Obama's "Whatever" diplomacy

Submitted by Fay Voshell (United States), Jun 18, 2009 at 09:14

Obama has said there's little difference between Ahmadinejad and his rival. Secretary of State Clinton has said the matter is an internal affair to be solved by the Iranian government.

In both cases, the Obama's administration's "whatever," "it doesn't matter" policy indicates he considers the protests of the Iranian people inconsequential if not entirely meaningless. He is insulting the protestors by saying no matter what they do, their current administration won't change and they should just give up any hope of reform and go home. His cavalier hands-off attitude has inevitably encouraged harsher crackdowns by those currently in control of the Iranian government.

By refusing to encourage a popular movement sick of the oppressive Ahmadinejad and Khamenei, Obama reveals a contempt for democracy itself. Notice there's not been one meaningful word from him about democracy or about the wave of arrests and suppression. He apparently prefers to deal with Ahmadinejad and the Iranian theocracy/autocracy.

But that should no longer come as a surprise, considering his autocratic tendencies here at home.

Fay Voshell

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