The Obama White House has announced that the USA will not try to mediate between the Saudis and the Iranians in their latest confrontation. In the last week, protesters in Iran sacked and burned the Saudi embassy in Teheran and another Saudi diplomatic post in Iran. After that, Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic relations with Iran and was joined by four other Sunni Moslem states in the move. The UN is also considering a resolution condemning Iran for allowing the embassy to be attacked.
Let's take a moment here to remember that the "attack" in Teheran was not caused by a youtube video. It was undoubtedly approved by the Iranian government in advance. So what happened was a clear confrontation between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Iran.
It remains more likely than not that there will be no war as of now between the Saudis and the Iranians, but that is not the end of the matter. In the next month or so, there will surely be another "spontaneous" or "terrorist" attack against Saudi targets somewhere that will have been instigated by the Iranians. For their part, the Saudis may step up their role with those who are fighting against the Iranian supported Houthi rebels in Yemen or the Iranian puppet Assad regime in Syria. As these confrontations ramp up, the whole situation becomes ever more dangerous.
That leads to the clear question why Obama would announce that the USA will make no attempt to lower the level of confrontation between the two countries. The Saudis are our long time allies. Obama thinks that the Iranians are our new friends. Why is Obama running away from any involvement in mediation?
What we are witnessing is the ever declining role of the USA in world affairs under Obama. Oh, Obama is always ready to go to a conference about global warming at which nothing concrete gets done. He is not willing, however, to use the power of the USA in any struggle to reduce the level of conflict in the world.
Remember, we are not talking now about any military involvement by the USA; this is just about American diplomacy. Sure, our diplomacy has been inept during the Obama years with first Hillary Clinton in charge and then the oafish John Kerry taking her place. But why must Obama run from any role in promoting peace?
Let's take a moment here to remember that the "attack" in Teheran was not caused by a youtube video. It was undoubtedly approved by the Iranian government in advance. So what happened was a clear confrontation between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Iran.
It remains more likely than not that there will be no war as of now between the Saudis and the Iranians, but that is not the end of the matter. In the next month or so, there will surely be another "spontaneous" or "terrorist" attack against Saudi targets somewhere that will have been instigated by the Iranians. For their part, the Saudis may step up their role with those who are fighting against the Iranian supported Houthi rebels in Yemen or the Iranian puppet Assad regime in Syria. As these confrontations ramp up, the whole situation becomes ever more dangerous.
That leads to the clear question why Obama would announce that the USA will make no attempt to lower the level of confrontation between the two countries. The Saudis are our long time allies. Obama thinks that the Iranians are our new friends. Why is Obama running away from any involvement in mediation?
What we are witnessing is the ever declining role of the USA in world affairs under Obama. Oh, Obama is always ready to go to a conference about global warming at which nothing concrete gets done. He is not willing, however, to use the power of the USA in any struggle to reduce the level of conflict in the world.
Remember, we are not talking now about any military involvement by the USA; this is just about American diplomacy. Sure, our diplomacy has been inept during the Obama years with first Hillary Clinton in charge and then the oafish John Kerry taking her place. But why must Obama run from any role in promoting peace?
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