Obama Derangement Syndrome strikes London's Mayor

John Birch

"Obama abandoned the protesters by refusing to back them against the regime on the grounds that he was too frightened to be seen to take sides"-- Typical Melanie. Don't actually engage with the point behind his stance: siding with the protesters would play into the hand of the Iranian government which is desperately trying to portray then as being controlled by the U.S. George Will, a reall conservative, said on American television yesterday that criticism such as yours about Obama's position on the Iranian protests is "foolish."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/21/george-will-rightwing-att_n_218580.html

d gray

Obamas' speach in Egypt was mostly a bunch of historicaly inaccurate ranting about muslim achievement and how muslims have shaped America blah de blah de blah.......As far as Boris being deranged is concerned,he always looks and sounds as deranged as he always has.Obama is a coward when it comes to Israel and the threat posed by Iran.....he is someone who can talk and nothing else.He will do anything in order to actually do nothing.The world has been handed over to a moron

JS

I'm not sure - for once I seem to have missed Melanie's train of thought - but here's my observation: Britain is the country that, more than any other, has been bending over backwards to accommodate Islam (some would say as much out of cowardice as anything else) - and yet is is also the country that the Iranian leader vilifies most. Do you think possibly he sniffs some weakness here? Whatever the reason, it's interesting, isn't it?

Archie

Well, indeed Miss Phillips! Poor old Boris. Far too PC and Cameron-infected for his own or anyone else's good.

Stephanie Surface

The young Iranians elected Mousavi probably as the lesser evil.If you look at his background it is pretty frightening...there was no real choice in the first place.
They cling to any hope of a slight reform.If you read the students' blogs on twitter ,they don't want any comments especially from Israel or the son of the ex Shah...
Oabama is in a very difficult situation.He talks about the freedom of peaceful demonstration and justice etc..
Have you even read his recent statement??
What we don't need is a Bush/Cheney combo.Bomb bomb bomb Iran(like McCaine suggested??)

Sam Armstrong

ODS is indeed rampant in London. I had a few people say to me this weekend: "But we don't really know if Ahmedinejad did actually lose do we? I mean he might have won!". As if that is the point! The fact is that millions of Iranians are trying to overthrow a genocidal dictator. And all Polly Toynbee has to say is, well we better keep out of this one, and not intefere. COWARDS!!!!!!!

Once again, spot on Melanie Phillips. Thank you.

Maximilian

Boris Johnson's main point was to praise the BBC for the effectiveness of its Farsi service. I don't speak a word of Farsi and can't judge whether Boris's assessment of the BBC is right or wrong. But if he's right, he has made an important point. It's good news that the BBC is doing something right for a change. The rest is secondary.

Merlyn

The Iranians I have personally met over here in The UK. tell me they want the West to bring sanctions against the regime.

Dr Michael Ross

Exactly so. Thanks Melanie.

Well Boris?

Jane G

John Birch, we know the reason why The One has taken the stance you spell out. It has been spelt out to us again and again on this blog by Obamanuts - that doesn't make the reason any less flawed, though, does it?

Siding with the protestors would boost their morale, would it not? Whereas not wanting to 'meddle' offers a green light for A'jad and Co to be as brutal as they like.

As to Boris Johnson's Telegraph piece - what is he playing at? Trying to get another BBC2 documentary series with him as presenter commissioned?

Surely not.

Paul

JS - and just look at our weakness! Only moments had passed after the UK had been freshly vilified by the Iranian government and up pops Milliband, on the airwaves lickety-split to deny involvement in the protests.

He might as well have told Ialwayswearthesamejacket to dust off the tanks and have the Republican Guard roll over a few students.

By the way, I hear that Obama says that the US is "fully prepared" for N.Koreas latest missile test. What does this state of full preparedness entail? Emergency Rooms and services on standby in Hawaii? Fresh plaster for Hilary? I don't understand what he means by this.

Alistair Smallwood

Boris Johnson is an idiot.
Just before last year's presedential election Johnson wrote of his enthusiasm for Obama, unbelieveably praising his "conservative convictions".
It seems that Obama's cynical, not to say sinister, foreign policy including the shameful and egregious speech in Cairo has not altered his opinion.
Is this what the Roman Catholics call invincible ignorance?

Calvin

Actually, Fox News refers to President Obama as . . . President Obama.

Maximilian

And here's what the Iranians themselves have to say, in their online underground newspaper, The Street:

http://irangcc.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/translating-the-street-newspaper-circulating-among-iran-protesters/

Hat tip: modernityblog

Augustus

The fraudulent election mayhem and murders of innocents by the Iranian government's militia squads must be strongly condemned by the West. The illegitimate and cruel regime should be punished, and America and Europe should choose without question the side of the revolutionaries. Obama should immediately cease his naive and fatal attempts to improve American relations with
Teheran. After the week's demonstrations, and Ayatollah Khamenei's verbal agression against the West, it's time for Obama to rein in his hand of friendship. The only suitable response to this state terror is
a diplomatic and economic boycott. The EU should withdraw its Ambassador from Teheran until a new presidential election is held with international observers. Until then both the US and Europe should encourage the revolutionary forces in their
resistance against Khamenei and Ahmadinejad. It's time for the West to make their position clear, for the Iranian people yearn for freedom.

Rob-NY

" Barack Hussein Obama, as Fox News always calls him"
That's what he calls himself now. Poor Boris is pandering to the champagne socialist left in London and regurgating their rhetoric.

Original Tony

The failure of the West is not what it isn't doing now, but what it should have done years ago.

The day links from Teheran to any form of terrorism was discovered; terrorism against the West, the leaders of that country should have been brought to book.

I am sorry, but if someone aids, abets, finances or gives succour to an enemy that is attacking your country or your troops in another country or your allies, they should be branded as enemies and dealt with harshly.

If this policy was adopted then Hizbollah, Hamas and a hundred other nasty groups would be out of business as well as Iran itself.

Too soft, too little, too late

Raymond in DC

Those protesting for democracy in Iran *are* getting encouragement and support from the President ... of Israel! Indeed, both President Peres and Prime Minister Netanyahu made a series of comments this weekend, in statements and interviews, in support of the Iranian people's struggle against their regime. The Jerusalem Post has published a number of statements and letters coming out of Iran, and I'm sure Israel Radio's Farsi broadcasts are bringing Iranians news they won't get locally.

The regime, not surprisingly, has responded with accusations of "meddling" by wicked Zionists, etc. The fact is that Jews have resided in Persia for over 2,500 years, and they know what's possible if democratic rule can supplant that of the Islamists.

Ben

I think that Boris is merely saying that Obama's presence in the White House, coupled with his positive image, whether or not justified, is "inspiring" to the predominantly youthful protesters. I think you place too much confidence in people other than the commentariat and "single issue" Muslims and Jews, actually reading the Obama speech in detail, and agonising over its nuances. People don't do that, generally, it's the impression that counts. Hence morons like Bono get taken seriously by large swathes of apparently intelligent people.

Gilbert

re John Birch

So Obama wasn't playing into the hands of the regime by refusing to speak in defense of the protesters as the regime beat and kill them. He was actually helping the protesters with silence.

Is he playing into their hands now that he has broken his silence?

Polly Gamma

Roll up! Roll up! The world is becoming a circus. Star of the show is Shallow Obama displaying his characteristic narcissistic naiveté and hubristically peddling a heady Snake Oil mix of Global liberal Ideology and crass Utopian Homogeneity propaganda as a panacea for the human race - and currently sharing top billing alongside him we have ostensible Martyr-to-a-cause Mousavi riding on the bandwagon with a bag full of self-serving hidden agendas and handing out green ribbons. Both will retreat into the wings and watch from their pedestals as people mesmerised into abandoning their lucidity and instinctive urge for self-preservation – die ! What a spectacle ! The song… Tie a Green Ribbon round the old Gantry?

Jane G

John Birch, we know the reason why The One has taken the stance you spell out. It has been spelt out to us again and again on this blog by Obamanuts - that doesn't make the reason any less flawed, though, does it?

Siding with the protestors would boost their morale, would it not? Whereas not wanting to 'meddle' offers a green light for A'jad and Co to be as brutal as they like.

As to Boris Johnson's Telegraph piece - what is he playing at? Is he trying to get another BBC2 documentary series with him as presenter commissioned?

jiminycricket

That's an interesting painting Melanie. What is it?

Augustus

President Obama will not commit a single US resource to stop the oppression and tyranny. The UN will be ignored and the dissidents will be subject to the will of the regime. The violence will continue until the dissidents are crushed. Obama will just be a Citizen of the World minding his own damn business and staying out of it while the world is shocked and saddened, but lacking the leadership that could have made a difference. It is a sad day for freedom, and a sad day for Iran. The election results will remain uncontested and the government will continue to be a threat to it's people and the region.

Mike

As is usual.....Melanie is reading and writing far too close to the page. Boris has got it right.......and so has Barack Obama....so far.

What would Melanie and the neo-cons have the President do? Use the same rhetoric as Bush which failed so disastrously.....the precise reason why this President avoids it?

We should ask ourselves....is 'freedom and democracy' for the long-suffering Iranian people the main goal of the neo-con pundits, or is it removing Iran as a threat to Israel?

We must never forget the massive death and destruction that the supposed 'idealism' of the Bush administration brought on Iraq. It is the same neo-cons, and we all know who they are, who now claim to want to help the Iranian people, but who are quite prepared to kill countless civilians in a large-scale military attack on the country.

Barack Obama's Cairo speech and his openness to the Muslim world, has empowered the reformers in Iran and thoughout the Middle East, and diminished the appeal of the militants.

The so-called 'moral clarity' which we read on these pages resulted in the maiming of an entire country and the worst foreign-policy debacle in US history.

The Obama progressive approach is sophisticated and realistic....it will work.

Even Benjamin Netanyahu has recognised the need for a 'Palestinian State'!

Suffolkbor

Boris Johnson is a prime example of someone who talks big in his newspaper column and has his readers rooting for him to become Prime Minister because of his anti political correctness stance who then fails to deliver once he has attained a posistion in office .

The overgrown school prefect has been a big dissapointment at the Mayoralty with his advocacy of an amnesty for illegal immigrants , making brown nosing documentaries singing the praises of Islam and about as useful as a perforated condom during the snowfall that brought London Transport to a standstill during the Winter .

If ever there is any crisis he appears to have the same default mechanism ,
ie: he goes to ground and is neither seen nor heard .

John Birch

Gilbert: Why don't you read what conservatives like George will and Dick Lugar are saying about Iran? Obama was never silent. He and his administration have tried to be subtle so as not to play into the hands of the regime in Tehran which is desperately trying to link the protests (and thus delegitmize them within Iran) to western powers.

Manuel

What do you expect from Obarmy? He goes to Cairo to deliver his revisionist history lesson, he then wobbles over supporting the anti-regime protestors in Iran.
The clue maybe in his first two names, Barak Hussein!
His policies and strategies should now be all too frighteningly crystal clear,even to his besotted camp-following hangers-on.
With leadership like Obarmy's, who needs enemies?

porkbelly

We have to remember that for Obama there are no fundamental moral principles at stake in Iran - for him "freedom" and "democracy" are empty words more often used to oppress than liberate (and forever tainted by their association with Bush). For him what matters are words like "equality", "justice" and "diversity" and he doesn't see them applying to Iran. What he does see is a nuclear power that must be respected, indeed deferred to. And one wonders, with such a feeble attachment to democratic principles beyond U.S. borders, what the future holds for democracy within the United States.

Ann

"the worst foreign-policy debacle in US history"

What a silly statement. Iraq was a success. Of course, some people will never admit it, and will whine about it forever because they can't afford to lose face by admitting they were wrong about it.

Grumpy the Patriot

'or is it removing Iran as a threat to Israel'

Iran - irrsepective of which of the current bunch of lunatics is contesting the election - is a threat to the entire neighbourhood - arab or Israeli.
And thats just for now - wait until their rocketry gets sorted, and even little pontificating poms in 'little britain' will come into target range.

And no - Bibi has not 'recognised the need for a Palistinian state'as envisaged by some. a Palistinian entity - maybe - but a not a full armed state such as Hamistan/Gaza!

Never! so Mike or Garp (for that matter) its not the world according to......, but rather the world of realpolitik ie make nice but carry a very big stick.....just in case.

Valley

Your frustration is very understandable. I had prepared a comment for you, but then it was uncomplimentary to the "regime" and I didn't know if I might be guilty of a "thought crime" in Britain. So here's the end of it.

Perhaps Mr. Boris has become enlightened and groks the koan -- "What is the sound of one empty outstretched hand clapping?"

Suffolkbor

Boris Johnson is a prime example of someone who has people rooting for him over his anti political correctness stance in his newspaper column but who subsequently delivers little when he gains office .

The overgrown school prefect has been a big dissappointment since he won the London Mayoralty and seems to have the same default reaction to crises and problems ;

ie: He goes to ground and is neither seen nor heard .

In my opinion Boris is as about as much use as a peforated condom .

Nick

Iraq was a success was it Ann? Remind how many civilians were killed by British and American forces. 100,000 was it? 200,000?

Very successful indeed. Trebles all round!

gary ashton

well done israel for having the moral courage to stand for democracy and freedom and openly support the iranian people over their dictators while the rest of the planet hedges their bets.

Dixon

Teddy Roosevelt: "Talk softly and carry a big stick."

I would agree with Obama if it turns out that this ( inexact quote ) sums up his real agenda. Who cares how brown his nose gets if it means that later...a day after Iranian nuclear facilities lie in rubble, he can silence critics by saying "well we TRIED talking to them!"

We wait to see.

Derek BLADES

Ms Phillips is astonished by Boris Johnson’s suggestion that «By extending the hand of friendship to it, and thus strengthening it against its opponents both within and without, [Obama] has somehow motivated the Iranians to protest.”
Ms Phillips goes off the rails with the parenthetical clause. Obama's Cairo speech did not strengthen the Iranian regime “against its opponents”. It had the exactly opposite effect. It told the Iranian people that America can now be seen as a partner not as an enemy. Many Iranians welcome this and look for an end to the confrontational policies of Ahmadinajad. That is why they are on the streets.

GeoffM

Around the time of the US Presidential Elections some people speculated as to whether Obama was going to be the anti-Christ.

Laughable at the time.

But,now, perhaps they have a point. His way with words is hypnotic AND his liberal manner naive.

To raise hopes and then withdraw support is not a good policy for peace. To turn your back on friends in need is treacherous.

The Middle East could go up in flames in the next 4 years.

Regimes like Iran (and North Korea) are often tempted into foreugn wars when the going gets tough at home. Israel is already on red alert, Western Armies are on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. Northern Pakistan is in flames. Pakistan and the small Gulf States are in financial meltdown. The terror threat in the UK and Europe is growing in size and sophistication- and Iran has now made the UK target No1.

Thank God I live in the French countryside with lots of food and heavily armed neighbours.

Leo

I ceased to take Boris Johnson seriously after I watched his TV documentary “After Rome: Holy War and Conquest.”
After discussing the conquests of Islam and it’s response, the Crusades, he then lapsed back into politically correct clichés.
He went on about reports of Christian acts of cannibalism, ignoring the fact that there were reports of Muslim acts of cannibalism.
He ended it all by describing Muslim-ruled Spain as an example of Christians, Muslims and Jews living peaceably together.
This multi-cultural cliché actually ignores the facts.

Take Maria Rosa Menocal, who wrote the ultra pc history of Muslim Spain called “The Ornament of the World.”

Of the status of Christians and Jews under Muslim rule She says:

"The dhimmi, as these covenanted peoples were called, were granted religious freedom, not forced to convert to Islam. They could continue to be Jews and Christians, and, as it turned out, they could share in much of Muslim social and economic life. In return for this freedom of religious conscience the Peoples of the Book (pagans had no such privilege) were required to pay a special tax — no Muslims paid taxes — and to observe a number of restrictive regulations: Christians and Jews were prohibited from attempting to proselytize Muslims, from building new places of worship, from displaying crosses or ringing bells. In sum, they were forbidden most public displays of their religious rituals."

Got that? Christians and Jews were reduced pretty much to the status of slaves when they were dhimmis under Muslim rule.
There was nothing tolerant about Al-Andalus.

sarah

There is too much labelling of interfering in other peoples' politics being 'politically incorrect'.

As if it is in some way wrong for us to be involved behind the scenes in Iran. So fine, if that is not allowed to be covert, then we have no choice but to be overt, and show those extremists exactly what a bomb can do.

T Dickenson

Forgive me for picking a nit in your fine article but does not the term "Obama Derangement Syndrome" means the opposite of what Boris Johnson is showing? The syndrome had been diagnosed by Charles Krauthammer who'd referred to those exhibiting a pathological hatred of President G.W. Bush as suffering from Bush Derangement Syndrome. The term has since been used for those who sputter every time Governor Palin's name is mentioned. So Boris Johnson's Obamaphilia can't be that, eh?

Dixon

Nick
June 23rd, 2009 12:05am
Iraq was a success was it Ann? Remind how many civilians were killed by British and American forces. 100,000 was it? 200,000?"

Who gives a proverbial monkeys how many IRAQIs died?

You should learn to recognise who your friends are.

Ed in Texas

"It's only words,
And words are all I have
To prove my love for you."

It's a sad day when the Bee Gees are more intellectually profound than America's president. Or maybe not! Maybe Obama was in fact sending his mealy words to those whom he loves in Tehran.

Drakken

Is it just me or does anyone else find it ironic that the Germans and French have shown more backbone to the upheaval in Persia than Obummer?
To Dixon
I do believe the correct term is rats ass. I do agree with your assesment though.

Paul

GeoffM: didn't your pappy tell you about the last two world wars?

Don't put too much faith in Frenchmen to guard your way of life - even if they posses firearms. In fact, they're probably thanking god there's an English in the vacinity to hide behind.

Suki

Leo, yes I saw that silly documentary series. It found it all very odd because it's when Boris is not playing the clown that you actually realise how stupid he is.

Pulled the wool from my eyes, certainly.

beloved

Paul wrote, "By the way, I hear that Obama says that the US is "fully prepared" for N.Koreas latest missile test. What does this state of full preparedness entail? Emergency Rooms and services on standby in Hawaii? Fresh plaster for Hilary? I don't understand what he means by this."

Me: O means missile defense. Any missile that NK shoots at the US will be shot down. No word on what we'll do if they shoot at Japan or SK. Strangely, Obama is cutting missile defense at the same time he's proposing socialized medicine. Canadians will have to find new doctors, unless Americans can stop O. We'll see.

beloved

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty." John F. Kennedy

stanley Jerusalem

In a government-sponsored Hebrew language class [known as Ulpan]comprising Americans,Russians, Brits and French here in Jerusalem last year, a 6'6" tall Frenchman asked the teacher what was the Hebrew word for surrender.
The teacher was mystified by the sight of half of the class speechless and paralysed by laughter as a result.

GeoffM

Paul, Yes my "pappy" did tell me. He actually fought for the FULL duration of the last one i.e. from 1939 as opposed to another nation which came in significantly later after the worst of the fighting was over. A delay in fact that was a major contributor to the genocide of 6m Jews.
Dont worry though, there are many Brits here (the Yanks are useless as they tend to be wet Liberals) and we too are well supplied thanks to French gun laws.

Byron in Wahroonga

***and yet is is also the country that the Iranian leader vilifies most***

No, JS.

That honour goes to Israel.

Byron in Wahroonga

***the Iranians I have personally met over here in The UK. tell me they want the West to bring sanctions against the regime***

An excellent suggestion, Merlyn. Another option would be to open the vast oil-bearing areas in Alaska and Canada for drilling and exploitation. That would bring down the price of oil and reduce revenue to Iran, Russia and Venezuela. A win for Western consumers and a loss for Western hating tyrants.

Tom Durkin

is it now on record that you are all big rafsanjani fans then?
or is it that you know nothing of the political institutions in iran or man behind the candidates and just love an anti-obama bandwagon?

Oz Roy

Funny story SJ - but be aware the first Western leader to unreservedly condemn what happened in Iran was Sarkozy. Two full days before the Islam-apologist Obama administration said ANYTHING critical or substantive about it!

Poor old Boris, for a very smart guy, he says some remarkably dumb things!

Chazz

BO was right if he said they were two of a kind; Mousavi is responsible for the murder of the U.S. Marines in Lebanon.

Anthony Posner

Melanie,

Looking for logic can do your head-in.

I think it is safer to accept that people, like Oboris, just write a load of Obollocks.