Barack Obama on Iran: More Delay From the Procrastinator-in-Chief

Do you remember how Obama has solemnly pledged that he will never allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons? During a news conference this past Monday (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57324653/obama-gop-candidates-wrong-on-waterboarding/), Obama used the opportunity to commend himself for his efforts to restrain Iran:

"You take a look at what we've been able to accomplish in mobilizing the world community against Iran over the last three years and it shows steady, determined, firm progress in isolating the Iranian regime."

"Progress in isolating the Iranian regime"? Yeah, right. I look back over the last three years, and I recall Obama's 2009 attempt to reach out to Iran's cutthroat leaders with Nowruz (new year's) greetings and "a promise of a new beginning." Watch Obama blow honeyed kisses at Ayatollah Ali Khamenei:



Obama then silently sat on the sidelines as Iran's Revolutionary Guard slaughtered those who took to the streets to protest the fraudulent June 2009 presidential election.

More recently, we have observed US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta's determined efforts to reassure Tehran that the US will not consider a military option to eliminate Iran's nuclear facilities (see: http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/11/18/panetta-iran-attack-israel-prevent/).

Yesterday, we learned that the US plans sanctions against Iran's petrochemical sector, but is unwilling to take action against Iran's central bank. As reported by The Jerusalem Post (http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=246117):

"While US officials last week said the idea of cutting off the Iranian central bank entirely was off the table for now, one source said there had been consideration of more limited measures.

'There was displeasure at the top with the view that it's all or nothing ... (and that if it's all) we take out our own economic recovery,' he said. 'The instruction was given to look for other possible avenues.'"

Translation: Obama is again delaying any meaningful action against Iran. Although isolating Iran's central bank would have serious repercussions for Ahmadinejad and friends, a boycott of Iranian oil is meaningless, given that petroleum is fungible. What the US and Europe don't purchase from Iran will be bought by China.

Obama is concerned that a Western boycott of Iranian oil could harm economic recovery? Wait and see what happens when Iran builds its first atomic weapon and threatens Saudi Arabia. Yes, I know, there's no reason for Obama to be concerned. After all, this will happen sometime after the November 2012 presidential election.

All hail the Procrastinator-in-Chief!