Hit Iran Where it Hurts by Barack Obama

[illinoisprogressive]

For diplomacy to work, we need to dial up our political and economic pressure - not just our tough talk. Iran's troubling behavior depends in large part on access to billions of dollars in oil and gas revenue. That is why I introduced the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act last May, to build on a movement across the country to divest from companies that do significant business with Iran. This would send a clear message about where America stands, increasing Iran's isolation and hitting the Iranian regime where it hurts.

The bill works in three ways. First, it would educate investors and pressure foreign companies to reconsider doing business with Iran by requiring the U.S. government to publish - every six months - a list of companies that invest more than $20 million in Iran's energy sector. Second, it would give explicit congressional authorization to state and local governments to divest the assets of their pension funds and other funds under their control from any company on the list. Third, it would give private fund managers who divest protection from lawsuits, while urging the government's own 401(k) fund to create "terror-free" and "genocide-free" investment options for government employees.

This common-sense approach enjoys broad support. Sam Brownback, a Republican senator and presidential candidate, joined me in introducing this bill. A companion bill passed the House of Representatives 408 to 6. The only obstacle now is a single senator who placed an anonymous "hold" on the bill, blocking it from coming to a vote.

This is exactly the kind of unaccountable obstruction that needs to change in Washington. Instead of having a debate in the open, a Bush administration ally is blocking the bill through a secret Washington maneuver - a maneuver that would be banned if a sweeping bipartisan ethics reform bill that I led the fight to pass is signed into law.

Talking tough and keeping our troops in the middle of Iraq's civil war has only served to strengthen Iran's position. It's time to turn the page on a failed foreign policy. It's time for strong diplomacy backed by common-sense measures that pressure the Iranian regime.
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2007/08/30/2007-08-30_hit_iran_where_it_hurts.html

[Colobo]

1. Obama's showing leadership again!

[polichick]

2. I'm glad he's talking about it...

Now I want to hear how he and the other Senators are planning to prevent Bush from starting another war.

[illinoisprogressive]

4. poli - that is going to take surgery. Putting in spines in the leadership.....

[polichick]

5. You got that right! :)

It's good that Obama opens with remarks about obstructionism ~ shining a light on these guy!

[illinoisprogressive]

3. shame on Obama for showing what real leadership is about. lol

[acmavm]

6. Question: Since it's Russia and China that are cutting the oil deals with

Iran and investing in their infrastructure, as well as selling them missles, does anyone think this will mean anything?

[plusfiftyfive]

9. AH...........yeah...........

There is no one else with his hand on the pulse...........Hillary? I doubt she has a clue here...

Certainly no Republican has any idea. So what are you implying? Obama, as a black man, is not as intelligent as your white woman candidate? You want this guy to go down because ..........?

When did Hillary address these issues? Can you quote me some links as to when she was talking about Russia and China cutting oil deals with Iran? I'm willing to read your links, just provide us some place where Hillary talked about this... OK?

[acmavm]

11. What in the hell are you talking about? And what the fuck does Hillary

Clinton have anything to do with what I asked? Are you dilerious? I am not a fan of old Hils at all.

I am just a person with an honest question who reads the news.

And what the fuck does Barrie being black have to do with ANYTHING?????

edit: This is why no one who has an honest or serious question about either one of those two can never ask it here. The Hils/Barrie warriors are so irrationally defensive that they can't or won't just give a straight answer. They get all nuts and start dragging in shit that was either never said or has nothing to do with whatever was said in the first place.

Generally I just come into these threads for a laugh. I think I'd better go back to that practice because obviously there's no intelligent answer on the horizon.

[Connie_Corleone]

20. They are the vocal minority. I don't know what that other person was talking about.

He sure was making a lot of far out assumptions based on nothing.

[Dawgs]

7. Good on Obama!!

Unfortunately, many on DU will ignore this.

[Colobo]

8. I don't understand why he is so hated around here.

[plusfiftyfive]

10. He's not hated......

He poses a threat to those who spent their $1000 in Hillary early on......they don't like to have an intelligent man win out over an ambitious woman. Heck, I think intelligence, to them, is just a symbol, and gender equality is more important than anything else.

I hope Obama is humble enough to accept a Secretary of State position, should Hillary win out over him in the primaries......for sure Hillary is NOT thinking about the international issues......she's got her own ego to satisfy.

[Ethelk2044]

17. He should not take any position in her admin. It would only hurt him in the end.

He does not need the baggage.

[GeorgeGist]

12. When are we going to have ...

have this 'open debate' on Iran? So far all I've heard are unsubstantiated allegations and fears.

[burrowowl]

13. Why the posturing on Iran?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2971971

IAEA says that Iran's co-operation is significant.

[slipslidingaway]

15. The title of the article will make them more receptive to all of

our diplomatic advances. :shrug:

Thanks for the other article.

[burrowowl]

14. C-Span2

Fellow, Ray Takeyh, from Council on Foreign Affairs and National Security says Iran doesn't really gain from doing nukes. Discusses HK 'madman theory' during VN War.
Anyway, interesting program.
People from USA Today, etc.

[HuffleClaw]

16. parroting bushisms?

how idiotic of him.

[John Q. Citizen]

18. Why start a fight with iran? Is the US going to pay back the debt to the Chinese so we can quit

doing business with them?

This is why I'm not voting for Obama, either. He's just a tool.

[Ethelk2044]

19. Show me where he said go to war with Iran please.

He said pressure them. He talked about diplomacy. I did not know that meant war..

[illinoisprogressive]

21. I take it the 2 above you, Ethel, did not READ the article or they would know what it was about

[Truth2Tell]

23. Pressure them?

Isn't that a good way to keep them as our enemies?

Why not talk to them instead?

Economic sanctions are just another tool of War.

What the hell gives the U.S. the right to go around sanctioning anyone? Really. We need to get over this self-righteous imperial bullshit.

We need to adopt an actually new foreign policy and geo-strategic posture based on humility and peace. Or we are doomed for sure.

Shame on Obama for appealing to the worst of American nationalism for political gain. Just as pathetic as Bush and Hillary.

[John Q. Citizen]

24. Pressure them for what? So he can look tough? If you want to open negotiations with me

and the way you satrt is taking actions intewnded to hurt me, I'll tell you to go Cheney yourself.

[ProudDad]

22. Earth to Obama

et. all.

For diplomacy to work you have to TALK TO YOUR alleged "adversary"!!!

It doesn't hurt to have some sensitivity to the history between you and your "adversary". It also doesn't hurt to show some compassion and understanding for their position while working to explain one's own.

Threatening your alleged "adversary" with economic and potential military annihilation is hardly a "diplomatic" move...

---------

Locally, here in town, there's a move to remove (and lose) millions of public employees' retirement money from a mutual fund that invests in one French company that has a relative pittance invested in Iran.

Now that's just fucking stupid...

I don't know yet who's pushing that stupid idea but the Progressive forces in town are dead set against it.

[killbotfactory]

25. Finally, a mainstream politician acknowledging the Iraq war helped Iran

And who's first instinct toward the situation with Iran isn't simply "bombs away"!

[jmp]

26. So he wants to give fund managers the power to ...

Screw over investors with impunity?

Nice. :eyes:

[eridani]

27. More imperial bullshit, but not too different from the other front runners

Believing in US military domination of the rest of the world by force is of course a qualification for being "top tier".

[tomp]

28. don't worry, the nuclear option still on the table

this is just another example of imperialist foreign policy being bipartisan. same goal, different strategies superficially. it's all about dominating the middle east, i.e., the people of the middle east ("them, the people")on "our" behalf. democratic party politics is a sick joke, and the joke is on obama supporters who think they're progressive.