President Obama sheepishly rescinded his July 4 party invitation to Iran’s murderous mullahcracy.

But some dictators and thugs are in luck: Obama’s hot dog diplomacy has returned to Syria and Venezuela. Fire up the grill:

The Obama administration has decided to return an ambassador to both Venezuela and Syria after a diplomatic hiatus with both countries, FOX News confirmed Wednesday.

The United States and Venezuela have been working to reinstate ambassadors to each other’s capitals since Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in April at the Summit of the Americas, a State Department official said. The move would reverse a tit-for-tat the countries had last year, when Venezuela kicked out the U.S. ambassador and the United States did the same to Venezuela’s envoy.

“The necessary measures are being taken” to return the diplomats to their posts, the official said. “It’s in the best interests of both countries.”

The diplomatic freeze with Syria dates back much further, and a restoration of ties with the Middle Eastern country is seen as part of a broader effort to achieve a comprehensive peace between Arabs and Israelis in the region.

This diplomatic effort is said by knowledgeable sources to include a quiet campaign by the Obama administration to “bring Hamas into the (peace) process.”

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Can you beleive this?

Diplomatic Relations? What next? we will all become Muslims? or worse socialsists?

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Not quite “a day that will live in infamy” or ” I can hear you, the rest of the world can hear you and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.”

Ironically, more Seinfeldesque, “No hot dogs for you.”

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I don't think Obama realizes how much of a "loser" or "lameball" image he is creating for himself

"Only Nixon could go to China" means you have to prove your bona fides as tough and dedicated to American strength enforcing its ideals AND interests. 

McCain (or Bush if it happened on his watch) might have consistently condemned, and in a timely manner, and then set the table for meaningful talks to whoever comes out on top. 

Obama is Mr. Milquetoast.  I wouldn't call him a Chamberlain, because Barack's unstated arrogance, which is true but only fleetingly, is that we can apologize and appear weak because no one can stand up against our strength. I wouldn't call him Jimmy Carter - Even Carter's presidential term as it was beset by both Russian expansion and Iranian collapse was not as dismissive of way agressive and tyrannical regimes can wreak revenge on the global system.

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Hi George, I wish everyone would at least mimic one of my traits and the is they become absolutely disgusted by Michelle Malkin and her idiotic blogs.

"only Nixon could go to China" is a nice talking point, with very little substance.

Chamberlain talking to hitler was not the problem, Giving Poland to Hitler was.

Tell me one instance where having a dialogue with a percieved advisary would put you in a disadvantageous position?

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"Chamberlain talking to hitler was not the problem, Giving Poland to Hitler was."

Check your history Daniel, Chamberlain gave Czechoslovakia to Hitler.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWczech.htm

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Actually Chamberlain didn't give Poland away.  He "gave away" the Sudetenland in 1938 and the rest of Czechoslovakia in Spring 1939 .  But PM Chamberlain and Britain declared war on Germany upon their invasion of Poland September 1939. 

More response later.

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"Tell me one instance where having a dialogue with a percieved advisary would put you in a disadvantageous position?" 

U.S. and Japan 1940-41.

South Vietnam and North Vietnam 1973.

Just to name a few. 

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Riffing on Chamberlain for a bit -  The best that can be said for British govt then is that they were playing for time - rushing toward rearmament especially Navy and producing Spitfires (http://www.aviation-history.com/supermarine/spitfire.html ) that would allow the RAF to evacuate Dunkirk and hold off the horde

In the speculative alternative history line, what if Britain and France would have sent 50,000 troops to provide "training" for Czechs and Polish forces sometime after the Ruhr rearmament in 1936.  They would have been very vulnerable "tripwire" fodder but they would shown resolve.  THEN you talk, while at the same time encourage division in German politics and military, a wide range of dissidents who would have been VERY receptive

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"would allow the RAF to evacuate Dunkirk".  I said that awkwardly - of course fighter planes didn't evacuate troops, Mrs Miniver did. 

  But Britain's ability to vie for air cover over Britain AND coastal France was critical for the army's ability to withdraw

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Talking with either Vietman or Japan did not hurt our postion.

Being idiotic and not preparing for attacks did.

Playing your idea of an alternative history, would chamberlain have been better off talking to Hitler and telling him that he is conducting war games in Czech.. or just doing it and not talking.

You are proposing alternative action, but without supporting your apparent claim that diplomatic relations changed the outcome.

Is obama saying "talk to syria, so lets assume whatever they say is true"? NO. Talk and Verify.

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Actually, I agree with you D Dog, in principle at least, on Syria.  Which is why Israel is already ahead of us, but then they have their survival at stake.  

- If Syria can be "peeled off" of an Iranian alliance

- If it can actually walk down the road of a modus vivendi with Israel

Then that's great.   Israel has consistently shown Syria what it can do to Syria as an enemy neighbor (including knocking out its nascent nuclear facility last year) so like I said, Israel and especially Netanyahu has the "bona fide" toughness (and a track record with Egypt and to some extent even the PA) I talked about to offer peaceful coexistence with its neighbor

What does Mr Milquetoast Apology Tour and Cairo Talk (Aren't Hijabs Pretty?) have to offer???

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What you call weak an ineffectual I would call diplomacy.

Hijabs are supported by many women in Islam as well. I imagine some are considered pretty.

I am lead to believe by your belittling of Obama that you must have found Bush's .."he he..Terror...We will find you and kill you".. diplomacy preferable?

It is a war of ideas. We are losing. The status quo must change. There is very little that can be done to stop Terrorists except to prevent people from beocmng terrorists. Alienating them and killing them while Creating massive refugee problems in Muslim countries is not the way to do it.

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...where they allow for variation in color, and are designed to make the wearer attractive -- but then that defeats the whole purpose to the mind of a fundamentalist doesn't it?  Women are beaten for fashion violations and killed for having a boyfriend in some Islamic countries, that's why in others such as Turkey and at Egyptian universites, and now this week as a French executive order, the wearing of hijabs and especially full length chadors are prohibited or at least regulated

Back to diplomacy shortly.......

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If a country supports the wearing of Hijabs and their are stonings/ beatings/ murdering of women for fashion violations, does that mean you don't have diplomatic relations with them?

Seems like an odd way to try to influence their behavior..

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Certainly not - otherwise we wouldn't be selling arms to Saudis.  Or have an established modus vivendi with a fundamentalist like Grand Ayatollah Sistani

But why should our President intervene in this controversy ON the side of the traditionalists especially when his unique experience as a son and stepson of Muslims should tell him what a sensitive issue this is so many countries from Indonesia to France.

If Obama wants to play realpolitik, he has act like it.  Can you see Nixon talking footbinding in China or Reagan talking fashion instead of missiles with Gorby??

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But he hasn't done that.

The only thing I see Reagan doing is beginnig the destruction of our economy, but that is another topic. IF you are implying that Reagan had anything to do with the collapse of the soviet union, you could only argue that he did it through afghanistan.

If you are taking that position then you MUST accept that he caused and supported the very ideas that you are railing agianst.

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I thought we were talking the same language and even tactics on Syria.

But if you just blow off Reagan along with Maggie and John Paul as just window dressing in the history of the collapse of the Soviet Union, then you don't have anything to say that would connect with me. 

Bush Derangement Syndrome over war weariness etc is one thing but to totally obliterate an understanding of history and geopolitics due to ideological bias is absurd

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Obama could change his image with a new PR campaign, highlighting the best parts of his pisspoor administration.

"Think Bush was an SOB, here's a picture of Mehsud gang of Taliban before Barack became sheriff, here's a picture of what's left of them after he blew em up ... a hundred of em ... at a funeral!"  (Narrated by Wanda Sykes)

Follow it up with a head shot of a dead pirate and a slogan - take that Captain Jack Sparrow!!

Or an "open letter" video  - You know, Darth Cheney, you tortured your terrorists in Cuba, mine don't get that far. 

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I digress.

Where has Obama sided with the traditionalists? Obama realizes, as do many prominent liberals and conservatives, that to speak out on either side would be disasterous. He would either be "The Great Satan" and lose any poltical leverage in future negotiations or he would help squish a fledgling revolution.

He is palying it straight and narrow as he should.

But the CIA documents stated in the 70's that the USSR was on the way out.

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I have no idea what your "Actually" post is saying

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That the Obama administration is still executing a tough policy, so Mr Milquetoast is hypocritical as well as weak....

But let's take your side of the story, you are driving thru North Carolina and while stopping at a diner in Mayberry, a gang kidnaps your dear grandma.

You look around for help - and you're in luck.  Sheriff Andy Obama comes in seconds later due to a desperate call from Deputy Barney Biden who has managed to put the bullet in his revolver.  We'll take care of this, Sheriff Andy says calmly.

Meanwhile "retired" policeman Bruce Willis comes out of the bathroom, nursing a hangover.  "I just heard what these m*******ers did. I'm in, if you want me"

You choose.

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I see nothing weak. I see no "tough" policy.

Nice story. Bruce Willis is a hack.

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See nothing but Obama. And all is changed, figures.

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I am not an Obama Supporter. I like some of the things he is doing and I don't like others things he is doing.

some day maybe we will have a progressive in the white house.

you have made many vague comments, but seem unable to actually say anything.

This post was modified from its original form on 25 Jun, 16:50

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You're Mr Vague... I can be accused of many things, but vague is not one of them.  Now if you were informed on history and geopolitics, maybe we could have an intelligent conversation.

I tried to engage you on Syria, on the history of diplomacy, on Iran's fundamentalists, but beyond slogans you don't bring anything to the table.  Sorry....

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Hi Robert B. - 

You are right on with your obvious sense of informed knowledge of what is "really going on around Obama and HIS government...

Some use the spinning of issues, the distortion of history and the rhetoric of a loon, to use as attempts to discuss or debate (most) political issues but you have countered the banter well!

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For Dan Dogg - Military history of the United States during World War II 

The Military history of the United States during World War II covers the involvement of the United States during World War II. The Empire of Japan declared war on the United States of America and the British Empire on 7 December 1941, immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor on the same day.^[1] Until that time, the United States had maintained neutrality, although it had, since March that same year, supplied the British with war materials through the Lend-Lease Act. The British then went on to supply a significant part of that aid to the Soviet Union and its European Allies. Between the United States entry on 8 December 1941 and the end of the war in 1945, over 16 million Americans served in the United States military.^[2] Many others served with the Merchant Marine ^[3] and paramilitary civilian units like the WASPs.

And much - much - much more @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_States_during_World_War_II

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I think a couple of threads ago, you said you hated Wiki now....*Hmm*.

Robert, All you seem to say is that Obama is a hypocrite. he has a "tough" policy but is weak an ineffectual. You provide no support, just rhetoric.

Please Robert,

Educate us on the what Obama should and shouldn't be doing in Iran and Syria.

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Obama himself can give lesson #1 .(Via AP / MSNBC).    Ch-ch-changes...

President Barack Obama scoffed at the idea that he should apologize to Iran's leaders for criticizing their violent crackdown on demonstrators and said Friday it was President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who must answer to his own people., Obama said the United States and Germany share "one voice" in condemning the Iranian effort to crush dissent. He said Iran's leaders cannot hide the "outrageous" behavior of clamping down violently on their people.  "We see it and we condemn it," Obama said.  Said Merkel: "We will not forget this."

Keeping pressure on Iran's rulers, Obama emphasized the rights of the people there.

"Their bravery in the face of brutality is a testament to their enduring pursuit of justice," "The violence perpetrated against them is outrageous. In spite of the government's efforts to keep the world from bearing witness to that violence, we see it and we condemn it."

Obama's comments on Friday got more direct about the two leaders.

He said Mousavi had captured the spirit and imagination of the Iranian people who want a more free society.  And he dismissed statements by Ahmadinejad, who on Thursday compared Obama to Bush. Obama said he is not meddling in Iran's affairs but rather calling for principles recognized around the world.

"A government that treats its own citizens with that kind of ruthlessness and violence and that cannot deal with peaceful protesters who are trying to have their voices heard in an equally peaceful way have moved outside of universal norms — international norms — that are important to uphold,"

The Iranian leader has told Obama to "show your repentance."  Obama said he doesn't take such statements seriously.  

"He might want to consider looking at the families of those beaten or shot or detained," Obama said. "That's where Mr. Ahmadinejad and others need to answer their questions."

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Obama is still learning. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for a while. His idea is to not have the US come on as a world leader. I don't think his policy is going to do any better than past presidents but I don't think it's close to a disaster. I may have a different opinion later.

The reason past US presidents have taken the initiative in international affairs is because of Europe's inability to prevent WWI and WWII. I think FDR actually did a fair job in preparing for WWII. The country really wasn't united against the Nazis and Fascists, but FDR realized that we’d be involved eventually and kept the British alive at a critical time. Japan dealt us a serious blow and we should have been more ready but we did recover quickly and the tide turned. About 6 months after the attack on Pearl Harbor Japan was doomed. Not bad for a country that suffered a brilliant sneak attack.

By the way, whether you like Reagan or not, he won the cold war and set the stage for the “eace dividend” during Clinton. Too bad it didn’t last.

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By IAN JAMES (AP) – 3 days ago

CARACAS, Venezuela — Hugo Chavez's support has declined in the polls as many Venezuelans say they are fed up with 27 percent inflation, a stagnant economy, faulty public services — and a government they see as incapable of doing much about it.

The president's popularity has slid in monthly tracking polls from a high of 61 percent after winning a vote in February to 52.8 percent last month, pollster Luis Vicente Leon of the Caracas-based firm Datanalisis said Wednesday, adding that the downward trend in the percentage who view his presidency positively has continued since.

After more than a decade in power, Chavez is still by far the country's most popular, most resilient and most divisive politician. What appears to have changed recently is that more are complaining about the high cost of living and a government that has often fallen far short of its promises.

"Whatever he offers, everything gets half-done," said Maria Martinez, a 32-year-old who once voted for Chavez but now is disenchanted. She says the government's health programs are insufficient, and the $500 or so she earns each month selling books in the street is no longer enough to support her five children.

She said water reaches her Caracas slum only now and then due to a broken main that officials haven't fixed.

"They always say they're going to repair the pipe, and they never do," Martinez said with a frown. "They offer and offer, and they never finish."

Leon, whose polling firm has long tracked Venezuelans' views about Chavez, said that in the past whenever his popularity has dipped near or below 50 percent, it has "set off alarms" for the president and he has found ways to boost his support. He said Chavez has recovered from worse situations before and "continues to be the strongest leader in the game."

In the past couple of months, as the lower poll numbers emerged, Chavez announced plans to bring in more Cuban doctors to staff neighborhood clinics he acknowledged had been abandoned. He also has prepared to boost spending through issuing some $8 billion in bonds.

The president said recently that the final months of 2009 "are going to be a big offensive in all areas: in politics, social issues, economic issues."

The government, which relies on oil revenues for about half its budget, is trying to turn around an economy that after years of rapid growth contracted 2.4 percent in the second quarter of the year.

"The soft spots in Chavez's regime are serious and are beginning to affect his popularity," said analyst Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue think tank in Washington. "The chief problem is simply the lack of government capacity and competence. ... There is growing disappointment and frustration with government programs that are not delivering results. The effect is gradual erosion in Chavez's support."

Yet Chavez still faces no strong political opponents with anywhere near as much support. To win back popularity, Chavez is likely to boost public spending in the coming months, especially on visible projects like fixing up hospitals and stocking state-run markets with subsidized food.

According to the most recent Datanalisis poll, violent crime continues to be viewed as Venezuela's biggest problem by far with 48 percent naming it as their top concern.

Leon added that other results suggest Chavez's flagging support is very much linked to the economic crisis, as a growing number of Venezuelans worry about their personal economies.

Eleven percent of survey respondents said the high cost of living was their top concern, while 10 percent complained about unemployment.

Water problems were cited by 3.2 percent, power outages by 3 percent and the catchall "faulty public services" by an additional 4 percent.

Continued -

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The monthly polls, which Datanalisis carries out for about 300 clients including many businesses, have a margin of error of 2.7 percentage points. They are based on questioning in-person of 1,300 Venezuelans selected at random.

Chavez's opponents have also cited other recent polls showing a decline in the president's public approval. The government has not released poll figures in recent weeks, and Chavez's information minister was not immediately available for comment.

If Chavez is trying to win back voters who have grown disillusioned, some may be hard to convince.

Ana Mendez, a 20-year-old single mother who sells handbags in a small shop, said she used to like Chavez but thinks he should pay more attention to Venezuela's problems instead of "giving to other countries" through financed oil shipments and aid.

"He has neglected the country," she said.

From the window of her apartment, Mendez regularly sees armed robberies and says the police do nothing: "Sometimes you see blood on the ground in the morning."

On the same downtown block in Caracas, several others said they still see Chavez as the first president who truly represents them.

"He has support, he has charisma," said Yusmary Garrido, a 36-year-old who rents cell phones by the minute at a plastic table and is thankful to Chavez for the free university education she now receives. She said the socialist leader's opponents make a lot of noise but don't present viable alternatives.

"Until now, there's been no one else who can compete with him," she said.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ineO86qjg0ALoP2esPQbJjn1J5tgD9BFVA682

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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(AP) – 16 hours ago

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan authorities are investigating the shooting death of an opponent of President Hugo Chavez.

Prosecutors say a lone gunman approached Gustavo Gonzalez, a member of the Copei opposition party, at a restaurant, fatally shot the politician in the head and fled on a motorcycle driven by an accomplice.

The shooting occurred Monday in the city of Los Teques, the capital of Miranda state. Gonzalez was a member of the Miranda state legislature.

Copei spokesman Alejandro Vivas said in a statement that the slaying appeared to be a hired killing, but he did not mention a possible motive.

Violent crime including kidnapping and murder are on the rise in Venezuela, according to human rights groups.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iCBDErplQZvaSDYhQOoHpt-h3L9gD9BNOJN80

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I wonder if Sean Penn will go visit Chavez while he is over in Cuba kissing Commie and human rights violater buttt?

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