Breaking - Obama has fugged up the neo-cons

[malaise]

yet again.
Iran has agreed to removal of uranium and to destroy some facilities starting January 20.

Broke on M$NBComcast

[Coyotl]

1. You can't fight peace!

[malaise]

4. Link

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/10/iran-nuclear-deal-implementation_n_4576625.html
<snip>
Iran's nuclear envoy in Geneva says an initial agreement has been reached on implementing a nuclear deal with six world powers and that it's been sent to capitals for approval.

Abbas Araghchi made the comments to the official IRNA news agency. He said world powers and the Iranian government should respond within two days about whether they accept the terms.

An official from a member country of the United Nations nuclear agency who is closely following the talks said a preliminary agreement was reached Friday evening. He demanded anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the closed negotiations.

While not a final deal, it maps out a first-step agreement for six months as diplomats negotiate a final deal. A November deal calls for capping Iran's uranium enrichment program in return for an easing of some international sanctions.

[Cha]

2. That's Good!

[madokie]

3. imagine what it could be if he had a congress that actually worked for us and with him

[malaise]

5. They will have no choice but to back off now

[MadashellLynn]

68. Even if they did he said

he would veto any bill that came across his desk that had additional sanctions against Iran in it.

[closeupready]

94. Did he? My respect for him just increased hugely for that.

[Squinch]

52. This is very true.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

55. truly!

Makes me wonder about peeps here who pounded their fists about how they would refuse to vote for him in 2012, or worse, beat their chests about how awful the dems are they wouldn't vote in midterms 2010.....

[Hekate]

70. Which begs the question of why it's so popular here to ignore GOTV 2014...

... skip right to 2016, swear to not vote for anyone deemed ideologically impure in either '14 or '16... Also to post articles referring to Obama's Plantations....

Imagine what it would be like if Obama had a Congress that would work with him. >smh<

Now I have the Beatles' song stuck in my head, thanks to you.

[BlueStreak]

101. They will claim it was their belligerance that won the day

This will only embolden AIPAC to keep behaving that way with their pack of beholden Senators in tow.

[Cha]

6. The President's statement if you can read it..

the Obama diary

[malaise]

13. Thanks Cha

[ybbor]

7. Yeah but what about ...

Benghazi?!!!!

[Maynar]

11. Ohmygaw!

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[marias23]

88. Is that the new dance?

[yellowwoodII]

8. So Glad That You Brought This Up.

This issue is so much more important than some of the trivial issues that some people get excited about. This agreement with Iran is best news that we have had in a long time.
Yes, the neocons want to screw it up. And they aren't all Republicans.
Pay attention to this one. If your Democratic Senator is one supporting more sanctions, let him know that we're tired of this.

[Whisp]

45. '''And they aren't all Republicans. '''

you got that right!

[jberryhill]

54. That's part of the negotiation dynamic

It's not as if Iran doesn't read the papers.

IMHO it would be naive to assume recent goings on in the Senate did not motivate them to take the best deal they could get while it was possible to do so.

[hedda_foil]

74. Agree ^^ I think the Senate was playing the bad cop role to O and Kerry's goo cop.

"Better take this deal Rouhani. I don't know how much longer we can hold the Congress off."

[jberryhill]

78. Chris Coons (DE)

He was pretty much a sacrificial lamb candidate before the teabags took out Mike Castle with Christine "I am not a witch" O'Donnell. That anyone in DE would take a stand against Joe Biden on foreign policy strikes me as "bad cop" role play.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

9. Thanks Obama!!

[TheDebbieDee]

10. O has negotiated for Peace? Again? Thanks, Obama!

[B Calm]

12. I'll bet old John McCain is pissed!

[malaise]

15. THen it's a good day

[asjr]

25. First thing I thought also. I wonder how his

buddy Tweedle Dumb Lindsey managed to get to the bathroom in time.

[B Calm]

63. They probably are both in the bathroom discussing

how they'll spin this. . .

[karynnj]

102. Probably - he was serious whan he said Kerry was a wrecking ball in ME policy

He meant his neo policy. It is great that Obama really has been able to start changing course. We need to have his and John Kerry's back.

[randome]

14. This can't be right. Obama is being blackmailed by the NSA to support the MIC.

I know because I read it somewhere.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You have to play the game to find out why you're playing the game. -Existenz[/center][/font][hr]

[SunSeeker]

16. LOL nt

[Orrex]

19. That's why he closed the George Washington Bridge.

[Whisp]

46. heh heh. He's just playing Kabuki theatre, at the last second he will bomb Iran instead

scrape the country of it's wealth and hand it all over to the Koch Bros. because he is pResident Evil.

[Number23]

56. Oh dear God... dare I even ask where that jewel of puerile pessimistic poop came from?

A pro-Ron Paul web site? A particularly feverish Alex Jones fan?

Oh, who I am kidding, we both know it came straight from the hallowed halls of Democratic Underground -- General Discussion. Didn't it?? And probably from someone too demented to be taken seriously even on an Alex Jones web site but probably has a slew of fans here because s/he's represents the "left," right??

[Whisp]

61. from the vaulted halls of DU, of course.

I think you can take a really good guess as to who to assign these words of constant moaning and whinging belong to, in this particular trademarked tone.

[joshcryer]

75. Same guy who thought Paul Ryan pick = austerity conspiracy theory.

Really.

[WinstonSmith4740]

17. Isn't this the issue he's fighting some democrats on?

This is great news...I just hope his own party doesn't leave him twisting in the wind on this.

[malaise]

20. Yes - there are neo-cons in the Democratic party as well

The warmongers will be exposed.

[L0oniX]

26. Only the ones with MIC stocks will complain.

[JDPriestly]

18. K&R. Good News.

[Laxman]

21. It's a Hardball World Son....

we've got to keep our heads until this peace craze blows over!

?t=1m

[reACTIONary]

62. The Duality of Humanity...

[UtahLib]

22. K&R Great news! n/t

[Iliyah]

23. K & R

Seems like our lovely congress loves sending our children to fight their wars huh.

[L0oniX]

24. OMG ...what will McCain and his little lap dog do now?

[rurallib]

40. like this will slow them down

[SamKnause]

27. Just say no to war.

Excellent news.

[Cha]

28. From LBN.. "Obama Will Veto Iran Sanctions During Nuclear Negotiations"

"Unprecedented sanctions and tough diplomacy helped to bring Iran to the negotiating table, and I’m grateful to our partners in Congress who share our goal of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Imposing additional sanctions now will only risk derailing our efforts to resolve this issue peacefully, and I will veto any legislation enacting new sanctions during the negotiation."

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/obama-veto-threat-iran-sanctions

DonViejo http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014695602#post4

[malaise]

29. Excellent

GObama - we want peace.

[hue]

32. Thanks Cha!!

[Cha]

34. Welcome, hue! I thought

the other day he might Veto their sanctions without this development but now it's a no brainer.

[hue]

39. President Obama's diplomacy skills are greatly underrated & unappreciated.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

97. But he is always "leading from behind"!

whatever the hell that means.

However, whatever he is doing is certainly better and more effective than whatever the hell Bush/Cheney were doing. From what I understand, we actually had a good opportunity to improve our relationship with Iran post-9/11 as Iran reportedly gave us intel to use against AQ and the "moderates" there were gaining influence in their government but then Bush and his speechwriter decided to make them part of his so-called "Axis of Evil", which pretty much seemed to piss away any goodwill that was apparently fostered with them post-9/11. Plus, I'm sure us invading Iraq in 2003 pushed them even further towards the need/desire to obtain nuclear weapons since we showed the world not only that our "leaders" are willing to manufacture or distort "evidence" of possessing WMDs to invade another country (which, incidentally, happened to be its regional neighbor) but that we would NOT invade countries whom openly flaunted that they possess WMDs (i.e. North Korea).

[spanone]

30. a big k&r....

[hue]

31. This is news Repukes/RW'ers don't want us to hear & understand the importance of.

[flamingdem]

33. Hat tip to the peacemakers

[Jesus Malverde]

35. Amazing. President Obama surprises again!...nt

[Douglas Carpenter]

36. this is good

[Populist_Prole]

37. Yeah...well...He's gonna try to ban all our guns. You just watch!........ Yargle yargle yargle

That's what a conservative friend of mine said when Bin Laden got smoked. Can't wait to float his one by him. He'll no doubt take refuge in his usual redoubt: Gun humpery.

[TroglodyteScholar]

80. If it's a successful move to avoid war with brown people, a conservative friend...

...will not see it as any kind of victory.

Don't you know?

[Populist_Prole]

82. All too well

My main point, albeit buried under sarcasm, is the cognitive dissonance that afflict many cons. They know avoiding a war is a good thing compared to fighting an expensive and unwinnable one, but they feel like they have to talk trash if it's brought about by the other team.

[karynnj]

103. True - they might even use McCain's analogy and complain the entire Obama fp is a wrecking ball.

They might not notice that this DIPLOMACY might do what they intended to do with WAR (in Iraq) - remake the Middle East. The differences - in addition to not killing people - is that there will be more control over how this changes thing.

Using war for change is like throwing a deck of cards with the alphabet on them up in the air and expecting them to fall in alphabetical order. It is unlikely to happen - yet that idea was not far from the neo cons' "logic".

[cinnabonbon]

38. That's great!

[Jamaal510]

41. Barack Obama--the worst warmonger I have ever seen. eom

[agent46]

42. Yep - fugging up the neo-cons and

All the while, greasing up this country for a royal neo-liberal butt fugging.

[rudolph the red]

43. Just like NK did, yeah!

[lame54]

44. That's Frickin Awesome...

The only explosion McCain's gonna see is when his head pops

[malaise]

47. Spitting my sorrel drink

[Ineeda]

48. Or when his sphincter finally lets go,

resulting in an explosive release of the fecal matter he's full of.

[spanone]

49. c'mon malaise, you know that Obama the muslim is in cahoots with the mullahs...

you're so gullible....

[malaise]

51. True true

it's that communist socialist Marxist Muslim alliance again

[3catwoman3]

50. President Obama plays...

3 dimensional chess, not Whack-a-Mole.

Live long and prosper, Mr. President.

[tclambert]

53. "Waaah! He-he stopped us from starting another war! Why does he hate America?"

It's so sad to see the death merchants sobbing like babies.

[brer cat]

57. Ah, a little peace for a change.

Thank you, PBO.

[pacalo]

58. I love it!

[malaise]

59. Love that

[pacalo]

60. To the war profiteers...

[sheshe2]

66. Touchdown yet again pacalo!

Thanks Obama!

[ReRe]

64. More than just neo-cons...

... but I'll never say their name...

[malaise]

65. Check pacalo's reply at #60

Perfect

[JoePhilly]

95. Putin stoped him!!!!

[sheshe2]

67. Told you I had this!

[malaise]

84. Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

[marble falls]

69. But they've been counting on this war!

[Barack_America]

71. Poor Bibi, thwarted again. Nt

[grantcart]

72. yet again.

All dressed up for war and the President takes all their fun away.

Thanks, Obama.

[hrmjustin]

73. Great news for the world. Bad news for the war mongers.

[Octafish]

76. + Infinity

Neocons of all poltical stripes.

[joshcryer]

77. Obama earning that peace prize one act at a time.

Now if only he'll stop the drone program.

[Amonester]

79. And the TPP.

Agreed with him earning that peace prize more than once already!

[joshcryer]

86. Fortunately TPP requires Congress to pass.

So we should have a week or more to go apeshit about its details before it is allowed to pass. It's unfortunate that its details are so far kept secret.

[TroglodyteScholar]

81. "Now if only he'll stop the drone program."

Has there been any indication that he wants to?

[joshcryer]

85. Nope.

It's 1000x less murderous than invading countries, so internally he probably justifies it that way.

[Hekate]

83. Kicking

[Vattel]

87. If this works out, it will be Obama's greatest foreign policy achievement.

Obama, like Clinton and Carter before him, is not a warmonger. He has not done enough to resist the pressure to kill people in places like Afghanistan and Pakistan and Yemen, he has driven the last nail into Congress's war powers, and he has done virtually nothing to change the militarist culture of the Federal government, but if he succeeds in ending combat operations in Afghanistan and he keeps us from going to war with Iran, he will have done far better than any Republican president would do.

[Chemisse]

89. Oh noes!! Now we can't bomb-bomb Iran!

Quick, McCain. Find something war-worthy about this!

[Javaman]

90. this just in from fox news...

benghazi!!!!

[Proud Liberal Dem]

98. Can't they just give it a rest (rhetorical question)?

[Xyzse]

91. That sounds great.

[yellowwoodII]

92. Senator Kirk of Illinois

Here's one of the most avid proponents of more sanctions. If you live in Illinois, please ask him to support the President's initiatives

[klook]

93. Gates was right

Obama's heart just wasn't in it.

Now the neocons will have to wait to get their war on.

[ProSense]

96. Kerry's statement

Update on P5+1 Negotiations With Iran

Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC

January 12, 2014

We've taken a critical, significant step forward towards reaching a verifiable resolution that prevents Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

On January 20, in just a few short days, we will begin implementation of the Joint Plan of Action that we and our partners agreed to with Iran in Geneva.

As of that day, for the first time in almost a decade, Iran’s nuclear program will not be able to advance, and parts of it will be rolled back, while we start negotiating a comprehensive agreement to address the international community’s concerns about Iran’s program.

Because of the determined and focused work of our diplomats and technical experts, we now have a set of technical understandings for how the parties will fulfill the commitments made at the negotiating table. These understandings outline how the first step agreement will be implemented and verified, as well as the timing of implementation of its provisions.

Iran will voluntarily take immediate and important steps between now and January 20 to halt the progress of its nuclear program. Iran will also continue to take steps throughout the six months to live up to its commitments, such as rendering the entire stockpile of its 20% enriched uranium unusable for further enrichment. As this agreement takes effect, we will be extraordinarily vigilant in our verification and monitoring of Iran’s actions, an effort that will be led by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The United States and the rest of our P5+1 partners will also take steps, in response to Iran fulfilling its commitments, to begin providing some limited and targeted relief. The $4.2 billion in restricted Iranian assets that Iran will gain access to as part of the agreement will be released in regular installments throughout the six months. The final installment will not be available to Iran until the very last day.

While implementation is an important step, the next phase poses a far greater challenge: negotiating a comprehensive agreement that resolves outstanding concerns about the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.

As the United States has made clear many times, our absolute top priority in these negotiations is preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. We have been clear that diplomacy is our preferred path because other options carry much greater costs and risks and are less likely to provide a lasting solution.

We now have an obligation to give our diplomats and experts every chance to succeed in these difficult negotiations. I very much appreciate Congress’ critical role in imposing the sanctions that brought Iran to the table, but I feel just as strongly that now is not the time to impose additional sanctions that could threaten the entire negotiating process. Now is not the time for politics. Now is the time for statesmanship, for the good of our country, the region, and the world.

We are clear-eyed about the even greater challenges we all face in negotiating a comprehensive agreement. These negotiations will be very difficult, but they represent the best chance we have to resolve this critical national security issue peacefully, and durably.

http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2014/01/219566.htm

[karynnj]

104. Reading this, I can help but remember his sincere plea in 1971 that American foreign policy would

change because of what was learned at great cost in Vietnam. Changing America's foreign policy has been a goal of a lifetime for Kerry - and very likely why he fought to win the Presidency in 2004 - starting when Bush polled above 75% and going forward when Bush was still in the 60s in 2003. It is fantastic that Obama has taken the political risks - using Kerry's skills both when he was chair of SFRC and as SoS - to try to use diplomacy to resolve this problem and maybe help bring Iran back into the circle of nations. It is never good to have pariah nations - and particularly bad when they are as big and potentially successful as Iran is.

It is amazing to think of how much change can come to the Middle East if Iran moved away from both a nuclear weapon and took additional steps to stop backing terrorists - the latter not being part of this effort, but a logical follow up. If this all happens, Iran will be as much an Obama foreign policy achievement as ACA is a domestic achievement. (Ironically, politically it will initially be as controversial.)

This COULD seal Obama as the best President of the last 50 years. In fact, I remember sitting with my youngest daughter when she had the history assignment of listing the Presidents since FDR in order of how good you think they are. I did NOT want to give her my order, but helped her by suggesting she create a list of big good and bad things they did. The intent was she could then use that netting the bad from the good to create her order. The hard thing was that none lacked something bad and it really was not as easy as it sounded to get any "net" goodness estimate. Mathematically, it sounded so much easier than it was when she tried to do it. (For instance, LBJ's civil rights and great society - Medicare, food stamps, etc are impressive, but he expanded the Vietnam War. I mention LBJ because I never thought in 1968 that I would ever consider listing him as good or even thinking about it.)

I don't know if anyone other than my daughter used this type of approach, but it did force her to really go through all those Presidencies and think of the long term impacts of each and then use her own values to create her order. All they had to turn in was the order.

The interesting thing with Obama is that he kept the economy from going off the cliff it was approaching as he became President and is still working - against great forces - to make it better, he passed ACA and potentially if he leaves relations with Iran more peaceful than they were he will have major pluses. (Not to mention, if he gets an Israeli/Palestinian pact and Syria is stabalized by diplomacy.) Yet, what are his negatives? Seriously when the Republicans are stuck with a recitation of things that all fall apart, it is hard to see them carrying weight when looked at by students 40 years from now.

He might, in retrospect, be seen by our side like FDR - with major achievements and only minor negatives.

[Wait Wut]

99. I've been sick with the flu...

...back at work, still feeling like shit.

I feel soooooooo much better, now. I swear I heard birds singing. Okay, it's probably the cold meds, but...still. Thank you for brightening my morning and giving me hope for us all.

[malaise]

100. Glad you're feeling better

Flu sucks