Reverberations as Door Slams on Hope of Change (Obama failed?)

NYT ^ | 06/14/09 | BILL KELLER

[TigerLikesRooster]

Reverberations as Door Slams on Hope of Change

By BILL KELLER

TEHRAN — It is impossible to know for sure how much the ostensible re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad represents the preference of an essentially conservative Iranian public and how much, as opposition voters passionately believe, it is the imposed verdict of a fundamentally authoritarian regime.

But for those who dreamed of a gentler Iran, Saturday was a day of smoldering anger, crushed hopes and punctured illusions, from the streets of Tehran to the policy centers of Western capitals.

Iranians who hoped for a bit more freedom, a better managed economy and a less reviled image in the world wavered between protest and despair on Saturday.

On the streets around Fatemi Square, near the headquarters of the leading opposition candidate, Mir Hussein Moussavi, riot police officers dressed in RoboCop gear roared down the sidewalks on motorcycles to disperse and intimidate the clots of pedestrians who had gathered to share rumors and dismay.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Related thread:

Iranian Election a Repudiation of Obama

[Erik Latranyi]

Actually, Reagan used words as well. They just weren’t words like “peace in our time” and Obama’s b***s***.

Reagan backed his words up with strength.......Obama does not back his words up with anything.

[Erik Latranyi]

While I very much agree with the use of the word "evil," there was no confrontation, it was an enabling event.

I honestly believe that Obama thinks he is confronting them. We know it is doing nothing more than enabling the terrorists.

[ThreePuttinDude]

In the Dem-Lib debates last year, Hillary was listing her
resume accomplishments and mentioned the man child
only had a speech in 2004.

He got all bent out of shape. That showed his weak spot.
Why don't our guys hit that weak spot.

I Remember his shouting:
Just words, just speeches

[dr_who]

Very true. Which illustrates the difference between words and B.S.

[what's up]

Hmmmm....Keller himself writes this one.

Wonder why.

[RobinOfKingston]

I honestly believe that Obama thinks he is confronting them. We know it is doing nothing more than enabling the terrorists.

If you are right (I certainly am not saying you are wrong) it is another of those instances of being sincere, earnest and wrong simultaneously.

Not a good grouping of characteristics for a Cub Scout leader, let alone the ostensible head of a country.