The Obama-Ahmedinejad Summit
Michael Gerson has written eloquently about the moral stain that will color the mere act of meeting with a Holocaust denier who boasts of his yearning to repeat the effort to exterminate the Jews. Obama, a man who on the campaign trail has declared that “nobody has spoken out more fiercely on the issue of anti-Semitism than I have,” will be extending the honor of a Presidential meeting to the most dangerous anti-Semite of all.
There will inevitably be pressure to offer concessions to Ahmadinejad to help ensure a successful summit. To paraphrase John F. Kennedy, who will bear the burden? Who will pay the price?
The conclusions of the report have been all but repudiated and certainly have been superseded by Iran’s success in enriching uranium and developing ballistic missiles. Yet all forward momentum toward further sanctions against Iran has halted. The NIE gave all parties who opposed the sanctions — business interests, Russian oligarchs in charge of their nuclear export program, Chinese leaders eager to extend their influence — a reason to oppose further efforts to halt Iran’s nuclear program.
Indeed, just this past week, OMV, an Austrian energy company with a multibillion dollar deal with the tyrants of Tehran, gave us a glimpse into the future. The chief executive officer of the company has openly declared that a political change in America — one that he apparently believes in and hopes for — will make it far easier to transact deals with Iran. Most assuredly he is not referring to John McCain.
If President Obama believes in the value of such meetings, perhaps he will be bold enough to meet with Iranian dissidents and reformers, to use the prestige of his office and that of America (remember Iranians admire America) to help them and not their oppressors. President Reagan — whom Barack Obama professes to admire — offered such support to Soviet dissidents.
So far, Barack Obama has not shown any signs that he is willing to do so.
* This meeting will be good preparation for the Muslim nations summit