NYT - Facinating Article - President Obama's Muslim Outreach Unintentionally Destibilized Iran

[TomCADem]

This is a great article about the law of unintended consequences. Basically:

1. President Obama's outreach to Muslims had the powerful effect of not making the U.S. look so evil to muslims in the Middle East.

2. President Obama was sincere in trying to reach a diplomatic solution with Iran, and was willing to negotiate with Iranian hardliners.

3. #1 served to undercut hardline leaders in Iran who depended on demonizing the West forcing hardliners to steal the election.

4. Stealing the Iran election (#3) created unrest in Iran, as moderates in Iran contested the election.

5. The unrest in Iran (#4)undercuts President Obama's ability to engage with Iran diplomatically (#2).

Overall, its a very facinating, but well thought out article that illustrates the complex nature of diplomacy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/magazine/02Iran-t.html?ref=global-home&pagewanted=print

[BlooInBloo]

1. "destabilized"

[TomCADem]

2. Oops

fixed it

[BlooInBloo]

3. Um...

:rofl:

[HopeOverFear]

4. Fascinating

not "facinating" :)

[TomCADem]

8. Doh!

Okay, please just ignore my inability to hunt and peck, and just click directly into the article. My intro does not do it justice.

B-)

[Uzybone]

5. KnR

[Teaser]

6. Good. Iran needs "destablized"

.

[Strong Atheist]

7. +1. nt.

[FrenchieCat]

9. Unintentionally......?

Don't think so.

[TomCADem]

10. You Have To Admit - The Lack Of Stability Undercuts Diplomatic Efforts

Iran is now in turmoil, which does complicate efforts to reach a diplomatic agreement. I am sure President Obama is not shedding any tears over the hardliners, but I do think his main concern is not un-seating the hardliners, but addressing Iran's nuclear programs.

[StevieM]

11. It'amazing how little people in this country understand Iran

What happened in their elections had nothing to do with us. Republicans claim it was Bush's invasion of Iraq and subsequent elections there that "inspired" them. Democrats credit some speech in Cairo. It's all nonsense.

What happened in Iran has been building for 12 years, going back to the election of Mohammed Khatami. They have always had these elections scheduled, and reformist candidates have been on the ballot for the last 4 elections. They won landslide victories in 97 and 01. In 2005 the Iranian people, fed up with their elected officials not being allowed to govern, boycotted the polls. That allowed Amadinejad to make the second round, where he faced Rafsanjani who was too corrupt and hated to win. Four years later, he got blown out. It had nothing to do with Bush's policies or Obama's speeches.

Steve