Iran and Obama

No time for a full on post today I'm afraid, but as I'm going to the Hands Off the People of Iran conference tomorrow I thought I'd do a quick on a related subject. I noticed that the front page of the CPGB's paper Weekly Worker has the headline "Barack the bomber: not only the Republicans threaten Iran" although there does not appear to be an accompanying article.

I thought, hello, that's funny. I'm sure that's not right, I'd better look this up.

I mean quite a few people on the left seem keen on painting a President Obama as a simple continuation of George Bush Jr so it seems worth discussing. What does Obama say on Iran? To the source.

Iran

• The Problem: Iran has sought nuclear weapons, supports militias inside Iraq and terror across the region, and its leaders threaten Israel and deny the Holocaust. But Obama believes that we have not exhausted our non-military options in confronting this threat; in many ways, we have yet to try them. That's why Obama stood up to the Bush administration's warnings of war, just like he stood up to the war in Iraq.


• Opposed Bush-Cheney Saber Rattling: Obama opposed the Kyl-Lieberman amendment, which says we should use our military presence in Iraq to counter the threat from Iran. Obama believes that it was reckless for Congress to give George Bush any justification to extend the Iraq War or to attack Iran. Obama also introduced a resolution in the Senate declaring that no act of Congress – including Kyl-Lieberman – gives the Bush administration authorization to attack Iran.


• Diplomacy: Obama is the only major candidate who supports tough, direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions. Now is the time to pressure Iran directly to change their troubling behavior. Obama would offer the Iranian regime a choice. If Iran abandons its nuclear program and support for terrorism, we will offer incentives like membership in the World Trade Organization, economic investments, and a move toward normal diplomatic relations. If Iran continues its troubling behavior, we will step up our economic pressure and political isolation. Seeking this kind of comprehensive settlement with Iran is our best way to make progress.

Now the CPGB are big supporters of Hopi so will be at the conference this weekend, it will be interesting to see if it is the majority view that Obama's "direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions" is the same as the Bush/McCain brand of belligerence. I can see myself making unpopular contribution of the day if so.