If you think this is another hit piece on Team Oscar’s abortive soiree to Islamist Iran, I only wish it were just that bad. It’s actually worse. Much worse. It seems the rest of the civilized world, particularly America under the Obamamessiah, are adopting exactly the same failed principles of diplomacy as Team Oscar in Iran.
In short, the world in general, and the Obama Administration in particular, are overlooking every horrific crime known to man, in order to establish ‘peaceful’ relations with fascist totalitarian regimes that not only actively seek our violent demise, but swear it loudly and publicly to the rafters every day.
I would call it Neville Chamberlain diplomacy, but that would be too generous. Even Sir Neville had seen enough of Hitler and Nazi Germany, after Hitler abrogated the Munich Agreement by invading the rest of Czechoslovakia, to know that the policy of appeasement with Hitler had been an abject failure. It seems today that the civilized world can’t get slapped in the face hard enough by Iran, Sudan and North Korea to realize it’s long past due to slap back. Hard.
Let us look at recent history with Iran. Let us bypass the Team Oscar olive branch slapped out of President Obama’s hand with the demand for apologies and submission by Ahmadinejad’s Foreign Minister, and go straight to President Obama’s peace video to the Iranian people.
The President’s heartfelt appeal to Iran was met with scorn, derision, and demands for diplomatic concessions and apologies for past wrongs. Nevermind Iran’s. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei not only dismissed President Obama’s overture, but later threw Death to America rallies in the streets of Tehran, to impress upon the Iranian people that the Great Satan was just under new management.
Here are some comparative statements that I found rather eye-opening during my research:
The first is a quote from Adolf Hitler in 1938, regarding Sir Neville and the Munich Pact:
“An impertinent busybody who spoke the ridiculous jargon of an outmoded democracy.”
This is a statement from Iran spokesman Hassan Qashqavi, regarding President Obama’s video:
“It seems that the repetition of the past U.S. administration’s accusations would be in contrast with the slogan of change.”
Here’s a follow-up statement by Ahmadinejad’s media adviser, Ali-Akbar Javanfekr, after the Obama peace video, no doubt with the blessing of leash-holder Mahmoud:
“Our people will never forgive the shooting down of an Iranian passenger airline over the Persian Gulf by a US warship.”
So much for apologies for past wrongs. Mr. Javanfekr, by the way, is referring to the incident in 1988 during the Iran-Iraq War in which the USS Vincennes, mistaking Iran Air Flight 665 for an F-15 fighter in a war zone, shot it down, killing all 290 passengers aboard.
A mistake we compensated Iran for, by the way.
My opinion? Since Iran killed 241 US servicemen in Lebanon in 1983, and has killed at least 170 more in Iraq that we know of, and even more in Afghanistan, I believe that puts us in the apology-demanding column. Again, that’s just me. And only me, it seems.
In addition, the US invites Iran to the Afghanistan Conference in The Hague, seeking their help in stabilizing Afghanistan, even as Iran not only supplies the Taliban with heavy weaponry, but also supplies EFPs to radical Shiite militias in Iraq and trains them in their use. Those EFPs have killed nearly 200 US soldiers, and have shredded many more. Brits, too. They even found an Iranian EFP factory in Sadr City last October. Not exactly what I’d call a trustworthy partner. But that’s just me.
Which brings us to this blackly ironic statement by Mr. Javanfekr:
“Iran enjoys good relations with the world community and its neighbors, but the US military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan is the only source of instability in the region.”
Yet despite all this glaring evidence of Iranian complicity in the mass murders of Allied soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, it’s “Damn The EFPs and Full Speed Hollywood Diplomacy Ahead!”
On the hostage front, Roxana Saberi now enters Day 33 of her Hostage Crisis, Day 68 if you count all the days since her arrest without charge on Jan. 31st. Yet SOS Clinton, without citing the international laws and conventions Iran is violating vis-a-vis Roxana, or threatening diplomatic reprisal in the form of more sanctions, merely renews her futile demands for Roxana’s release, as she did a month ago on March 6th.
Much as former President Jimmy Carter renewed his futile demands for release of the 52 Iranian hostages for 444 days from 1979 to 1981. SSDD. Some have pointed out that Iran does not recognize Roxana’s dual Iranian-American citizenship. The real question is, do we?
Now we hear that the United States will be attending meetings with other nations in negotiating with Iran over their nuclear program, meetings the Bush Administration shunned as an exercise in futility. This, only days after raids on New York banks that uncovered a plot to smuggle bootleg nuclear materials to Iran, raids that have resulted in 118 criminal indictments.
Yet another case, among far too many, that clearly illustrate that Iran’s nuke program is not quite as peaceful as they would have us believe. But no. Let’s talk about eradicating nukes. Right up to Armageddon Day. Churchill had days like this.
Now that we’ve just barely scratched the surface on Iran’s criminal terrorist regime, let us turn to North Korea, yet another totalitarian nightmare worthy of Obama’s Hollywood Diplomacy. President Obama sternly warned North Korea not to launch its Taepo Dong II missile recently. Much as SOS Clinton sternly warned Iran to release Roxana Saberi. And with similar results. In other words, Thunderbirds Were Go for North Korea.
Though widely considered a violation of multiple UN resolutions, the world’s response could not be more tepid. In other words, it could not be more Hollywood. Both China and Russia oppose even strongly-worded statements of condemnation from the UN Security Council, like parents protecting a criminal juvenile delinquent son.
Wouldn’t be the first time. Russia and China could not be more enabling of North Korea than someone delivering a free truckload of Gentleman Jack to a reprobate alcoholic. They also supply Iran and Sudan with all kinds of nice toys as well, in violation of their own endorsed sanctions.
With friends like China and Russia, who needs enemies?
And what has all this Jimmy Carter, Michael Jordan basketball and Hollywood Diplomacy over the years to Kim Jong-Il gotten us? A nuclear test, ballistic missile launches, constant threats of war, and now two American journalist hostages to be tried for espionage. Just like Roxana Saberi now. Boy, Iran and North Korea are just collecting Americans these days, aren’t they?
Yet another matter for stern Hollywood Diplomacy.
Like with genocidal Sudan, for instance. The International Criminal Court in The Hague issues a warrant for crimes against humanity to Dear Leader Omar Bashir, who then flouts that warrant by flying all over the Middle East to conferences in which he professes his innocence.
Yet no one lifts a finger to arrest him, or tries to force his aircraft down in order to bring him to the justice he more than deserves to face in The Hague, as has been done for hijacking terrorists in the past. And let’s face it. What Omar Bashir has done makes hijackers look like Romper Room.
In summary, Iran continues to kill American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, races toward building nukes, loads Hamas and Hezbollah to the gills with rockets and weapons, and continues its Hitler-like demands for apologies and concessions. And Hollywood Diplomacy is the answer. For belligerent North Korea, it’s once again the Hollywood Hills Sign. As it is for Sudan’s now-outlaw leader Omar Bashir, who continues his genocide unimpeded and with impunity, more than sixty years after the world said “Never Again!” after the horrors of the Holocaust in Europe.
Like Anette Benning praising women’s rights in the most misogynist and abusive regime to women on this planet, or Team Oscar totally papering over the Gay Holocaust in Iran in order to give Hollywood Diplomacy a shot, the civilized nations on Planet Earth do no favors to the cause of world peace and stability by playing the Hollywood Diplomacy fiddle as the world burns. Or soon will.
Ironically, it is the hated Israel, despised as far and wide as Winston Churchill once was, that is our only Obi Wan Kenobe Hope. They have no compunction about striking Hamas-bound Iranian weapons convoys in the Sudanese desert, or threatening to take out Iran’s nuclear facilities if Hollywood Obama doesn’t. They’ve done it before. I take them at their word. In fact, Israel is the ONLY nation on earth I can see whose word really means anything.
Before you go calling me a warmonger, I do not seek war. I would much rather see tougher talk and more strangling sanctions, even if they must be from international coalitions that do not involve Russia and China. I know South Korea and Japan would be fully on board. What can North Korea do? Threaten war? They do that every day, just like Iran!
As a veteran, I can tell you that no one hates war more than the soldier. But I can guaran-damn-tee you, Hollywood Diplomacy will only lead us straight into it, just as appeasement led us straight into war with Hitler. All the warning signs are there. Nobody sees them. Or worse, chooses not to, in order to give Hollywood Diplomacy yet another abysmal shot.
In closing, I leave you with the prophetic words of Winston Churchill, on the occasion of Neville Chamberlain’s ‘Peace In Our Time’ speech:
“He could have chosen dishonor or war. He has chosen dishonor. He will get war.”
I ask you. Who was right?
I can see what’s coming. Just like Cassandra. And like Cassandra, I am doomed to have all my warnings, based on the facts and history, go completely ignored until it’s just too damn late.
Perhaps that is the ultimate fate of humanity. To stumble, self-blinded, from one Armageddon to the next, until nothing is left but a dark spot in the universe where Planet Earth once stood. I hope that isn’t the case. Desperately! But I am not encouraged by what I see in the world today, and the history that seems to be repeating itself without end.
Or, perhaps, with an ending that is not quite Hollywood in nature.
A curious but encouraging footnote. It seems Gerald Warner of the Telegraph/UK has voiced the same opinion on all the above as I have, complete with Sudetenland references. Mr. Warner even one-ups me by calling President Obama “The rabbit in North Korea’s headlights.”
The Telegraph UK! Of ALL papers! Hope Spring’s Eternal.
THIS JUST IN: Gen. Odierno stated that the withdrawal of US troops from Iraqi cities like Mosul and Baqubah may be postponed, and may actually rise in number, given the dire circumstances there. One factor? Al Qaeda. Another? Iranian-funded militias modeled after Hezbollah. Need I say more?