Ahmadinejad sends letter to Obama

[SkinsOrlando]

You spin me right round Obama right round

Like a record, Obama round round round round

[Mickalino]

Just found a copy of the letter from Ahmadinejad to Obama

Well, you came and you gave without takin'

But I sent you away, O-Bama

well, you kissed me and stopped me from shakin'

and I need you today, O-Bama

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

Just found a copy of the letter from Ahmadinejad to Obama

Well, you came and you gave without takin'

But I sent you away, O-Bama

well, you kissed me and stopped me from shakin'

and I need you today, O-Bama

I think you missed this part about how they met:

His name was Obama, he was a showdude

With yellow feathers in his hair and a dress cut down to there

He would merengue and do the cha-cha

And while he tried to be a star, Mahmoud always tended bar

Across a crowded floor, they worked from 8 till 4

They were young and they had each other

Who could ask for more?

[Califan007 The Constipated]

if you decided to be completely literal and read what I said in this thread as THAT then you are more then welcome to THAT.

but THAT isnt what I meant when I said "thank you card".

and you never know what can open up lines of communication

The reality is, Obama could indeed say "**** you" in response to Ahmadinejad's letter, and then come back 6 months from now and say "Come to the White House and let's talk", and Ahmadinejad would accept 99 times out of 100. Because Ahmadinejad knows he benefits from being treated in that manner by the leader of the free world...it helps legitimize his power and position. And that's ALL Ahmadinejad cares about, his power and position in the world.

This letter, and Obama's response, will play zero percent in opening up the lines of communication with Iran.

[SkinsOrlando]

I'm gonna take you by surprise

And make you realize

O---BAMA

I'm gonna tell you right away

I can't wait another day

O--BAMA

I'm gonna say it like a man

And make you understand

O--BAMA

[Seabee1973]

Dear Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,

So What will teh monthly payment you expect the US to give you so we will be on your good side and you wont hate us anymore.

Signed cousin Barry

LOL

[Burgold]

Dear Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,

So What will teh monthly payment you expect the US to give you so we will be on your good side and you wont hate us anymore.

Signed cousin Barry

LOL

At least be realistic.

Dear Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,

Seeing that we're family and all... How about a year's worth of free oil to help get our economy jumpstarted and really fool these suckas.

Signed,

Cousin Barry

[CliffBattles]

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

[Baculus]

Dear Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,

So What will teh monthly payment you expect the US to give you so we will be on your good side and you wont hate us anymore.

Signed cousin Barry

LOL

Well, we have had a pretty good policy of paying folks off: Look at the policy we have had in Afghanistan or Iraq.

Unless you are suggesting that somehow this would be unique...

Economic leverage, which some may call bribery, has been an affective tool in the past.

[Baculus]

I think we should be pragmatic about this situation - if we can start off on the right foot, this may lead to more successful negotiations with Iran. And that may lead to a reduction of their insurgent support in Iraq - after all, our current policy doesn't seem to be doing the trick.

I have said this in the past: Iran has a great potential to be an ally. They have a young population which has demonstrated pro-American leanings and many parliamentary reformers who want to change the direction of their government. We should encourage these pro-West elements, and making threats towards their nation only drives them in a nationalistic direction to defend their government.

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

I think]

I have said this in the past: Iran has a great potential to be an ally. They have a young population which has demonstrated pro-American leanings and many parliamentary reformers who want to change the direction of their government. We should encourage these pro-West elements, and making threats towards their nation only drives them in a nationalistic direction to defend their government.

I think the US should send me over there and let me use my mojo on the Persian women. I think it would definitely help our diplomatic relationship with them, and I would have a wonderful time.

[BigMike619]

I have said this in the past: Iran has a great potential to be an ally. They have a young population which has demonstrated pro-American leanings and many parliamentary reformers who want to change the direction of their government. We should encourage these pro-West elements, and making threats towards their nation only drives them in a nationalistic direction to defend their government.

wasnt Russia kind of like this too back when the cold war ended and Gorby took over? It seems like they are reverting back to the old ways of Mother Russia...I hope that doesnt happen here as well.

[Baculus]

I think the US should send me over there and let me use my mojo on the Persian women. I think it would definitely help our diplomatic relationship with them, and I would have a wonderful time.

Oh, sign me up for that post! There are certainly some lovely Persian women, I'll say that!

[Baculus]

wasnt Russia kind of like this too back when the cold war ended and Gorby took over? It seems like they are reverting back to the old ways of Mother Russia...I hope that doesnt happen here as well.

Yes, which led to an attempted coup by the KGB. And the 90's demonstrated a flawed US policy, when we should have been engaging and investing more into post-Soviet Russia instead of celebrating our Cold War victory and rubbing it in their faces. That ultimately led to a more authoritarian direction with Putin (though Medvedev is a small-d democrat) and our current frosty relations.

Re-engagement with Russia should be a high priority on our list (as well as keeping in mind our allies such as Poland and their security concerns).

Nixon was right to engage with China, Reagan took the right approach when he engaged with Gorby, and the Bush administration was correct when it started to finally engage with North Korea. And I believe the Obama administration would be correct to not only engage in Iran, but with Cuba as well. Of course, that does not mean waving the white flag, but finding common ground for diplomatic progress.

Pragmatism in foreign affairs is a good thing, IMO.

[PeterMP]

Nixon was right to engage with China, Reagan took the right approach when he engaged with Gorby, and the Bush administration was correct when it started to finally engage with North Korea. And I believe the Obama administration would be correct to not only engage in Iran, but with Cuba as well. Of course, that does not mean waving the white flag, but finding common ground for diplomatic progress.

Pragmatism in foreign affairs is a good thing, IMO.

Just out of curiosity, what good has come out of Nixon's engagement of China? (Not that I think Nixon was necessarily wrong. In the context of his time, I can't fault the decision.)

[DCSaints_fan]

Just out of curiosity, what good has come out of Nixon's engagement of China? (Not that I think Nixon was necessarily wrong. In the context of his time, I can't fault the decision.)

Trade, for one. There has also been the possibility of war over Taiwan and China has distanced itself from North Korea; its possibile that the softening of relations led to avoiding war over these two regions.

As for the human rights stuff I don't think they would have been better off had we kept the door shut.

There might eventually be a "regime change" in China especially as the older generation who still remembers the revolution and the Cold War dies out.

[PeterMP]

Trade, for one. There has also been the possibility of war over Taiwan and China has distanced itself from North Korea; its possibile that the softening of relations led to avoiding war over these two regions.

As for the human rights stuff I don't think they would have been better off had we kept the door shut.

There might eventually be a "regime change" in China especially as the older generation who still remembers the revolution and the Cold War dies out.

How has trade w/ China benefited us?

With respect to Taiwan, the Chinese even now don't realistically have the ability to launch a successful invasion against Taiwan so I don't think you say the engagement there has really been a benefit.

I don't believe China has distanced themselves from N. Korea to any great extent, and the problems in their relationship have little to nothing to do w/ our engagement and would have occurred anyway.

**EDIT**

Part of the problem w/ China and N. Korea is in fact due to our lack of engagement w/ respect to N. Korea. N. Korea isn't able to get the things from the world that they need so they've been "stealing" them from China. One story I remember seeing was that trains sending food to N. Korea from China were not returned. The N. Koreans were keeping them, dismanteling them, and using the metal/parts for other things. Obviously, the Chinese weren't particularly happy about this.

[#98QBKiller]

Didn't Obama mention this in his press conference too?

[BigMike619]

so much for cuddly feelings.

_________________________________________

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran's parliament speaker has criticized U.S. President-elect Barack Obama for saying that Iran's development of a nuclear weapon is unacceptable.

Ali Larijani said Saturday that Obama should apply his campaign message of change to U.S. dealings with Iran.

"Obama must know that the change that he talks about is not simply a superficial changing of colors or tactics," Larijani said in comments carried by the semi-official Mehr News Agency.

"What is expected is a change in strategy, not the repetition of objections to Iran's nuclear program, which will be taking a step in the wrong direction."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/11/08/iran.obama/index.html

_______________________________________

but lets hope they are open to hearing what Obama has to say.

[Seabee1973]

At least be realistic.

Dear Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,

Seeing that we're family and all... How about a year's worth of free oil to help get our economy jumpstarted and really fool these suckas.

Signed,

Cousin Barry

Nothings free anymore

[Seabee1973]

Yes, which led to an attempted coup by the KGB. And the 90's demonstrated a flawed US policy, when we should have been engaging and investing more into post-Soviet Russia instead of celebrating our Cold War victory and rubbing it in their faces. That ultimately led to a more authoritarian direction with Putin (though Medvedev is a small-d democrat) and our current frosty relations.

Re-engagement with Russia should be a high priority on our list (as well as keeping in mind our allies such as Poland and their security concerns).

Nixon was right to engage with China, Reagan took the right approach when he engaged with Gorby, and the Bush administration was correct when it started to finally engage with North Korea. And I believe the Obama administration would be correct to not only engage in Iran, but with Cuba as well. Of course, that does not mean waving the white flag, but finding common ground for diplomatic progress.

Pragmatism in foreign affairs is a good thing, IMO.

Good points in this