Barry Rubin on how the administration has mis-handled its policy towards Iran:
First, the administration set a September deadline for instituting higher sanctions and then, instead of following a two-track strategy of engagement plus pressure, postponed doing anything while engaged in talks with Iran.
Second, it refused to take advantage of the regime’s international unpopularity and growing opposition demonstrations due to the stolen election. On the contrary, it assured the Iranian regime it would not do so.
Third, the administration set a December deadline if engagement failed, then refused to recognize it had failed and did nothing. It is the failure even to try to meet this time limit by implementing some credible action that has crossed the line, triggered the point of no return.
Fourth, the U.S. government kept pretending that it was somehow convincing the Chinese and Russians to participate while there was never any chance of this happening. Indeed, this was clear from statements repeatedly made by leaders of both countries. Now, this duo has sabotaged the process without any cost inflicted by the United States while making clear they will continue doing so.
Here is something tremendously ironical: The British, French, and Germans want to act. Obama has the consensus among allies that he says is required. But he’s letting himself be held back by China and Russia. The three European allies now have the opposite problem they felt with Bush. They wanted to pull back the previous American president. Now with Obama, they can’t drag this guy forward!
Yes you read that correctly, a number of our European allies – including Germany – want tougher sanctions against Iran in place.
“Germany has made clear that if Iran’s reaction does not change, we will be working on a comprehensive package of sanctions,” Merkel said at a joint news conference in Berlin with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Of course we would prefer it if these (sanctions) could be agreed within the framework of the United Nations Security Council,” she said, adding that officials would be working to that end in the coming weeks.
“But Germany will take part in sanctions with other countries that are pursuing the same goal,” she said.
Maybe that’s why Iran has targeted Germany in its latest propaganda:
Iranian news reports on Wednesday said that an official with Iran’s intelligence ministry told reporters in Tehran that two German intelligence agents — “Yogi” and “Ingo” — were part of a German team that helped recruit young people to join protests that turned violent during a normally somber Shiite holiday, Ashura.
“Individuals who were arrested on Ashura were from various groups, one of which was linked with the German intelligence services and was being led by German diplomats,” said the unnamed intelligence official, according to the semi-official ILNA news service.
The official told reporters that the protests were organized abroad and cited what he evidence to support his contention: a Facebook page in support of Mir Hussein Moussavi, an opposition leader, run by Iranian expatriates living in Germany; “incitement” from BBC Farsi and Voice of America; invitations from the People’s Mujaheeen, an exile group Iran considers a terrorist organization; and the fact that many arrested protesters were from outside Tehran.
But some details of the Iranian account were a matter of confusion; several Iranian new agencies reported that German diplomats had been arrested, while others said only that German diplomats had been involved. One report said that it was an aide to Mr. Moussavi who was arrested.
Perhaps there’s some confusion because it isn’t true. It seems awfully convenient that Iran blames Germany as Germany takes the lead in advocating sanctions; doesn’t it? I suppose it’s good that Germany at least, is providing some leadership here, isn’t it? If the American government isn’t leading at least some of its pundits are. (h/t Instapundit)
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.