Selective Meddling

While attempting to set a new standard for media butt-snorkling idolatry, the AP inadvertently exposes an inconsistency in President Obama's foreign policy stances....

America's president and Africa's son, Barack Obama dashed with pride onto the continent of his ancestors Saturday, challenging its people to shed tyranny, corruption and conflict in favor of peace. Campaigning to all of Africa, he said "Yes you can."

[...]

"Africa doesn't need strongmen," Obama said. "It needs strong institutions."
The son of a white woman from Kansas and a black man from Kenya, Obama bluntly told Africa to take more responsibility for itself but proclaimed: "America will be with you."

Hmmm...those words have the distinct odor of the previously officially shunned policy of "meddling".

OK, so it isn't really meddling, but it is certainly much stronger rhetoric than we saw out of the President when it came to the uprising in Iran, where he went out of his way not to "meddle".

It would have been nice to see the sycophantic AP print the following graph during the Iran crisis:

America's president, Barack Obama, challenged the Iranian people to shed tyranny, corruption and conflict in favor of peace. Campaigning to all of Iran, he said "Yes you can."

[...]

"Iran doesn't need mullahs and strongmen," Obama said. "It needs strong democracy and freedom." Obama bluntly told Iran: "America will be with you."

Would that have been so hard for the President??

Tonight the role of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be played by Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton is currently being interviewed on CNBC concerning his 'Clinton Global Initiative' and other issues.

When asked about his thoughts on Ahmadinejad's visit to Columbia, Clinton stated that if he were Ahmadinejad, he would have looked to start a dialog, rather than agitate with his words. Clinton felt that this was a big missed opportunity for Ahmadinejad. Of course this is a classic Clinton emotive answer, squishy and feel-good, and essentially worthless to a serious problem.

It also reflects the failure of those on the left to fully comprehend the seriousness of this issue. It is another disheartening case of 'mirror imaging', where one transposes their own western values and logic onto a person who would never think/act that way. Many did it with the Soviets in the past, and many do it with China and different regions of the Middle East today.

Despite what Clinton might hope, Ahmadinejad would never think to initiate a dialog to bring the West and Iran closer together. This should not be a mystery to anyone. We know what Ahmadinejad thinks because he has told us so. He wants to 'wipe out' Israel, and the last time he spoke at the UN called for the return of the 12th Imam, which in his theology would:

"...usher in an era of Islamic justice and bring about the conversion of the heathen amidst flame and fire. The Mahdi will establish Islam as the global religion and will reign for seven years before bringing about the end of the world."

Does this sound like someone who cares if he missed an opportunity to start a dialog, Bill?

Discontent in Iran

Pajamas Media has a consistently good rundown of internal happenings in Iran that you probably wont see on the MSM.

Iran -- Going.... Going.... (Michael Leedeen)

So the mullahs have lied once again to the Iranian people. On Sunday, the regime promised they would not be raising gasoline prices. Less than two days later they raised them by twenty-five percent. Meanwhile housing prices are up one hundred percent, vegetables have tripled, and citizens are beaten up in the streets. And still there are apologists in the West who say this regime has the support of most Iranians.

Show of Force? (Ardeshir Arian)

Just yesterday, in the midst of police beating on two defenseless women in Haft e Tir, a popular square in Tehran, people quickly gathered, holding hands with one another and chanting loud and clear against the police, demanding them to let the women go. The police squad, suddenly frightened, radioed for help, but amid the turmoil they were kicked by a young man. Others released the victims from police custody and helped them escape to safety. The young man who also disappeared in the crowd. And today, reports from Tehran said that in another incident near an upscale shopping mall in the north of the city, a girl was being harassed by a police officer for her dress code, but then she pulled a knife and attacked the policeman. People tried to help the girl, but a special police backup unit quickly arrived and manage to take the the girl away by force.

A witness on the scene told PJ Media that after these reactions against police brutality he feels confident, powerful, and “smells freedom in the air.” Is this the beginning of something more?