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Kathryn, what's striking about the Bystander-in-Chief is that the more he does nothing, the more credit he gets for everything. In the New York Times, Helene Cooper attributes events in Iran to the Obama "stealth effect." The fellows in the street shouting "Death to the dictator!" were apparently inspired to rise up by Obama's outreach to the, er, dictator:
He directed his comments not just to the Iranian people but to Iran’s leaders, and referred to Iran as “the Islamic Republic,” further flagging a willingness to deal with the clerical government. He even went so far as to quote from the vaunted Persian poet Saadi, dead for 700 years now.
So the people's demonstrations against the leaders are a direct result of Obama's willingness to do business with the leaders. Gotcha. What's more, this Moussavi learned everything he knows from Barack:
In his campaign, Mr. Moussavi used many tactics that echoed Mr. Obama’s. He pledged to re-engage politically with the United States; he used posters of himself and his wife side by side, and he hired a young chief strategist who said he looked to the Obama campaign for ideas.
He uses posters of himself and his wife! If that doesn't testify to Obama's decisive impact on global affairs, I don't know what does.
My old pal Boris Johnson, mayor of London, is smoking what Helene's smoking. Reflecting on the Supreme Leader's decision to use Friday prayers for a mass chantalong of "Death to Britain!", Boris's crack geopolitical analysis immediately discerns that this is because, under Obama, America is simply too lovable to be plausible any longer as the Great Satan:
There is a good reason why the ayatollah bashed Britain with such singular ferocity, and it is to do with the Iranians' changing view of America. We have been co-opted to play the role of Great Satan, because America is now led by Barack Obama...
Barack is the Carrie Prejean of Iran. He looks hot, but the mullahs have stripped him of his Great Satan title because of his unfortunate remarks:
Barack Obama has shown the Iranian bourgeoisie that America is willing to engage, to treat their country with respect, and it is that sudden hope – of a new role and status for Iran – that is driving the protesters to see if they can be rid of their crazy regime.
What an incredible leader. By seeking to cut a deal with the "crazy regime," he's driven the masses to overthrow the crazy regime. He's an inspiration to both sides — both the protesters taking to the streets and the Revolutionary Guards gunning them down. And I'm sure if some third party emerges Obama will prove to have been the inspiration to them, too. Even if he just stands there looking bewildered:
This is clear both from the initial "caught in the headlights" reaction by Obama as he temporized — albeit with steely skill — and from accounts of diplomatic and other official sources here.
How many other deer caught in the headlights temporize with such steely skill? Thus, the Obama effect: Doe, a deer, a steely deer has led to ray, a drop of golden sun for the people of Iran.
National Review's The Corner, June 24th 2009 |
