Monday, March 23, 2009

If at first you don't succeed...

President Obama must agree with this sentiment, because he certainly keeps on trying. As reported earlier, his very public overture to Russia was rebuffed, and now the same fate has befallen his videotaped message of peace and friendship to Iran. Iranian Ayatollah Khamenei called it merely a 'slogan.' Obama's response: keep on trying.

What I don't understand is why this administration prefers to lead with its most valued asset. Normally, diplomats or special envoys work behind the scenes to set up a deal; only when everything is in place is the prestige of the President put on the line. Once Obama has been rebuffed personally, what tools does he have left? And what does any of this have to do with fixing the problem, which is Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons and their missile delivery systems?

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