re: #250 Killgore Trout

No-win situation for Obama team on Iran

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration faces a dilemma over how to respond to Iran’s disputed election. Strong criticism could backfire but a muted response leaves an impression of weakness.

So far senior U.S. officials have given a guarded response to the disputed vote, which sparked violent protests after hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s was declared the easy victor over ex-prime minister Mirhossein Mousavi.

Several analysts said on Monday the White House was in a no-win situation but the best option was to stand back rather inject U.S. views into the Iranian political debate.

“The U.S. ability to do harm in Iranian politics is much greater than doing good,” said Middle East expert Jon Alterman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

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