ObamaOdrama

Back in June, as the Democratic presumptive presidential nominee, Obama made the following statements at an annual American Israel Public Affairs Council (AIPAC) meeting in Washington:

“There’s no greater threat to Israel or to the peace and stability of the region than Iran.”

“The danger from Iran is grave and real and my goal will be to eliminate this threat.”

Speaking before 300 major APAIC donors on Sunday, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel addressed how Obama plans to eliminate that threat:

Thwarting Iran’s nuclear program is conditional on progress in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, according to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

Israeli TV reports said Monday that Emanuel made the comments in a closed-door meeting the previous day with 300 major AIPAC donors.

Last month, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned Israel that it risks losing Arab support for combating threats from Iran if it rejects peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

Clinton said Arab nations had conditioned helping Israel counter Iran on Jerusalem’s commitment to the peace process.

Not really a surprise considering back in June, Obama also said:

“As president of the United States, I would be willing to lead tough and principled diplomacy with the appropriate Iranian leader at a time and place of my choosing…”

And backed that statement up with a special Nowruz YouTube message for Iran’s mullahs.

Just another example of the Obama administration pushing the reset button.

After 8 years, the U.N. is hosting another anti-racism conference.  To improve the focus of dialogue that impeded discussion during the last conference, this time around the U.N. is identifying Zionism with racism and taking criticism of Islam off the table. 

Opening the ceremony, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon-Pie implored the world to unite against the threat of intolerance and then promptly handed Iranian President Ahmadinejad control of the floor to elaborate further.

British delegates joined a dramatic diplomatic walkout today when President Ahmadinejad of Iran told a major UN conference against racism that the state of Israel had been founded “on the pretext of Jewish suffering” during the Second World War.

Around 20 delegates, including envoys from the UK, France, and Finland stood up and left the room at what was considered an anti-Semitic remark by the Iranian leader, who has repeatedly called for Israel to be wiped off the map.

Nine Western countries including Israel and the United States had already decided to boycott the conference entirely because its draft declaration endorsed the conclusions of an anti-racism conference in South Africa eight years ago in which Islamic nations pushed through a text equating Zionism with racism.

Even before the walkout, Mr Ahmadinejad’s speech had been interrupted by three protesters dressed as clowns who where quickly bundled from the vast conference room at the Palais des Nations by guards.

I’m glad the U.S maintained its boycott of this sham conference but it’s still rings rather hollow when Obama wants to improve relations with Iran and the U.S. is willing to take Iran’s nuclear program off the table as a key condition to talks.