Sunday, October 11, 2009
china confidential
Should Clinton Resign Over Iran?
On the second day of her swing through Europe, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a joint news conference in London with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband.
Iran was a main topic.
"Iran will never have a better opportunity to establish normal relations with the international community and it will never have a better opportunity than to show that the peaceful intent that marks its words about its nuclear program is matched by its deeds," Miliband said.
"We are speaking with a single voice and delivering a clear message to Iran," Clinton said. "The international community will not wait indefinitely for evidence that Iran is prepared to live up to its international obligations."
Strong words. One hopes the "international community" will succeed in stopping Iran's nuclear march, that truly tough sanctions, including a naval blockade to end Iranian imports of gasoline and diesel fuel, will bring the Islamist regime to its knees--or bring it down altogether--and thus negate the need for terribly risky military action against Iranian nuclear and missile installations.
But what if--and this is a more likely scenario, given the Chinese and Russian positions on sanctions--the international community disappoints? And what if U.S. President Barack Obama allows nuclear negotiations to drag on indefinitely, leaving Israel isolated and exposed to annihilation, Europe on the defensive, and the United States in danger, over the long run, of being hit, directly or indirectly, by one or more Iranian nuclear weapons--perhaps launched from foreign-flagged cargo ships with North Korean help?
The answer is that Clinton should be prepared to do the right thing--for her country, party, career--and quit. She should be ready to resign rather than collaborate in the further weakening of America's national security. Iran has already been given the gift of time--another nine months, thanks to Obama's policy of appeasement and attempts to align with the Islamist nation (and Islamism in general).
Should Obama stay the course--a perfidious, potentially catastrophic path--his former rival for the Democratic Party's Presidential nomination should step down to protest America's abandonment and betrayal of allies and "engagement" of fascistic foes and Foreign Terrorist Organizations. She should be prepared to take a principled stand in defense of the U.S. national interest and the free world.
In fact, one could argue that she should have already resigned. Her boss is a one-termer--another Carter--notwithstanding his Nobel Peace Prize. The sooner Clinton separates herself from Obama, the better chance she has of winning both the Democratic nomination and the White House in 2012.
No kidding. Hillary can run again--and win.
Yes she can.
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