I’ve read a few bloggers who complain that Obama’s relative silence is “cowardly” or that there is too much emphasis on “realpolitik” and he’s just waiting to see who triumphs and then he’ll embrace him. Nonsense. This man knows that he is not the story here. And what’s more, he doesn’t need to say anything about his positions on Iran, because he already went to the Middle East and said it beforehand. His few comments expressing support for Iranian self-determination and their right to peaceful dissent – found here – were entirely appropriate and certainly speak for me.
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Two other short points:
1. He’s going to have to deal with whoever (or whatever) emerges as the governing body of Iran, so he has a 50% chance of alienating that entity. This strengthens his/our position regardless of the outcome.
2. It would be wildly hypocritical to talk about respect for sovereignty last week and then go ahead and poke his/our nose in this the next. We have to operate from principle, even if it doesn’t ingratiate our sense of [false] courage.
Absolutely right. The contrast with McCain’s fiery actions – which look puerile – couldn’t be sharper.