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Politics : American Presidential Politics and foreign affairs -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Peter Dierks who wrote (49795)	3/8/2012 10:23:49 AM
From: Peter Dierks	1 Recommendation Respond to of 71588

2-faced 2-step Last Updated: 3:54 AM, March 7, 2012 Posted: 1:03 AM, March 7, 2012 Michael Goodwin There he goes again. Even before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left Washington, President Obama shed the cloak of resolve against Iran and returned to spouting the mixed messages that have failed for three years. If the mad mullahs celebrate with high-fives, now would be the time. As for the Israelis, it’s good they didn’t give up their right to self-defense. They’re clearly on their own. Obama’s press conference yesterday was like the other side of the moon from his comments before and during Netanyahu’s visit. Starting with his Friday interview with The Atlantic magazine, the president emphasized his determination to block Iran from getting a nuke. He said explicitly, for the first time, he was willing to use military force and added, “I don’t bluff.” While careful to hold out hope for a diplomatic solution, he repeated the tough talk on Sunday to AIPAC, and again Monday with Netanyahu. Yesterday, he reverted to his old stance, where he is more comfortable. Hours after the United States and Europe agreed to reopen negotiations with Iran, Obama emphasized the “window of opportunity” for Iran to prove its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. He mentioned the military option only as a pivot to snarl at critics. He accused them of a “casualness” about war, of “beating the drums of war,” of “bluster” and “big talk.” “This is not a game,” he declared, saying he is always “reminded of the costs of war.” The turnabout was so striking that a cynic might conclude that Obama was merely courting the Jewish vote with his earlier tough talk. Well, yes. Unfortunately, that’s just part of the problem. The other part is that Obama truly doesn’t grasp the impact of his switcheroo. He is playing the most dangerous game of all: peace at any price. His record and comments reveal a failure to come to terms with the essential nature of the Iranian thugocracy. He keeps appealing to a “rational” side as though the quest for nukes is an academic debate that will be settled on points. According to those rules, the Iranians have legitimate beefs, and if we meet them part way, mutual understanding will emerge and peace will be at hand. The approach sounds familiar because it is. Most infamously, it’s what Europe tried with Hitler. In response to his demands and threats during the 1930s, Great Britain and France gave a little here, a little there. They made excuses for him and expected he would be satisfied with the next concession. Too late, they realized he was a liar and a monster. He had broken every promise, rearmed Germany and was rolling into Poland. Finally, they had no choice but to fight the deadliest war in human history. The parallels are inexact, but Iran is the closest thing to Hitler on Earth today. After more than 30 years of oppression, murderous terror and, now, the quest for weapons of mass destruction, which it promises to use against Israel, Iran does not deserve the benefit of the doubt. It has violated every agreement and promise, which is why Netanyahu warned that “time is running out” for a peaceful resolution. That doesn’t mean he wants war, nor do those in America who back him. For Obama to say that he, alone, realizes the costs is a slander. In truth, Obama’s vacillation is the policy more likely to lead to catastrophic war. Weakness always invites aggression from tyrants, thugs and terrorists, and Iran is no exception. The mullahs will not stop as long as their aggression is rewarded. With each passing day, they come closer to getting the weapon that could start a global conflict. “If you wish peace, prepare for war” is the formula that wise statesmen have followed for ages. It’s time our president wised up and joined them. nypost.com