The Two (Long) Faces of John Kerry
It’s no surprise that John Kerry was against talking to Iran before he was for it:
We are all inspired by Iran’s peaceful demonstrations, the likes of which have not been seen there in three decades. Our sympathies are with those Iranians who seek a more respectful, cooperative relationship with the world. Watching heartbreaking video images of Basij paramilitaries terrorizing protesters, we feel the temptation to respond emotionally.
There’s just one problem. If we actually want to empower the Iranian people, we have to understand how our words can be manipulated and used against us to strengthen the clerical establishment, distract Iranians from a failing economy and rally a fiercely independent populace against outside interference. Iran’s hard-liners are already working hard to pin the election dispute, and the protests, as the result of American meddling.
John Kerry, op ed, New York Times, June 18, 2009
The White House appears fine with letting John Kerry head over to Tehran to chat up Iran’s leaders, but the senator will be doing so of his own accord, a senior administration official said Thursday.
The Massachusett Democrat’s office has not yet said whether Kerry will go, but if he does, it would be the highest-ranking visit by a U.S. envoy to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution that put the mullahs in charge. Also unclear is whether Iran would welcome a Kerry visit.
“This is the kind of trip that is appropriate for the chair of Senate Foreign Relations Committee,” the official told Fox News. “This is a Kerry initiative and not at the behest of the White House.”
Fox News story, December 24, 2009
Now, you could rightly argue that the two stories not only don’t contradict, they reinforce each other. Or you could try.
But in what sort of magical language does he intend to speak to them that will accomplish his “initiative” without “meddling”? And why is the executive branch, where foreign policy is decided, so apathetic? The most destabilizing country in the world today is simultaneously on the verge of civil war and of gaining nuclear weapons—and the best we have to offer in response is Botox Buttocks himself, the Windsurfin’ Kid?
This is a joke, right? Please, tell me this is a joke.
Buck O'Fama said,
December 27, 2009 @ 12:50 pm
Do you know why Obama made Kerry his special adviser on global issues (aka “unpaid thumbsucker”)? It’s because someone in the Obumbler Administration figured one half wit plus another half wit equals a whole wit.
Saul Levy said,
December 27, 2009 @ 1:14 pm
The only problem is they are all INCOMPETENT BUMBLERS!