tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36404602.post528795263839208853..comments2023-10-26T05:08:20.977-04:00Comments on Connecting.the.Dots: Tougher Than Thou on IranROBERT STEINhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11999996852219220599noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36404602.post-20368218653203408112009-06-16T21:20:56.627-04:002009-06-16T21:20:56.627-04:00The Republicans want Obama to fail. Hence, the stu...The Republicans want Obama to fail. Hence, the stupid advice.<br /><br />For Obama to take a heavy-handed approach would likely reunite the Iranian people against a perceived American bully, as was the case when George Bush 43 was president.<br /><br />Obama's hands-off approach may be a major problem for the Iranian dictators.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36404602.post-63308669630541565692009-06-16T17:08:08.287-04:002009-06-16T17:08:08.287-04:00I couldn't agree more ... so I'll just chi...I couldn't agree more ... so I'll just chime in with a few more thoughts:<br /><br />I have no near-term optimism for a positive outcome in Iran; the default condition of all dictators is oppression. Perhaps the more immediate challenge is not whether the Iranian reformist movement will prevail, but containing neo-con sentiments here at home, i.e., McCain’s theme song: Bomb, bomb Iran.<br /><br />The U.S. has the potential to screw this up if we undertake provocative actions that will alienate the younger generation … who comprise 66% of the population and will eventually dominate Iranian politics after the aging clerics die off. Lets just hope it is our side that DOES NOT get the itchy trigger finger (in contrast to last time when our CIA did screw things up resulting in a generation of enmity between our respective countries).(O)CT(O)PUShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07589336822561030860noreply@blogger.com