New York Times Editorial, "Now, the Hard Part": Again Showering Obama With Compliments

On August 29th, Obama consulted with editorial and op-ed staffers from The New York Times regarding his meandering Syria policy (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.co.il/2013/09/gail-collins-knowing-when-to-worry-did.html). Following this "off-the-record" meeting, Obama opted to seek congressional approval for a "limited" strike against the Assad regime, and the Times promptly showered him with sycophantic praise. In a September 16th editorial entitled "The Syrian Pact" (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/16/opinion/the-syrian-pact.html?_r=0) the Times wrote:

"President Obama deserves credit for putting a focus on upholding an international ban on chemical weapons and for setting aside military action at this time in favor of a diplomatic deal. The Syria crisis should demonstrate to Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani, that Mr. Obama, who has held out the possibility of military action against Iran’s nuclear program, is serious about a negotiated solution. Mr. Obama’s disclosure that he had indirectly exchanged messages with Mr. Rouhani was encouraging.

. . . .

Now that Russia and the United States have reached a deal, there’s reason to hope this cooperation will help advance an overall peace settlement for Syria."

Obama's wavering, amorphous policy vis-a-vis Assad will bring about a peace settlement for Syria and encourage Iran to reach a peaceful solution regarding its nuclear weapons program? Quite the opposite, yet the fawning nonsense from the Times continues.

Today, in its latest editorial entitled "Now, the Hard Part" (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/28/opinion/now-the-hard-part.html?_r=0), the Times remarkably ascribes inordinate importance to Obama's 15-minute phone conversation with Hassan Rouhani, president of Iran. The Times writes:

"President Obama and President Hassan Rouhani of Iran showed leadership this week in committing themselves to resolving the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program. On Friday, they capped days of promising gestures with a phone call — the first direct contact between top American and Iranian leaders in more than three decades.

. . . .

It’s hard not to be swept up in the euphoria, especially when an adversary begins to seem not only reasonable but personable. Both leaders have now taken risks that would have been impossible even a few months ago, before Mr. Rouhani was elected to replace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a hard-liner who spewed anti-American and anti-Israel diatribes. But so far, it’s only words; the Iranians haven’t actually done anything to satisfy concerns about their nuclear program. In fact, Mr. Rouhani has repeatedly affirmed Iran’s plans to continue enriching uranium."

"It’s hard not to be swept up in the euphoria" over a 15-minute phone call on Rouhani's way to the airport, after Rouhani refused to shake Obama's hand at the UN? Please . . .

Remarkably, it should be noted that Rouhani is claiming that Obama initiated the conversation and not the other way around as claimed by a "senior Obama administration official" (see: http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13920706000872).

But more to the point, as noted in my prior blog entry:

1. In a pre-election interview, a so-called "reasonable" Rouhani bragged how he had lulled the West into complacency while radically expanding Iran's nuclear weapons development program (see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjbrqPK-BBg). Are Obama and friends truly daft enough to believe that Rouhani's latest charm campaign is anything other than another attempt to buy time to allow Tehran to build its first nuclear weapon? But following Obama's Syrian "red line" debacle, the entire world knows that America's president seeks to avoid violent confrontation at any price.
2. Hassan Rouhani is not Iran's boss. Iran's less-than-charming Supreme Leader Khamenei calls the shots. Khamenei is going to dismantle his multi-year investment in building Iran's first atomic bomb? This nuclear weapons development program is to Khamenei what Obamacare is to Obama. What are they smoking in the West Wing and at the US State Department?
3. Obama's farewell at the end of this phone call, "Khodahafez"? The Persian translation of "Khodahafez" is "May God be your Guardian." Well, there is nothing "Godly" about the Islamic Republic of Iran. A pity that Obama doesn't take the time to educate himself about the horrifying oppression of Iran's Baha'is, Kurds, Sunnis, homosexuals and women. A pity that Obama can't take a tour of Tehran's infamous Evan Prison.

Bottom line: "Speak softly and carry a big stick" has been replaced by Obama's "A Toke and a Smile" diplomacy, a product of his never having to deal with bullies over the course of his exclusive private schooling.

Israel will soon need to act on its own.