A Bridge to Farce (Wizbang)

It seems there were some folks left off the distribution list when they sent that memo detailing how the world loves America again now that Barack Obama has been elevated to POTUS. Obama effigies are making appearances at protests across the Middle East and they're not being shown the respect one might expect for a Lightworker. The latest incarnation is from soon-to-be-diplomatically-engaged Iran:

Hardline demonstrators burn posters of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, during a demonstration in support of the people of Gaza, in front of the Swiss Embassy in Tehran January 13, 2009.

Hardline demonstrators burn posters of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, during a demonstration in support of the people of Gaza, in front of the Swiss Embassy in Tehran January 13, 2009.

Here's the rub - Iran is not at all like the US. Protesters upset over the Gaza offensive over here are free to burn things and extol the need for larger ovens without being tossed in a political prison. Protesters in Iran are not so lucky. If their message doesn't conform to the mullahs' sensibilities they can be disappeared. Anti-US (and Israel) protests in Iran may not (or may) have been explicitly organized by the mullahs, they regardless get the mullahs' seal of approval.

In other words, the new president of the Great Satan is just the next president of the Great Satan.

No words can change the attitudes of Iran's leaders towards the US. We cannot fool ourselves into believing a change in who occupies the Oval Office will foment a groundswell of goodwill across the Middle East. Barack Obama will be reviled just like George W. Bush and Bill Clinton before him. Failing to rein in Iran has been America's greatest foreign policy failure over the past three decades. Whether or not Iran achieves their goal of a nuclear weapon is the gravest challenge facing the Middle East - and they won't be deterred through mere force of personality. The well is already poisoned.

Update: As noted at The Corner:

From a reader:

Note Reuters photo description....

"Hardline demonstrators".

Adjective to show these people are crazy, unlike those who burned pictures of Bush

Comments (20)

You mean to tell me that ev... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by kbiel | January 13, 2009 1:42 PM | Score: 5 (13 votes cast)

kbiel

You mean to tell me that evil is not sated by popularity and nice words? Who'da thunk it?

Posted on January 13, 2009 13:42

there is much challenging w... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by peabody3000 | January 13, 2009 2:10 PM | Score: -12 (22 votes cast)

peabody3000:

there is much challenging work to be done after 8 disasterous bu$h years

im thankful that not only is his lowly ass headed out the door, but that the bumbling mccain will have precious little to do with the executive branch

Posted on January 13, 2009 14:10

I just picked up my SIL at ... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by Mike | January 13, 2009 3:13 PM | Score: 2 (8 votes cast)

Mike:

I just picked up my SIL at Newark's International area......talking to her, and the people there was very enlightening..........Europe, the Former Soviet blocks and South AMerica are TERRIFIED about the "One's" presidency.......see, they have lived under socialists, dictators and other assorted scum and are well aware of wht is coming......it is a FACT that whenever democrats are in power, brown/yellow/black people DIE. In large numbers.

And almost everyone I spoke to was appalled that a man with so little experience, yet has CHOSEN to associate himself with such people as Wright, Ayers, Rezcko etc.....had even a CHANCE at wining, let alone "won"........I swear to God they knew more about theperfidy of ACORN than the democrats I work with.....

God help us all........

Posted on January 13, 2009 15:13

We cannot fool ourselves... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by Brian | January 13, 2009 4:10 PM | Score: -2 (10 votes cast)

Brian:

We cannot fool ourselves into believing a change in who occupies the Oval Office will foment a groundswell of goodwill across the Middle East.

Who believes that?

Posted on January 13, 2009 16:10

The left thinks islamic ter... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by WildWillie | January 13, 2009 5:58 PM | Score: 1 (11 votes cast)

WildWillie:

The left thinks islamic terrorists only want to kill republicans. I thank GOD GW kept me safe for seven years. Now with Obama, I do not have that feeling. ww

Posted on January 13, 2009 17:58

Baron Von Nostradamus,... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by Dave Noble | January 13, 2009 6:55 PM | Score: -2 (6 votes cast)

Dave Noble:

Baron Von Nostradamus,

"Barack Obama will be reviled just like George W. Bush and Bill Clinton before him.

You're my first choice when I want some bullet-proof prophecy - so hard to find these days.

Here's a thought, but don't let it twist your brain in knots -

He has not been inaugurated yet.

Posted on January 13, 2009 18:55

The left thinks islamic ... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by Brian | January 14, 2009 2:29 AM | Score: -2 (8 votes cast)

The left thinks islamic terrorists only want to kill republicans. I thank GOD GW kept me safe for seven years. Now with Obama, I do not have that feeling.

What a cowardly, disrespectful, and disingenuous thing to say. It was NY and DC that were hit on 9/11. A bunch of Democrats. Where do you live, Willie, that GW kept you safe?

Posted on January 14, 2009 02:29

Yeah, Lightworker Jesus is ... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by Barry in CO | January 14, 2009 5:54 AM | Score: 2 (4 votes cast)

Barry in CO

Yeah, Lightworker Jesus is in for a rude awakening after The Beatification on Jan 20.

RUDE effin' awakening.

Posted on January 14, 2009 05:54

my wife is indonesian, her ... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by sld | January 14, 2009 11:11 AM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)

sld:

my wife is indonesian, her family is there, indonesia cheered when he was elected because they were all led to believe he is muslim........ thats the 4th largest country in the world... who orchestrated that?? her family could not believe i wouldnt vote for him........

Posted on January 14, 2009 11:11

That's what I thought. ... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by max | January 14, 2009 11:26 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

max:

That's what I thought.

Posted on January 14, 2009 11:26

Yep, looks like hope and ch... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by 914 | January 14, 2009 12:24 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)

914:

Yep, looks like hope and change burns just the same as compassionate conservatism.

After seeing the mideast dancing in the streets on 911 I could care less how many of them get rocketed by Israel.

Posted on January 14, 2009 12:24

Dave,Not even inau... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by Baron Von Ottomatic | January 14, 2009 12:35 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

Baron Von Ottomatic:

Dave,

Not even inaugurated yet and still being burned in effigy.

Perhaps I should have written, "Barack Obama is already reviled just like Bush and Clinton before him."

Posted on January 14, 2009 12:35

...and suddenly the opinion... (Below threshold)

13. Posted by hyperbolist | January 14, 2009 1:13 PM | Score: 1 (3 votes cast)

hyperbolist:

...and suddenly the opinions of mobs of jihadist sympathizers matter, Baron?

Maybe they were listening when Obama repeatedly said he wanted to fight and kill Islamic terrorists, even within the borders of "allied" countries like Pakistan. I would have thought saying things that enrage people like that would elevate your opinion of the man.

Posted on January 14, 2009 13:13

Nah, #13, we KNEW he was LY... (Below threshold)

14. Posted by Mike | January 14, 2009 3:08 PM | Score: 1 (3 votes cast)

Nah, #13, we KNEW he was LYING..........
You know like about Campaign Finance.
Not knowing Ayers.
Not "hearing" Wright.
Unaware that Rezcko was also closing that day....
and on and on and on and on and on and on.....

Posted on January 14, 2009 15:08

Mike, stop being a baby, it... (Below threshold)

15. Posted by hyperbolist | January 14, 2009 4:04 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

Mike, stop being a baby, it's unbecoming of someone who probably tells people he's read Atlas Shrugged (but probably hasn't).

Posted on January 14, 2009 16:04

hyperbolist,Your a... (Below threshold)

16. Posted by Baron Von Ottomatic | January 14, 2009 5:57 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)

hyperbolist,

Your assessment might make sense if the photo caption referred to hardline demonstrators "protesting Barack Obama's pre-election pledge to kill Islamic terrorists" rather than Israel's actions in Gaza.

My greater point is that since Mr HopeandChange's foreign policy is thus far indistinguishable from Bush it is folly to believe he will win friends in the Middle East through force of personality. As I stated in the OP, the new president of the Great Satan is just the next president of the Great Satan.

It's nice to see a left-leaning type enthusiastic about expanding military operations into nuclear-armed Pakistan, though.

Posted on January 14, 2009 17:57

Baron,". . .it is fo... (Below threshold)

17. Posted by Dave Noble | January 14, 2009 8:04 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

Baron,
". . .it is folly to believe he will win friends in the Middle East through force of personality."

Probably not, but possibly through intelligent diplomacy.

"Perhaps I should have written, "Barack Obama is already reviled just like Bush and Clinton before him."

Perhaps you should have. Then you would have been stating a fact, instead of making a prognostication for rhetorical effect.

Posted on January 14, 2009 20:04

Dave,It was actual... (Below threshold)

18. Posted by Baron Von Ottomatic | January 14, 2009 10:10 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

It was actually in recognition of the fact Obama is not yet POTUS. But as the pictures bear out - and you seemingly agree - Obama will not enjoy a honeymoon with Iran.

I guess we'll see how different intelligent diplomacy looks from "dumb diplomacy". Neither Obama or Clinton have experience in foreign diplomacy. Inexperience tends to breed mistakes.

Did the Clinton administration practice intelligent diplomacy? What would you consider the crowning diplomatic achievement in the Middle East during Clinton's tenure as POTUS?

Posted on January 14, 2009 22:10

Baron,I don't hold... (Below threshold)

19. Posted by Dave Noble | January 15, 2009 10:14 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Baron,

I don't hold out President Clinton as the paragdigm of smart diplomacy.

But I am quite certain that the go-it-alone macho of the last eight years is not the way to go.

Posted on January 15, 2009 10:14

Hey, Hyperbolist, nice typi... (Below threshold)

20. Posted by Mike | January 15, 2009 11:18 AM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)

Hey, Hyperbolist, nice typical liberal asswipe response.........next time, try addressing my response.

Ah, Obama.....the lies just do not stop...........

Posted on January 15, 2009 11:18