Chan Lowe cartoon: Crazy Mahmoud
So much for engagement.
Engagement only works when the guy you're trying to engage is rational. Remember the Cuban Missile Crisis? Both President Kennedy and Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev were veterans of WWII. Kennedy knew that his adversary had experienced what all-out war can do to a nation--in the USSR's case, wipe out nine million of its citizens.
He knew that behind all the saber-rattling, Khrushchev was worth engaging, because he understood the argument that mutual annihilation benefited no one.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad does not act like someone who is aware of the possible consequences of his actions. Either that, or he's performing one of the most daring high-wire acts of all time.
The Israelis are realists. After all, it's their country these missiles crazy Mahmoud is waving around are aimed at. They're not going to sit around forever while President Obama conducts a debating society, or relies on leaky "sanctions" that the Chinese have a vested, petroleum-based interest in sabotaging.
Proof once again that it's a whole lot easier to conduct a Foreign Policy of Change We Can Believe In from the campaign lectern than from the Oval Office.
CHAN LOWE has been the Sun Sentinel’s first and only editorial cartoonist for the past twenty-six years. Before that, he worked as cartoonist and writer for the Oklahoma City Times and the Shawnee (OK) News-Star.
Comments
But that's the beauty of the plan: President Obama gets to sound all statesmanlike, while the Israelis take out the nuclear facilities.
Posted by: Tom | September 28, 2009 8:26 PM
Since President Obama was elected to clean the mess conveniently left by the previous administration, it may look fair (if not safe...) to let Israël deal with crazy Mahmoud to explain why it is acceptable for Israël to possess Nuclear Warheads while denying Iran to do the same.
Posted by: Phil | September 29, 2009 6:28 AM
When the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was enacted, decades ago, it seemed to me that the town drunks were trying to get everyone else to take the pledge. Why is anyone surprised that so many others in town want to join the party?
Posted by: Edgar R. Schneider | September 29, 2009 9:11 AM
Has everyone forgotten the lies about WMD's in Iraq? The lies about Iran's nuclear capability are equally transparent, and the idea that either country could ever be a threat to the US or to Israel is ridiculous.
And the publicized version of the Cuban missile crisis was just grandstanding by Kennedy. In truth, the missiles were removed from Cuba in exchange for the US removing missiles in Turkey aimed at the adjacent USSR, and for promising not to invade Cuba.
Posted by: Jan | September 29, 2009 10:32 AM
Jan: Have you lost your mind? Sure Bush was lying for years when he said Iran was building a bomb, but BO isn't when he says it? Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has SAID he will wipe Israel off the map, he has said he will spark the return of "al-Mahdi" and the "end times" - he's a fanatic. And one who's beliefs include the death of all who do not think like him. Get on with it already.
Blame it on Bush, or Clinton or Reagan or Washington for that matter, the point is what will BO do about this? Why would the Israeli's do anything? Because they have to. BO should go to Tehran and give them a good talking to! Face to face with no preconditions. Remember? In the final analysis this President will have to deal with reality like all the one's before him. Scary, Ugly reality with bad and evil men and everything. Change you can believe in alright.
Posted by: Stevie | September 29, 2009 12:20 PM