paraphrasing another PJM poster, Obama can always be counted on to vote “present”.

Jun 15, 2009 - 9:23 am 31. Folklight:

Professor Azar Nafisi stated in Al Jazeera interview:http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middle east/2009/06/2009613181040285185.html

“It was really amazing and interesting to see what Mr Mousavi chose as his platform to win. He didn’t just campaign against Ahmadinejad but against the very foundations of the Islamic Republic. The fact that Mr Mousavi risked his political career to take up this position suggests that a sizable number of the population don’t want what exists now.”

This article highlights the power of incremental change, brought about by discussion of issues one person to another. Truth and Ideals are more potent than bullets though both have their usefulness. Reformers must not be misled into assisting further entrenchment of Theocratic power. They need to know their movement & own it.

Iran’s Theocracy is facing social revolution and a repudiation of the underlying source of their continuing power. The dream of a caliphate is not a national dream, rather it’s a fading dream of ideologues. You can not force anyone to believe something, humans must choose to believe. That is God given volition.

The Wise Choose to use it in pursuit of truth.

http://www.iranhumanrights.org/
http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/5 53:
http://www.mei.edu/: http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ISLAM/CALIPH.HTM

Jun 15, 2009 - 9:27 am 32. A_SantaFean:

Iran is only 50% ethnically Persian. The other half is a mix of Azeris, Arabs, Kurds, Baluchis, et al. I wonder why this weakness was never exploited even under the Bush administration. It seems to me that aid to the disparate groups in opposition to the mullahs is the obvious way to go if we want regime change. Maybe someone can enlighten me?

Jun 15, 2009 - 9:39 am 33. arhooley:

Delia,

I can’t believe you fed the troll. Tsk.

As to the discussion. It’s too bad Obama apologized for the Overthrow of ‘53. He’s left with almost no way to justify assisting the Rebellion of ‘09.

Jun 15, 2009 - 9:56 am 34. Gary Ogletree:

Six months pass, Obama gets tested, fails miserably. With no moral compass, he’s clueless where any other president would have quickly given moral support to the opposition. By default he has picked the wrong side and everyone knows it.

Jun 15, 2009 - 10:06 am 35. scott:

SantaFean,

Allowing the CIA to topple governments from within by aiding dissidents went out of style. You know, ‘kinder gentler’.

Now we’ve become so ‘nice’ that those suffering repression around the world don’t even have a model to aspire to.

If these are not the beginnings of the End Times then the Bible is a fairy tale.

Jun 15, 2009 - 10:15 am 36. Delia:

33. arhooley,

Nuh uh. I withheld my delicious soup [chicken rag noodle soup passed down from gran-gran...uber comfort food].

“It’s too bad Obama apologized for the Overthrow of ‘53. He’s left with almost no way to justify assisting the Rebellion of ‘09.”

The rebellion of ‘09′ is being ‘had’ around the world. People are voting in droves for ‘right’ rather than ‘left’ thinking and yet our country is RETROgrading into stupidsphere.

I have a bad v00j00 feeling about America as she stands on crooked legs, glares unblinking with un-blinded eyes of ‘new’ empathic ‘justice’, limps with a walker and wears an ear-piece and uses a tele-prompter like a crutch.

I’ve BEEN POOR. It’s not fun.

Jun 15, 2009 - 10:19 am 37. Pastor of Muppets:

What’s the difference? The neo-cons stole the election in 2000. Wasn’t it awful convenient that the brother of Bush was governor in the one state that tipped the balance.

Jun 15, 2009 - 10:21 am 38. Paul M Hupf:

The President is being treated with contempt by Russia and nations in the Middle East other than Iraq and Israel, the only two nations in the Middle East with free elections. One can argue that the tactics of Acorn and similar groups, strongly in the corner of the President, reflect an attitude of the incumbent party in control of the White House and Congress, i.e. win the election no matter what; don’t be bothered with the niceties of fairness. Hence you hear no criticism of Mr. Ahmadinejad’s “victory” from the White House. If the President thinks he can sit at a table with Mr Ahmadinejad and negotiate on the up and up, fair and square, he is naive. Sunday’s events in Teheran should convince any thinking person that it is impossible to negotiate with the Iran leader. Instead or promoting harmony, the Presiddent is in fact hastening the moment of confrontation and use of weaponry to address pending issues.

Jun 15, 2009 - 10:22 am 39. Marie Claude:

FRANCE 24 – You don’t believe some Iranians could vote for the more moderate candidate at least to avoid a worst-case scenario ?

“Kaveh Mohseni – No, I don’t. Because Mousavi is not a moderate. When he was Prime Minister, 30,000 political prisoners were executed in only three months in the summer of 1988 and buried in a mass grave on the site of Khavaran. Many Iranians may be young but they have parents. No one can believe Mousavi is a moderate. They all have blood on their hands.

Furthermore he ruined the Iranian economy when he was in power by nationalizing many companies”

http://www.iran-resist.org/article5434.html

Jun 15, 2009 - 10:23 am 40. Neo:

Given the slow response to the situation by the Obama Administration, I propose that Obama appoint George W. Bush as the “Decider Czar.”
The “Decider Czar” will make all decisions for the administration leaving Obama free to do the two things he likes best .. campaign and blame Bush.
Part of the “Decider Czar’s” duties will be to answer that 3AM phone.

Jun 15, 2009 - 10:23 am 41. joe buzz:

Team 44 gathers around a table and one asks “what should we do about these election results” another answers “um lets say its ok..like a debate, we can engage them in a new way.” Another might mention but I doubt it that “the last way was like an unclenched fist”.

Jun 15, 2009 - 10:23 am 42. SAF:

Now this is very interesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcHT8-ps64w

Jun 15, 2009 - 10:25 am 43. Marie Claude:

“from Khomeini’s holding forth with the Western press at the gate of his compound outside of Paris while Carter abets the Shah’s destitution ”

http://www.iranchamber.com/history/rkhomeini/ayatollah_khomeini.php
“Shah decided to seek the deportation of Ayatollah Khomeini from Iraq, the agreement of the Iraqi government was obtained at a meeting between the Iraqi and Iranian foreign ministers in New York, and on September 24, 1978, the Khomeini’s house in Najaf was surrounded by troops. He was informed that his continued residence in Iraq was contingent on his abandoning political activity, a condition he rejected. On October 3, he left Iraq for Kuwait, but was refused entry at the border. After a period of hesitation in which Algeria, Lebanon and Syria were considered as possible destinations, Ayatollah Khomeini embarked for Paris. Once arrived in Paris, the Khomeini took up residence in the suburb of Neauphle-le-Chateau in a house that had been rented for him by Iranian exiles in France. From now on the journalists from across the world now made their way to France, and the image and the words of the Ayatollah Khomeini soon became a daily feature in the world’s media.”

Jun 15, 2009 - 10:31 am 44. Ron Kean:

28. Shadow

What did Bush do about Iran? He did exactly what America, steeped in debate over Iraq, wanted him to do…impose sanctions and support the negotiations that Europe had been engaging in for 6 years.

Bush’s policy regarding Iran was safe and supported by everybody who didn’t want to bomb. What we learned and what is truly confirmed today, is that the Iranian leadership is shifty and corrupt. It’s impossible to negociate with this type of person. Iranian leaders have called Obama racial epithets.

Obama has no record on foreign policy.. Wilson liberated Europe. FDR & Truman liberated Europe and Pacific Rim states. GWB liberated Iraq and Afghanistan. This is where we are.

Jun 15, 2009 - 10:33 am 45. jerryofva:

Shadow:

President Bush achieved the same results as did Bill Clinton, his Father Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter…as you say Nada. Perhaps there is a lesson here for your simple mind…

The mullahs hate the west and seek its destruction. Perhaps President Obama should learn that lesson and draw the obvious conclusions.

Jun 15, 2009 - 10:34 am 46. gclarke:

Good News.

Obama is pulling a page from Dean Wormer’s playbook and putting Iran on double secret probation.

Jun 15, 2009 - 11:29 am 47. anton:

23. Bill Menge:

You seem to have missed that point that all the recounts hosted by the DEMS showed a W win, who rigged what? And how is that germaine to my point anyways? Do try to get over the BDS.

Also your man Jimmy Carter has said that this most recent election in Iran was deplorable in it’s irregularities. It takes a LOT to get Carter to say that.

Jun 15, 2009 - 11:34 am 48. David:

John Becker: “He knows that he may not be the best president, but he hopes to be the best-loved president.”

I doubt that the conceit of the man (witness his nose in air preening as he orates), inflated by his assumed adoration by the public and sycophantic press) is porous enough to admit self-doubt. He can neither admit fault nor laugh at himself– execept in a contrived, manipulative way. Arrogant, self-righteous, high handed, etc.

No, the assumption in the Obama camp is that his force of personality, his charm, his presence– his almost holy lovableness will cure the world. He is so undeniably perfect for out times that any policy direction (not much on policy substance yet) he declares will be unquestionably correct.

Puke.

Jun 15, 2009 - 11:47 am 49. TheBigHenry:

@37 “The neo-cons stole the election in 2000.”

What’s your opinion on “Tippecanoe and Tyler too” (the 1840 United States presidential election)?

Jun 15, 2009 - 11:51 am 50. anton:

33. arhooley:

“It’s too bad Obama apologized for the Overthrow of ‘53. He’s left with almost no way to justify assisting the Rebellion of ‘09.”

Almost seems as if that was done on purpose, “AWWW, we have been “bad” in the past we don’t dare interfere again”. Two despots in the making are certain to find attractive things about one another (look at the almost embarassing interaction between AJ and Chavez – like school kids on a first date).

I would charcterize Obama’s statement as pre-emptive abandonement, you can almost hear it coming; “It is an internal situation and we hope that the Iranian people come out OK”.

Realpolitik demands somebody that you can “make a deal” with, dictators mean that you only have to talk to one guy to get that done, the lazy way is the easy way. Never mind the results.

Jun 15, 2009 - 11:54 am 51. Master of Puppets:

Poor Jeb had the election stolen from him the first time around.

Jun 15, 2009 - 12:58 pm 52. I drive down the dirt roads.:

Will somebody please tell the President not to apologize for my family or me? Will somebody please tell him that he really should not apologize for my Grandfather that carried men off burning ships in Pearl Harbor? Please tell him thanks, but no thanks; we do not apologize to Ahmadinejad or his kind in our family.
Would he apologize to Hitler? Stop the insanity, and stop making my Grandpa turn flips in his grave. It is disrespectful to our soldiers dead and alive, and please give respect to our military.

Jun 15, 2009 - 12:58 pm 53. whataloadacrap08:

Sadly most Americans, conservatives included, really don’t understand Iran and Iranians at all. They see what they really want to see, not what is real.

The street fighting in TerrorRan isn’t about moderates versus hardliners, and it isn’t the birth pangs of a nascent Iranian democracy. No one in Iran is renouncing the mullahs, or demanding an end to confrontationalism. The everyday Iranian moans about the harshness of the mullahocracy and wishes for a government more tolerant of a few indulgences such as miniskirts, titty bars and Captain Morgan Spiced Rum. But don’t kid yourself into thinking the Iranian man-on-the-street is ready to sing Kumbayyah with us while they start beating their scimitars into plowshares.

We’re still the Great Satan folks, the heirs of the Crusaders, and an object of Islamic vilification since before the days of Richard the Lionheart. This mindset isn’t a new meme that Khomeini successfully used as a ploy to gain power, nor is it something that’s been grafted onto the modern Iranian body politic. The Great Satan mythos is the soul of the militant Islam that swept with unyielding fury over the Middle East, North Africa and into southern Europe. Khomeini awakened this fury in the hearts of sixty million screaming slaves living under the heel of a Crusader installed and supported Shah.

The Iranian people were now warriors, not slaves. They died by the hundreds of thousands only two decades ago walking through minefields chanting Koranic verses in human wave assaults that broke the back of Saddam Husseins army. The Western, and Soviet supported “Lion of the Arabs” was no match for the ferocity of the Iranian Basij’s militant Islamic faith. Red dye “Fountain of Blood” monuments still flow in memory of the Basij devotion to Allah. Twenty odd years may seem a long time in our Western gimmie-gimmie-now culture, but for the everyday Iranians looking at the empty chairs where their Basij warriors used to sit, it’s only yesterday. A still fresh wound suffered in a war that’s been waged in their hearts and minds for over a thousand years.

That’s what the media and State Department talking-head experts spewing forth their Obamian bull$hit analysis of the scene in Iran don’t get. They have no sense of history and thus cannot comprehend the current power struggle in Iran in anything other than what their myopic worldview can rationalize.

What’s happening in Iran is a struggle not for rapprochment with the West, not for academic freedom, not for democracy. It’s a struggle over who’ll get to lead the jihadi charge against us because they all want that charge to happen.

Jun 15, 2009 - 1:14 pm 54. MiamaMan:

Wow, “Barrack” Hussein Obama’s approach to Iran and others was expected by some to decrease tension in the world, America (and Americans) would not be hated anymore, we would disarm the likes of Ahmadiwhatever, Chavez, a new page would turn on the Middle-East, and peace would come to Israel. Everything would be honky-dory. Race relation would flourish as never before.

Results? Oooopppsss! The opposite.

Amahdiwhatever comes out stronger and swinging, Chavez makes fun of Barrack and gives him a socialist book, Putin is on a roll, the vacuum of American leadership will cost dearly to the world. Israel is in trouble. Race relations in the US are at it lowest ebb in years, and have polarized as never before.

History repeats itself. Chamberlain on the White House goes to Cairo to appease the Monster of Islam.

Jun 15, 2009 - 1:20 pm 55. tanstaafl:

What’s happening in Iran is a struggle not for rapprochment with the West, not for academic freedom, not for democracy. It’s a struggle over who’ll get to lead the jihadi charge against us because they all want that charge to happen.

My own impression is that many Iranians are thoroughly sick of the mullahocracy & its crazy puppet, A’jad, sick of the preoccupation with and expense of the nuclear program to the detriment of infrastructure, the jabbering about destroying Israel, the rising unemployment, the persecution from the dress police on the streets, the firing of “non conformist” professors, repression of students…and so on.

Further, my impression is that they aren’t wildly intent on accomplishing the radical jihadist agenda and are, for the most part, not hostile to the United States.

Altho’ those who remember may still bear a few grudges against Jimmah (Carter)

Jun 15, 2009 - 1:58 pm 56. Joseph:

53:whataloadacrap08
I’m not sure this statement “The everyday Iranian moans about the harshness of the mullahocracy and wishes for a government more tolerant of a few indulgences such as miniskirts, titty bars and Captain Morgan Spiced Rum.” agrees with your thesis that Iran is 60 million plus die hard Islamists. Do you really think that folks you want women’s lib, booze and promiscuous sex are the same as the religious fanatics that wish only for martyrdom?
I do agree with your self described name, you are aloadacrap.

Jun 15, 2009 - 2:11 pm 57. Class Clown:

Wow, North Korea and Iran are both getting cocky in just the last five months. I wonder what happened?

Jun 15, 2009 - 2:12 pm 58. John the Libertarian:

“Much of Iran wants what they see going on in Iraq. How odd that the ‘experts’ assured us that Bush had empowered Iran by removing his rival Saddam. Perhaps in the short term-but in the long term TV, radio, and osmosis from free Iraq is proving more destabilizing to the theocracy in Iran than are Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and shaped charged IEDs to Iraq.”

Excellent. Thank you for seeing the forest for the trees.

Jun 15, 2009 - 2:21 pm 59. Marc Malone:

Denounce the rigged elections. Accept the election results. Say nothing and vote, ‘Present’. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.

Which path will Barry choose? Hmm, let me think. Don’t rush me, now. I almost got it. Hang on….

Jun 15, 2009 - 2:40 pm 60. Marie Claude:

whataloadacrap08

that’s right !

Jun 15, 2009 - 2:49 pm 61. JED:

Note to dictators everywhere: The Iranians took to the streets when they cut off the cell phone and texting services. Maybe the Iranian people do like their freedoms.

Jun 15, 2009 - 2:58 pm 62. river:

“…this is not the Ahmadinejad I knew…”

Jun 15, 2009 - 3:07 pm 63. Rob De Witt:

Notice the feeble attempts of the KosKids to introduce the meme “DinnerJacket stole the election, JUST LIKE BUSH.” This is everywhere on the webz today.

The sound of one knee, jerking…

Jun 15, 2009 - 3:16 pm 64. sclemens:

As a Chicago politician the Iranian elections probably look fine to Obama. How do you say “Acorn” in Iranian?

Jun 15, 2009 - 4:00 pm 65. Mike:

“So what constitutes Obama’s morality?”

Obama’s morals are non-analytical and utopian. He constructs his morals to avoid conflict with others, rather than to define principles of right and wrong. His morals are simplistic, because they give preference to ends, rather than the means.

When has Obama had to face tough moral decision? He tries to avoid characterizations of his morals by framing difficult questions in rhetorical forms. Then, he is able to rationalize tough decisions by making them a matter of superior intent. If he had good intentions at the time, his actions were justified.

Obama’s rhetorical forms such as “on one hand, on the other” avoid taking concrete positions. In retrospect, were his morals right or wrong? No one can say because no position was taken.

Obama’s squishy morals are construed as a sign of intellect, rather than lack of rigor and conviction. The media concentrate on Obama’s intentions, rather than the details of his policies, and give credence to the perception of intellect. When he emphasizes the immorality of Gitmo, or the importance of talking with Iran without preconditions, or the dire importance of health care, he gives only abstract analyses of the underlying issues. However, it is only the tone and delivery that carry his speeches, not the teleprompter’s content.

Obama is allowed to float on abstractions that he uses to avoid the consequences of his actions. (Reverend Wright? That was not the reverend he knew.) While avoiding accountability for himself, he feels comfortable using “catastrophes” and “crises” “created” by others to motivate change. This is a rather common form of morally contemptious behavior. It should be a relic of the past, but Obama chose to retread it.

What a waste of our time! Hopefully we will learn something valuable from his mistakes.

Jun 15, 2009 - 4:55 pm 66. Brian:

All i gotta say is that it looks like Bush/Cheney were correct about Iraq.And as far the comment made by the CIA director “speculating” about Cheney?Im not falling for it.Did cheney say those words?No.Cheney is correct to stay on the national security issue..well because he was there!Hes well aware of our national security threats.

Jun 15, 2009 - 5:20 pm 67. A.W. Murphy:

Professor,

One housekeeping note; I hope you will consider requiring actual names from commentators and eliminate the “handles” and cutesy titles. I am fond of your site for its depth, intellect and most of all the normally high standard of commentary.

As someone who was involved with the activities in Iran nearly 30 years ago, it is disheartening to see the same scenario play out in a slightly different form. What Obama and his people either don’t, or can’t, understand is that American foreign policy on some fundamental levels, is largely non-partisan. Your note about Bush’s policies and their propriety is well taken.

Obama is quickly morphing into a cross between Nixon’s domestic lawlessness and Carter’s legendary ineptitude overseas. And, much like 1978, if Obama and his people don’t step up and give hope to the Iranian people, then the dark side of the force will win.

Jun 15, 2009 - 6:02 pm 68. NeoConCabal:

Dr.Hanson, spot on as usual, nails something that bothers me more with each Obama dominated day. WHY the deliberate ignoring of our huge success in Iraq? Why the mute ‘praise’ of democracy in Iraq. Why the behavior of pretending it’s NOT there?

Obama is a coward. A moral coward. Lucky us. Lucky world.

Jun 15, 2009 - 6:47 pm 69. Phil Byler:

Insightful analysis by Victor Davis Hanson, as usual.

Jun 15, 2009 - 6:52 pm 70. TLM:

Uh, on the one hand, I’ve said nothing so far, but, uh, on the other hand I’ll…uh, just tell you, uh, there’s nothing to say. I’ll, uh, we’ll wait and, uh…it’s up to the Iranian people to decide Ahmadinejad is still the leader I, uh, plan to engage with, you know.

Glad he clarified that for us today. Hellloooo…anybody there? The Red Phone’s been ringing for three days now. Pick up please. Mr Present are you there…?

Jun 15, 2009 - 7:43 pm 71. homero:

I think history will show Obama has aready done more harm then Carter did in his term.
the damage may not be repairable. the US constitution is being destroyed and that is what made the US the leader it was. what is happaning is not accidental and that is why it is so dangerous to freedom seeking people. it is by design and will not be reversable.
Obama is more radical then the company he kept and keeps. he did not hide it and yet the people of America voted for him …people are sheep and for the most part stupid. how else can you explain it.

Jun 15, 2009 - 7:51 pm 72. DavidN:

This is a weird subject, the result of a very goofy philosophy in some circles of Western Liberals. It’s not pacificism, quite, and it’s not appeasement exactly, it’s more nuanced, and at times more stupid than that. The feeling is that as long as you negotiate, the other side has a chance to modify their actions and become reasonable. In a way it is (or can be, anyway) appeasement, but it’s also stranger than that. At the start of World War II, the British negotiated with Nazi Germany, frantically, for two days after the Nazis invaded Poland. The Germans were over-running Britain’s ally Poland, the borders of which Chamberlain had just guaranteed, but did they declare war? No, they tried to talk them out of it, because talking, to their mind, is the only way to make the other side understand how earnest and well-meaning they are. Of course it didn’t work, and of course World War II ensued. Now we’re going to negotiate with Iran, regardless of what they do, who they do it to, or the result, because the alternative would be to break off talks for some reason, and regardless of what that reason is, it would be the same policy as Bush. Bush wouldn’t talk with Dinner Jacket, so of course DJ can’t be that bad…so Obama will talk with him, regardless of what else occurs. And talk, and talk. When Tehran develops a bomb, Obama will talk, and talk, and talk. When there’s a mushroom cloud over Tel Aviv, Obama will talk, and talk, and try to get the mullahs to see the error of their ways, because he’d like them to know he just wants a better world for everyone, etc. This will never stop, frankly, unless the invade New Jersey D-Day style. I’m frankly a bit worried.

Jun 15, 2009 - 8:02 pm 73. jb:

Absolutely spot on, Professor. Vintage VDH.

Jun 15, 2009 - 8:10 pm 74. TLM:

Apology Round 2: Dave’s trainable. Does a better job, but:

“It doesn’t make any difference what my intent was, it’s the perception.”

That makes it sound like he told one of those non-racial “racist” jokes, and SOMEONE got offended. I don’t think it’s a perception problem, Dave. What you INTENDED by telling that sex joke involving a teenaged girl (or woman), IS the problem. And that intent was obviously to garner a laugh at a young girl or woman’s expense. That’s why so many OTHER people were offended. It’s not a my-perception-as-a-diversity-category-person problem. It’s a problem with your perception, Dave, of what constitutes basic decency.

Jun 15, 2009 - 8:12 pm 75. Uriel:

The real scary thing is Karzai in Afghanistan sending congrats to AJ in Iran. It may be bad timing or tone deafness on the part of Karzai or it may be an attempt at a separate peace. That is the real problem with BHO’s foreign policy. It convinces nations to pick other friends than the US and not to complain too loudly against aggressive bellicose neighbors. In the end this is a real loss of prestige and National Honor in the world, not the imagine loss that comes from policies like Bush’s. In the end BHO may be loved by all; however, when push comes to shove the little guys will go along with AJ, Chavez, or The fruit loop in North Korea, or try to get Russia or China as patrons. The US isn’t reliable anymore so it is easier to go along to get along. Once that happens our ability to do anything WITHOUT military might become zero.

Jun 15, 2009 - 9:03 pm 76. Joseph:

53:whataloadacrap08
A little like David Letterman I must apologize to you for calling YOU aloadacrap, that is an ad hominem attack and is wrong anywhere especially at this blog. What I should have said is your idea is aloadacrap. So I beg your pardon.
As for what we should do to help those folks in Iran fighting for freedom, I repeat call the Iranian Interest Section in Washington at (202) 965 4991. You might be on hold for a few minutes but hold on and you will get through. Do something, don’t just type verbiage.

Jun 15, 2009 - 10:27 pm 77. sheesh:

74 TLM . . .”what constitutes basic decency”

The decent things was to apologize, though I would have been fine if he hadn’t. It was a real apology. If you;’re not satisfied, it’s your problem. Now, we’ll see how Palin handles it. If she’s smart, she say apology accepted. But you know what, conservatives aren’t very smart. You’ll act aggrieved until she proves herself to be the fraud most of us already know her to be.

Here’s a perfect example from your latest transparent diva:

“Carrie Prejean has threatened to sue the Miss California USA folks for defamation, we’ve learned. But we just obtained a letter the pageant’s lawyer fired off to Carrie’s lawyer, threatening to sue her for her “churlish insolent misbehavior.”

The long letter details the alleged misdeeds which led to Carrie getting das boot. For starters, the pageant’s lawyer says Carrie is full of it when she stated publicly she didn’t ink a book deal. The letter also says Carrie had wrongfully turned down 39 pageant appearances since May 12.” – TMZ

You think Hannity will have her on when her true behavior is revealed?

You see, this is the problem when you latch on to such meaningless causes. They’re unsustainable, whether through the sources hypocrisy or the advent of even worse behavior by one of your own.

But you don’t care about that. You’ll conveniently forget about it, just like you forgot bout Bill O’Reilly telling Andrea Mackris, “If any woman ever breathed a word I’ll make her pay so dearly she’ll wish she’d never been born. I’ll rake her through the mud, bring up things in her life and make her so miserable that she’ll be destroyed. And besides, she wouldn’t’ be able to afford the lawyers I can or endure it financially as long as I can.”

Now, why would you give a guy like that a pass and complain about a guy who apologized twice about something virtually innocuous?

Punk-ass conservative whiners.

Jun 15, 2009 - 10:58 pm 78. Bushs $400M:

looks like the bush’s $400M did find its way into Iran.
Way to go America – If democracy doesnt go the way we like it, we just BUY it…hehe
1.5B for Pakistan – with only 3M internally displaced – oh well, they are MOSLEMS so it dont matter.
1B for Egypt – Beacon of democracy in ME.
Oh, lets not forget Hamas (elected government) and the puppet PA in the West Bank – yep, even Israel likes them so much that they give them weapons to fight the democratically elected Hamas.

PS. What Mosavi will bring to Iran?
Aid from the West – I mean HUMANITARIAN AID.
In 30 years without Aid from West, Iranians were at least NOT internally displaced, lets give them freedom
Freedom to live in tents. Again see Pakistan.

Jun 15, 2009 - 11:11 pm 79. conservababe:

David N.: Brilliant. When I read your post, I immediately recognized why I so despise teacher training workshops. We are told to do the same thing you described — not to push the disruptive student “into a corner,” to speak calmly and allow him the chance to act rationally. Meanwhile, just as you described, you are still standing there talking calmly while he has cleaned out your desk and is heading for the parking lot with your car keys in hand.

Jun 16, 2009 - 12:55 am 80. whataloadacrap08:

#76 Joseph: To paraphrase Dennis Miller, that’s just my opinion and I could be wrong – but I doubt it.

Ahmadinejad’s foes are mostly students and a motley mix of professionals and disaffected urbanites, whereas his support base is mostly rural and of the working class. IMHO history has shown that in any internecine political conflict, it’s always the hammer and sickle (Pardon the pun.) that wins out over the pen and paper.

In short, Ahmadinejads base of support is the grassroots heart and soul of Iran, and that heart and soul is pure desert fury. As for wanting a little liqoured up T&A to spice up thier “fundie” lives, we’re all human ain’t we? Only Allah knows how many of the Basij were thinking of the Irans version of Raquel Welch when they were trampling Saddams Iraqi minefields with their bare feet?

Their thoughts at that moment are unimportant, what is crucial is the fact that they did it and that the fanaticism that drove them on still exists, and that fanaticism isn’t a passing phase but rather a deep seated, almost racial memory strength, power in their lives to this day.

That’s what the powers-that-be here in the belly of the Great Satan don’t understand. Just like they failed to understand the historical underpinning driving the South Ostetian issue last year. For instance, Putin is ex-KGB and in essence a philosophical son of Stalin – and Stalin was an Ostetian.

Russia grabbing South Ostetia wasn’t just an opportunistic power grab, it was a re-fullfillment (If that’s a real word?) of historical Russia’s version of Manifest Destiny. Of course they were going to do it!

But I digress …

Thanks.

Jun 16, 2009 - 4:51 am 81. Kyle:

It may already have been noted in other comments. In case not though, shouldn’t the following sentence from the second paragraph be changed from “Iraq” to “Iran”: “you, well, send a message that implicitly you either approve of him-or are afraid of him? One of two things is happening in Iraq”

Just to avoid any unwarranted confusion in an already complex situation.

Kyle
Savannah, GA

Jun 16, 2009 - 5:18 am 82. TLM:

sheepish:

“The decent things was to apologize, though I would have been fine if he hadn’t.”

You still don’t understand the logical interpretation of what you write: You would have been fine if he [Letterman] hadn’t done the decent thing?

What constitutes basic decency is doing the decent thing when it is necessary, required etc. Do you not understand this?

FYI, when you write a line like the above quote, I assume everything that follows is not worth reading. Gibberish as a form of communication works fine in Leftist Groupthink land over at Kos et al. When everyone expresses the same ideas over and over ad nauseum it’s easy to infer meaning after a few buzzwords. Grammar, syntax, logical conclusion — eh, not necessary. It’s a little different at this site.

Jun 16, 2009 - 5:59 am 83. misterd:

VDH,

I love you. I love your writings, and I agree with most of what you say here.

But…

For the moment this is not an Obama issue. This is not a Bush issue. This is an issue for the Iranian people, and I think it better to keep the spotlight focused on them, rather than use the event to show how it is, in the end, all about US. There will be plenty of time to address the causes, ramifications and implications of this event on domestic politics later.

Jun 16, 2009 - 6:39 am 84. Joseph:

80:whataloadacrap08
You maybe right, I hope you aren’t. One thing you are is magnanimous and if I guess right your gender, a true gentleman. Thank you.

Jun 16, 2009 - 8:08 am 85. John Becker:

Sheesh, Governor Palin accepted the apology. So what is your real name?

Jun 16, 2009 - 6:42 pm 86. expat:

28. ‘The Shadow’ says: What is conveniently left out of this account, typical of this right wing shill who is descending into wingnuttery, is what the Bush policy on Iran achieved – nada

The Bush policy was to support European diplomacy with the aim of preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Just as the Europeans despaired of achieving this and were ready to go back to sanctions, etc., Comrade Zero barged in and said he wanted direct negotiations with Iran without preconditions, completely undermining the delicate diplomatic process that would have led to a more effective and realistic approach.

But don’t let facts or ‘nuance’ get in the way of another kick at GWB.

Jun 17, 2009 - 1:18 am 87. Hijacking The Iranian People Watch #1, #2, #3 [Update: #4, #5] [Update: #6… « Back Towards The Locus:

[...] – Victor David Hanson, Pajamas Media (assumedly gifted with telepathy…) [...]

Jun 17, 2009 - 3:19 am 88. James Raider:

The mullahs may have long feared that change would eventually come in reaction to their abuse of the population. Many have moved the proceeds of their pilfering offshore, “just in case.” Some have built themselves Los Angeles and West Vancouver mansions, in anticipation that the gun might eventually not suppress the crowds in Tehran.

The potential for change is directly conditional on the persistence and endurance of the youth filling the streets of Iran. It will be unstoppable if the demonstrations move to the poorer rural regions of the country.

http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/2009/06/new-dawn-for-iran.html

This genie is out of the bottle. Change may be slow in coming, nevertheless, it will come.

Jun 19, 2009 - 4:14 pm 89. James Raider:

It is amazing that some think that Ahmedinejad can be “negotiated with.” ….. About Anything.

This is the same Ahmedinejad who during the Iran/Iraq war, used young children to clear battlefields of land mines, because they did not scatter when a mine exploded the way mules did. Ask the parents of those children, those who were forced to give up a child, how they feel about Ahmedinejad.

This kind of mind will not go down without slaughtering crowds of Iranians.

Gradual change would have been preferable, since internal revolutions NEVER work out.

As for Obama? He is doing exactly as was expected prior to the the election.

Jun 22, 2009 - 11:54 pm

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