The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
Claire Berlinski, Ed. ·
Oct 13, 2010 at 6:03am
Obama will stop Iran from getting the Bomb, said Podesta, "by any means necessary."
This is not your usual diplomatic phrasing, which is, "We will not take any option off the table." Yes, he said it as a private citizen, not as a diplomat. But he's not just any private citizen. And he didn't say this just anywhere.
There are some messages being sent in this part of the world, for sure.
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Comments :
May '10
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
Surely Mr. Podesta will understand my skepticism. Words do not necessarily represent real convictions or intentions; Obama's conduct tends to reinforce this fact. Podesta invites pessimism with this claim. The evidence that President Obama possesses that kind of resolve is millimetric.
Jul '10
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
Colour me dubious. It's three weeks before an election, the Democrats are getting desperate, wanting to portray Obama as tough.
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
I seriously doubt this will be reported in the US. I was the only American journalist there, as far as I know.
Jul '10
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
October Surprises
Aug '10
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
Obama to toss Reggie Jackson out of airplane over Iranian neighborhood in Los Angeles, violation of Iranian airspace "too provocative".
Edited on Oct 13, 2010 at 7:29amSep '10
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
Obama will stop Iran from getting the Bomb, said Podesta, "by any means necessary."
Translation: We promise not to intervene and stop Israel from bombing it and assassinating key individuals.
Jul '10
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
Aug '10
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
Yeah, but what does he mean by "necessary"?
Jul '10
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
Ragnarok
Claire Berlinski, Ed.: I seriously doubt this will be reported in the US...
That may indeed be the case and one admires Podesta's loyalty. Of course, I don't doubt that Obama would bomb his own mother if it were, for him, politically expedient. I just don't think he sees nuclear Iran as a big deal. More importantly, his name is not on the ballot in November. Oct 13 at 6:42am
Jul '10
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
Obama saves the tough talk for speeches to his base. A gun to a knife fight, we're going to hit them twice as hard, etc. The rest of the world gets an open hand and a deep bow. Putin was probably the first to realize there is a lightweight in the White House.
May '10
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
Claire -- I understand your life is real and not a spy novel and that there must be a significant portion of your day devoted to cleaning up after cats -- but could your life be any cooler? I can't imagine how.
Sep '10
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
Trace Urdan
Claire -- I understand your life is real and not a spy novel and that there must be a significant portion of your day devoted to cleaning up after cats -- but could your life be any cooler? I can't imagine how. · Oct 13 at 7:51am
She's just one cat short of perfection.
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
Trace Urdan
Claire -- I understand your life is real and not a spy novel and that there must be a significant portion of your day devoted to cleaning up after cats -- but could your life be any cooler? I can't imagine how. · Oct 13 at 7:51am
You're right. I do have the best life ever ever ever.
May '10
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
I welcome Podesta's comments, and propose that we emulate Mr. Obama's strategy, by setting a deadline. If nothing verifiably effective is done by June of 2012, he leaves office, and Podesta shuts down CAP.
Period.
Oct '10
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
Could "any means necessary" just mean that the US State Department promises not to vote for sanctions against Israel if and when she takes out Iran's nukes herself?
Re: The More Important Story about Podesta's Visit to Turkey
This shouldn't be taken quite as literally as you're all interpreting it. It's part of the very complicated backstage diplomatic dance that's going on in these parts. Basically, I read it this way:
Obama to Erdogan: We're seriously going to cancel the F-35 if this keeps up.
Erdogan to Obama: So what. We'll go to China. (Cue Anatolian Eagle.) (Too bad, Uighurs.)
Obama to Erdogan, via a number of messengers, possibly including Podesta: I'm not, actually, a bunny rabbit. I won't say this to your face, because I can't walk back from that, but I swear I'm going to level that place, and you just can't be sure I won't, so think about it, buddy ... if it turns out you've underestimated me, it won't end well for you ... so back off of China.
A commitment, it is not. A signal, possibly.