Thursday, July 17, 2008
Don't Panic Bush the appeaser
Posted by Andisheh Nouraee on Thu, Jul 17, 2008 at 7:16 PM
What a difference eight weeks make.
On May 15, President Bush mocked Americans who want diplomatic dialogue with Iran -- comparing them to appeasers who bargained with Hitler:
Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along. We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: "Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided." We have an obligation to call this what it is -- the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history.
Last night the U.K.'s Guardian newspaper announced the U.S. plans to open a diplomatic mission in Iran.
Why the about-face? Yo no se.
Maybe those Iranian missiles last week made a bigger impression on the White House than I thought.
Maybe President Bush finally realized that, when oil is at $140 per barrel, oil-addicted nations should try to avoid threatening to start war that could reduce the world's daily supply of oil by 40%.
Maybe Bush started reading my column.
Whatever happened, I can't imagine the McCain campaign is pleased with Bush's flip-flop.
McCainiacs can't attack Obama for wanting to talk with Iran when President Bush is opening diplomatic missions there.
Bush can do McCain a favor though and denounce himself as an appeaser.
Comments (4)
Showing 1-4 of 4
As John Kerry would say, Bush has a "nuanced" position. The slam on Obama is negotiating without pre-condition (which should never be done), not the act of diplomacy itself. The slam is also on Obama for not knowing how and to whom we negotiated since about 1917. I will grant that most of the voters in this country will not see the distinction, mainly becasue the journalists in this country will not see it either.
like
dislike
Yes Dale. In fact, you are the ONLY person with an understanding of Obama's flaws. I look forward to many more years of enlightened posts featuring your unique understanding of Obama. Bush is a sad example of our rotten political culture, throwing out Nazi appeaser references like they're harmless ape rape jokes. I understand that Obama is no savior. What's heartening is that he does too. I can only hope that eight years in the White House won't turn his brain to mush like our current leader.
Latest in Fresh Loaf
-
Town hall meeting on Ashford, er, Brookhaven… whatever 2
Someone has proposed turning DeKalb County into one big fat city
-
Ringling Bros. Circus kicks off tonight, but there's an elephant in the room 5
Or, tent, I suppose
-
Blogging today: Lines get fuzzier at AJC and elsewhere 9
New AJC blog blurs line between editorial and marketing
- More »
Author Archives
-
What can we learn from the 9/11 anniversary? 37
Ten years later, a TV terrorpalooza rings hollow
- More »
