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June 16, 2009 12:43 PM

Obama: "Not Productive" To Be Seen As Meddling

Posted by Brian Montopoli
(AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
At the end of a press conference with South Korean president Lee Myung-Bak today, President Obama said it is important that he not be seen as "meddling" in the Iranian election process.

"It's not productive, given the history of U.S.-Iranian relations, to be seen as meddling – the U.S. president meddling in Iranian elections," Mr. Obama said.

Echoing his comments yesterday, the president said that both he and the world have "deep concerns" about the election results in Iran. He suggested he believes Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is responding to unrest among the Iranian people.

"You've seen in Iran some initial reaction from the supreme leader that indicates he understands the Iranian people have deep concerns about the election," said Mr. Obama.

The president went on to say that "something has happened in Iran where there is a questioning of the kinds of antagonistic postures towards the international community that have taken place in the past, and that there are people who want to see greater openness, and greater debate, and want to see greater democracy."

"How that plays out over the next several days and several weeks is something ultimately for the Iranian people to decide, but I stand strongly with the universal principle that peoples' voices should be heard and not suppressed," he said.

The president added that "when I see violence directed at peaceful protesters, when I see peaceful dissent being suppressed, wherever that takes place, it is of concern to me and it's of concern to the American people."

"That is not how governments should interact with their people. And my hope is is that the Iranian people will make the right steps in order for them to be able to express their voices, to express their aspirations," he said.
Tags:
Barack Obama ,
Iran
Topics:
Iran
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Add a Comment See all 22 Comments
by globalcoolin June 17, 2009 12:10 AM EDT
Obama already meddled with his bowing and apologizing on the world stage. He just don't know how to lead!
Blogs are filling with "he's doing the best he can" in pleading tones--but don't buy that!
All he knows is campaign to be popular,firmly and confidently bow and appologize and arrange massive amounts of money to go to friends pockets... to keep his friends.
Reply to this comment
by lloydbest1 June 16, 2009 9:19 PM EDT
I think the operative phrase here is "To be SEEN as meddling" (my emphasis).

There will be meddling, count on it. It may be subtle but the heavy hand of American foreign policy will try to manipulate this situation to the advantage of the already-too-rich-and-too-powerful.

It may not be obvious to those of us away from the State Department, but we've had too long and too entrenched a history of not leaving well enough alone - usually because some big wheel felt shortchanged - to just stop because the "O" man says we ought to.
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by wdh3007 June 16, 2009 8:14 PM EDT
The Media is running scared of the eligibility issue three of the largest media companies in the United States have all banned the simple billboard message "Where's The Birth Certificate"

That is sensorship in America and that is a form of Communism CEO Rupert Murdoch is trying to avoid the issue or hope it goes away but he should not decide what Americans can see and what they can't just because he is a Socialist. Barack is not a naturalized U.S. citizen and therefore was legally not eligable to be President under federal law.
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by PVperson2 June 16, 2009 7:37 PM EDT
Neo-cons always say, "DO something", "Bomb them", "Make them do what we want", but they never come up with anyway to accomplish that task. The neo-con solution is always put someone else's children in harms way, they're willing and ready for someone else to bleed as long as it isn't one of them. Cheney and his 5 deferments anyone or maybe Bush buying his way out of the draft?
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by 2bgregarious4u June 16, 2009 4:01 PM EDT
4 GBDMD - Where did you go to school? You certainly didn'y go to history class. It was during the Clinton administration that mandated that all those on wellfare, unemployment, and low income be given the right to make a loan for housing. Then it was Barney Frank and the demo-morons that fought Bush when he wanted to recind that law because he saw what was coming. Now that it has happened thay want to blame someone else because of their ignorance. Get the facts!
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by Patriot-STL June 16, 2009 3:48 PM EDT
Hey why should the US hold anybody to any standards? It's not like the world meddles with us? And how about those racist meddling Democrats, always meddling in the black community. Check out this black conservative's view at www.theblacksphere.net
Reply to this comment
by specialty8 June 16, 2009 3:25 PM EDT
obama is all Bushes fault.
Reply to this comment
by marcodele June 16, 2009 3:17 PM EDT
It sure is nice to see a president handle a media situation with intelligence and restraint. If that had been Bush and the right wingers, we'd be "smokin' 'em out of the foxholes' and sacrifice more U.S. troops lives along with innocent civilians.
Reply to this comment
by billpl-2009 June 16, 2009 2:51 PM EDT
After eight years of shooting off at the mouth, might be a good idea that Obama gives the world 4 to 8 years off
Reply to this comment
by ubrew12 June 16, 2009 3:08 PM EDT
'might be'?? Bush was a foreign policy disaster (which at least made him consistent with every other aspect of governance).
by salmoc44 June 16, 2009 2:47 PM EDT
In our past, we helped to destroy an Iranian democracy in order to install a dictator to rule Iran. Iranians know this and it's a sore spot with them. This is a great reason to really try to avoid saying anything that the hard liners in Iran can use to sway moderates to their side.
And Cons, do you really think that Reagan's trading missiles to Iran to get hostages released in Lebanon was great handling of our relationship with Iran? Before you throw stones, remember, you mythical hero Reagan was an Iran appeaser.
Reply to this comment
by salmoc44 June 16, 2009 2:46 PM EDT
In our past, we helped to destroy an Iranian democracy in order to install a dictator to rule Iran. Iranians know this and it's a sore spot with them. This is a great reason to really try to avoid saying anything that the hard liners in Iran can use to sway moderates to their side.
And Cons, do you really think that Reagan's trading missiles to Iran to get hostages released in Lebanon was great handling of our relationship with Iran? Before you throw stones, remember, you mythical hero Reagan was an Iran appeaser.
Reply to this comment
by thusspokezara June 16, 2009 2:29 PM EDT
"...this is not how governments should interact with their people..." our President says. "Interact", he says. Brutal repression is now government "interact(ing) with their people."

"...antagonistic posture towards the international community..." our President says. "Antagonistic posture" he says. The sponsoring of terror is is now an "antonistic posture."

We are in trouble.
Reply to this comment
by tlwec June 16, 2009 2:27 PM EDT
He's not a loser. Unfortunately, we're the losers.

The idiots in congress, both houses both parties, are too busy trying to figure out where they are going to hide when the Mullahs come for them. By-the-way, they'll come for Obama, too but he's too ignorant to understand that.

Buy your wife a Burkah and get ready for Sharia Law.
Reply to this comment
by dwilson59 June 16, 2009 5:49 PM EDT
by tlwec June 16, 2009 11:27 AM PDT

I hope it is not true, Obama told us we would be one of the largest Muslum nations.
by hclinton2012 June 16, 2009 1:55 PM EDT
This LOSER of a President Obama needs to stop "meddling" in the free-market Capitalist ecomony we have with all his "porklus" spending of federal dollars?
Reply to this comment
by gbdmd June 16, 2009 2:56 PM EDT
It was the so called Capitalist economy that created the housing crisis, the credit crisis and the auto companies' overwhelming mishandling of their assets and decision making. The last administration completely obliterated the US budget surplus and created a trillion dollar deficit. What were your comments then???
by AOCGUY June 16, 2009 7:34 PM EDT
And again you seem unalbe to stay on subject.
by hclinton2012 June 16, 2009 1:14 PM EDT
I would start the bombing of the North the next time they speak against the USA and it's allies! That would shut the he11 up after that, I believe it should take only three nuclear bombs to wipe the North off the map and solve all our problems cleanly?
Reply to this comment
by AOCGUY June 16, 2009 2:05 PM EDT
Let's forget a moment that this article is about Iran, not North Korea and address your ludicrous comment about attacking the north. North Korea has over 100,000 articllary and mortar tubes pointed at Seoul, a city of over 10 million. Should an attack occur the North would almost certainly launch a massive attack on the South focused primarily on Seoul. You apparently would sacrifice millions of our allies to prove what?
by dwilson59 June 16, 2009 5:45 PM EDT
Use some B52 and carpet bomb them. Drop small tack nukes take out the bases you are in and out jsut enough to hurt them
by mrzerato June 16, 2009 5:53 PM EDT
OH Boy !!!! I guess the poster wants a third war with a million man army with modern capabilities. Typical con response.
See all 22 Comments

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