Obama's Carter Moment

By now the comparison between President Barack Obama and former-President Jimmy Carter is well established.  Both Presidents came to power only after the overhyped “death” of the Republican Party in 1976 and 2008, both Presidents had promised renewed peace and talks with our chief (which both failed), and under both Presidents, the economy faltered.

Yet, with uprisings in Egypt sweeping their nation, another similarity comes into focus: the fall of Iran under Carter and President Obama’s handling of Egypt.  This is Obama’s Carter moment.

In 1978, Iran was one of the biggest allies of the United States in the Middle East.  It was run by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who had run the country for over thirty years.  Oil rich and strategically important, the United States had protected Iranian interests for years.  However, by 1978, revolution was foaming.

]]>< ![CDATA[Carter’s policies did more to encourage the Iranian fundamentalists than to stop them. They did nothing to prevent Ayatollah Ruollah Khomeinei to return to the country and when Islamist Shias forced moderates and democrats from the interim government.

Revolts began in that very year, and by January of 1979 the Shah had left the country.  In February, the country fell to Islamic extremists, and has yet to return.  In late 1979, 52 Americans were captured in Iran and held as captives until the day President Ronald Reagan was inaugurated in 1981.

In the chaos, oil production in Iran greatly declined.  This led to what is known as the “Second Oil Crisis.” Cars lined up across Americans streets, while Carter delivered his Malaise Speech.  Come 1980, the United States had had enough of Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan was elected President.

Now, let’s come back to the present.  In 2010, Egypt was one of the biggest allies in the Middle East.  It was run by Hosni Mubarak, who has run the country for thirty years.  Strategically important, the United States had protected Egyptian interests for years.  However, by 2010, revolution was foaming.

Yet the Obama Administration sat on its hands and did nothing.  To average Americans, they are following no clear path to help Egypt.  In fact, Obama believed that Egypt was “stable” as recently as… January 27.  He was wrong. Even Vice President Biden now infamously said that Mubarak, one of the most autocratic leaders of the regions, was not a dictator.