In his address to the United Nations on Thursday, Obama repeated for the umpteenth time that “the United States and the international community seek a resolution to our differences with Iran, and the door remains open to diplomacy should Iran choose to walk through it.” Shortly thereafter, while speaking to the same audience, Iranian President MahmoudHow much more proof does President Obama need to realize his policy of engagement with Iran is the political and diplomatic equivalent of casting pearls before pigs? Ahmadinejad slammed the door shut, telling the U.N. that the 9/11 attacks on America were mounted by “some segments within the U.S. government orchestrated the attack to reverse the declining American economy and its grips on the Middle East in order also to save the Zionist regime. The majority of the American people, as well as other nations and politicians, agree with this view.”
There are only two possible explanations for this irrationality: Either Iran’s president is wholly out of touch with reality, or he intentionally uttered this transparent nonsense to demonstrate his utter lack of fear about the response he would get from Obama. Either way, it is clear beyond any doubt that Obama’s strategy for dealing with the nuclear-arming Iranian regime is a colossal failure. Iran has repeatedly rejected the U.S. olive branches and continues its genocidal threats to wipe Israel off the map. These facts expose the complete absurdity of State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley’s rejoinder to Ahmadenijad: “We didn’t offer engagement with Iran because we agree with what Ahmadinejad says. We have offered engagement with Iran because we think it’s in our national security interest.”
Obama is not unique in failing to confront Iran. President George W. Bush tried unsuccessfully for eight years to rally the international community behind sanctions, but was undermined by Russian and Chinese recalcitrance and duplicity. Consequently, there is little time left to prevent the unthinkable of a nuclear-armed Iran. The ultimate solution is in the hands of the Iranian people, and they made clear during the Green Revolution of 2009 that they are ready for change. The U.S. should make clear its support of the Iranian people by supporting their democracy movement in every way possible. We should do so publicly and without apology because it is the right thing to do and because it will immensely strengthen those in Iran who are seeking freedom. And the U.S. should make careful use of its abundant covert and overt military capabilities — and those of its willing allies — to either stop the Iranian nuclear program, or to render it useless.
Either we do these things or we accept a world at the mercy of Iran’s nuclear madmen.
