Graham: Obama 'Timid and Passive' on Iran

Lindsay Graham - a perfect example of the insanity that the republican party has become.

Re healthcare conversation with Sen. Dodd and Sen. Lindsey. Sen. Lindsey states if we had putlic health care, the government would be making the decision regarding who gets treated. Aren't the insurance companies doing that now in order to insure their bottom line profits? I support a health care plan for all those who not have insurance. Jane Escobar

If Pres Obama does what the old Republican guard wants, perfect example of how the world came to hate us..tell other nation's what/how to do it/as if we know it all (arrogance). If would listen to Republicans, the Ahmed..regime would run with it and make the U.S. the issue...

Graham added, "Any time America stands up for freedom we're better off. When we try to prop up dictators or remain silent it comes back to bite us."

Egypt anyone? Who have we propped up there for years? How long have you been speaking out about the democratic elections and crackdowns there, Senator? Yeah, thought so.

Delicate line? Damn straight! The CIA overthrew the legitimately elected government of Iran in 1953, and the Iranians have not forgotten that-- although to judge from the US Congressional response, we have. Don't believe me? Google "Mossadegh," the name of the prime minister we deposed. If we even look like we are interfering with current events, we delegitimize them. We can witness, but we *can not interfere* if we want this revolution to succeed.

Obama is the President of the United States and Iran is a country of its own for God sake. Give this guy a break. The Repulicans want to critise this guy left and right but the fact is he is a million miles a head of them. What do this Senators want him to do? Take airforce one to Iran and remove that crazy guy from office.Do they think talking tough is gonna change Iran?

Beat your chest Phil Graham! It worked so well over the last 8 years.

I think he is pursueing the right directions. If we were to take the GOP's hardline stance in support of the demonstrators, we may be playing right into the regimes hands.

Our severe criticism could lend support that the uprising and opposition leaders are the puppets of America. Even at the opposition rallies, they have been chanting "death to america".

A nation voted. We do not know if they there was fraud or not, nor the extent. By supporting freedom of speech and to gather in groups, we are supporting freedom without meddling in the internal affairs of a soverign nation. if we are too open in our criticims, then we risk uniting the people behind the Supreme Leader in their distrust of the US. We have to be careful.

The rallies indicate deep fissures in the government. I think we should let events there follow their own course and to weaken the theocrats hold on power. We screwed up with uninlaterial support of the Shah, lets not do it again.

Graham risks nothing; Iranians risk everything. Some of us have a friend or two in Tehran and Graham is making a mockery of their struggle. Clean up the RNC's sex problems and leave the world to the grownups.

Oh, yeah, read everything that is said for the next two weeks as, "Don't talk about Ensign, Craig, or our other 30 sex scandals of the last 20 years." Nothing shouts its virtues louder than Hypocrisy.

why would anyone listen to these old - out of date republicans- the party of bush, cheney,rumsfield, palin, "bomb bomb iran" mccain,lieberman, lieberman graham , mcconnell bohner,cantor and on and they are the party of no and have lied and lied and lied! They are responsible for the mess we are in. Run from them.!

I think that I agree with Senator Dodd. The President is taking the middle road. Coming out in support of Democracy, but not taking ownership of the movement. In the end, the fate of Iran is in the hands of the Islamic oligarchy. And Ahmadinejad is their hand-picked man. So, we can do little except watch as the protest is either crushed or turns into a civil war. If it turns into a civil war, then the USA will have to take a more definitive position. Presumably, for freedom. My personal hope is that it can still be resolved peacefully between the various factions.

There they go again.Kill them,kill our young people,bomb Iran. I have had enough of these arrogant damn fools.Thank heavn we now have a President that can think.
RTA

Why Graham is wrong as per Layman's perspective?
1. Pictures shown about Iran on newspaper does not demonstrate Iran govt. brutality as it can caused by the drug high members of rallys who are causing destruction. US has no proof that it is caused by govt and I see more public on road than government official. Whom should US talk to as no one seems to be in control?

2. Everything seems to be preplanned, rallys, destruction etc. How can someone gets million people on road immediately after election results were declared? It takes months to prepare for big rallys.

3. Twitter cannot be relied as People can lie on twitter

4. US crackdown on people who cause public destruction so how it is different from Iran govt crackdown on people who are causing public destruction.

Situation need to be calm down to work with Iranians, you can UNITED STATES MAY END UP SUPPORTING WRONG CAUSE, SO, Mr. GRAHAM SHOULD keep his mouth shut.

Obama is so smart not to bark same old meaningless puffery as others before him. He was elected to lead, so let him. He has info we don't, and the Iranian clerics, see the difference & have no clue with whom they're dealing. We voted for "different"-remember? At least I did.

Whatever happens in Iran is none of our business. The Ayatollah of Iran is the Supreme leader and makes all the decisons. The fight for the pretend presidency is a power struggle between Ahmajenedad and Mousavvi.

Which ever of the two is President of Iran the country's diplomacy will not change.

(America) needs to stop telling other countries how to do things. All sabre rattling from a U.S. President can accomplish in Iran, would be to allow the Ayahtollah to blame the whole counter revolution on we the people.

We (C.I.A) messed with their government in 1953 replacing an American friendly SHAH with an elected official. Then again in 1973 after the revoulution we accepted the Shah into our country.

If you bother to read recent remarks made by the current Ayahtollah, he said
" if the gatherings do not stop, then the blood shall be on their (protestors) own hands."

Do you think he meant they were going to shoot thenselves?

He is blaming the peaceful protestors for orders he is giving troops to fire upon them.

Hezballah troops are being called in to do some of the dirty work.

Open your eyes Mr. Graham.

Look for WE THE SHEEPLE* coming soon, to a blog site in your neighborhood.

Simple plain talk, everyone can understand. Not Republican, Not Democratic, Not Libertarian. Just a place where Americans can easily and quickly get the real story on Corporate America, its hold on the Government and what phrases , stand alone government health insurance really means, put into plain and simple terms.

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SECREG_756

I thought the Republicans stated we the US should not be a "Nation of Nation Builders" and That "We should not Police the World" I recall hearing that a long time ago......

The president is doing the right thing...sitting back and observing what's happening before taking action.
Where are the so sayers when we had US citizens in New Orleans on top of their rooftop crying for help? Where are they when US citizens are losing jobs, homes and many do not have healthcare and we do not have a fair imigration law? This is where the outrage should be.

Think Smart,

How dare the Republicans voice opinions. They should sit silently, like Obama is doing with the Iran situation. This is a DICTATORSHIP, Democrats only.

What are these BOJOS talking about the international pressure and nuclear threat? These folks are clueless on dealing with crisis management and seemed to be very excited when they were called for interview.

1. House Republican Leader Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio - U.S. should move immediately toward tougher sanctions against Iran and stop all gasoline sales to the country (FOLKS Iran is a part of OPEC cartel. Watch the gas prices at your local gas station)

2. Chris Dodd - any international pressure must focus on curbing the Iranian nuclear threat. ( Yeah right. Chris Dodd do you really think What was not done before election can be done in this chaos? )

Interesting.. Henry Kissinger is saying the President is handling this correctly. George W. Bush’s top negotiator with Iran, Ambassador Nicholas Burns says the same thing! As have others, so if those who KNOW Iran believe this is the right course who is Graham to thinks he knows best? The Repubs are amazing! You know darn well, if the Pres. had come out stronger they would have jumped on that. We are NOT the worlds police. The Iranian people have to do this for themselves! If they succeed, their leader can't be seen as a US puppet. We did that once and that's how we got here!

Graham must really miss Cheney & Bush since he seems to want Obama to start another war with Iran which GWB would probably already have done. He loved the name the "war president". The problem I see here with the GOP is that Obama is too d--- smart for them. I think Obama is doing exactly what the leader of another country should do, keep his nose and country out of a civil disturbance. I didn't see anyone come to our rescue when GWB cheated Gore out of the election in 2000 with the help of the SC. Where were our votes and rights then? Right where the Iranians' vote is now, up the creek without a paddle. It's there problem to solve, not ours.

Charlie C---"This blog is full of mindless sheep..following in line behind their shepard." yeah you're a lost sheep, off to FOX and Limbaugh you go. they will tell you your opinion and you don't have to think on your own ot listen to alternative viewpoints (FOX and Limbaugh hang up on people who don't share their views). it good for you that ABC doesn't act in the same immature fashion. but if you want to puppet the right-wing mantra here you have every right.

The ridiculous posturing we have seen from Republicans like Boehmer, McCain, and Graham, jumping on the bandwagon to criticize the President's response to events in Iran, just fritters away whatever credibility these politicians might still have. Thank God some in Washington are listening to the sage advise of Iran experts.

Obama is flat out wrong about Mousavi. Mousavi does not abide by the current regime's ideology. To say that Mousavi & Ahmadinejad hold the same views is just shows Obama's complete lack of understanding of the situation.