Rouhani and Obama Talk on the Phone.

[Caged Great]

Iran's new president Hassan Rouhani and Barack Obama had a 30 minute conversation on the phone today. It's the first time in 34 years that the presidents of those countries have communicated openly.

I can imagine how frustrated the "Hawks" are that wanted war with Syria, as they thought that they were finally getting another war, and two weeks later, not only does the UN put in a new rule that states that they will go after Assad if he uses chemicals again, but now Iran is making peace overtures.

[PIMking]

it's cool and all but I wish all our idiots in washington would start talking to one another instead of playing party politics crap.

[CaptainCrunch]

Lets not all float in the pleasure palace of Iran suddenly turning into a force for peace overnight. If they reopen to nuclear inspections and stop funding and arming terror groups then that's a basis for conversation.

But lets not pretend that the president of Iran is nothing but a puppet for their revolutionary council of religious zealots.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Lets not all float in the pleasure palace of Iran suddenly turning into a force for peace overnight. If they reopen to nuclear inspections and stop funding and arming terror groups then that's a basis for conversation.

But lets not pretend that the president of Iran is nothing but a puppet for their revolutionary council of religious zealots.

Definitely, but you can't change things without first taking a few steps in the right direction, and thus far Rouhani has been taking several steps in a very positive direction.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Lets not all float in the pleasure palace of Iran suddenly turning into a force for peace overnight. If they reopen to nuclear inspections and stop funding and arming terror groups then that's a basis for conversation.

But lets not pretend that the president of Iran is nothing but a puppet for their revolutionary council of religious zealots.

Yeah, sure there will be no parades but it's a big step in the right direction. Kudos to Barack on his handling of the mideast war situation. He's kept the US out of a war and has gotten Syria to agree to purge their chemical weapons. So what if he doesn't come off as the baddest, toughest hombre, he's achieving his aims.

[CaptainCrunch]

I give Putin more credit for keeping America out of a war and forcing Syria to disarm then Obama.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Good news and maybe I missed if there was a thread about Congress and republicans pushing back on the budget due to Obamacare. 3 days til the end of the US fiscal year and shutting down the government ops is a pretty big deal, political grandstanding being what it is.

Obama's speech today sounded like a guy who expected the worst from the republicans

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I give Putin more credit for keeping America out of a war and forcing Syria to disarm then Obama.

So do I, but that's mainly because it's in Putin's best interest to have Assad still in power so they can access the Mediterranean. Sheltering him by getting him to give those weapons up is the best way of calming the situation.

[theinfinitejar]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

So do I, but that's mainly because it's in Putin's best interest to have Assad still in power so they can access the Mediterranean. Sheltering him by getting him to give those weapons up is the best way of calming the situation.

Don't forget that there's no way the Syrians are convinced to give up their chemical weapons (if they even do) without a couple of CSGs hanging out in the neighbourhood.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I give Putin more credit for keeping America out of a war and forcing Syria to disarm then Obama.

I look at it as Putin and Assad blinked.

It isn't like Putin is this neutral observer, Russia is up to their armpits in Syria.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Iran's new president Hassan Rouhani and Barack Obama had a 30 minute conversation on the phone today. It's the first time in 34 years that the presidents of those countries have communicated openly.

I can imagine how frustrated the "Hawks" are that wanted war with Syria, as they thought that they were finally getting another war, and two weeks later, not only does the UN put in a new rule that states that they will go after Assad if he uses chemicals again, but now Iran is making peace overtures.

The hawks?? You mean the President and his Secretary of Defense?

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Yeah, sure there will be no parades but it's a big step in the right direction. Kudos to Barack on his handling of the mideast war situation. He's kept the US out of a war and has gotten Syria to agree to purge their chemical weapons. So what if he doesn't come off as the baddest, toughest hombre, he's achieving his aims.

Vladimir Putin kept the US out of a war.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

So do I, but that's mainly because it's in Putin's best interest to have Assad still in power so they can access the Mediterranean. Sheltering him by getting him to give those weapons up is the best way of calming the situation.

Putin's motivations are irrelevant. If he doesn't play his hand like he did it is very likely that American planes are bombing Damascus right now.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

Vladimir Putin kept the US out of a war.

It wasn't out of the goodness of his heart. He and Syria were backed into a corner.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

The hawks?? You mean the President and his Secretary of Defense?

John McCain and Lindsay Graham and that group of nutjobs more so.

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

It wasn't out of the goodness of his heart. He and Syria were backed into a corner.

right, like Obama and his moving "line in the sand" crap right?

[ernie]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Good news and maybe I missed if there was a thread about Congress and republicans pushing back on the budget due to Obamacare. 3 days til the end of the US fiscal year and shutting down the government ops is a pretty big deal, political grandstanding being what it is.

Obama's speech today sounded like a guy who expected the worst from the republicans

It comes down to open in fighting in the GOP. The main GOP leadership does not want a shutdown and is basically happy enough with the measure including the House leader Boehner. It's the tea party that they let hijack the party that is driving this right now. I'm fine with it. The more the GOP fight with each other the more votes they lose because no one wants to vote for a party when you don't know who controls it. Let them splinter

[FlamingLonghorn]

Rouhani in the past has bragged about how easily he manipulated leaders in the west when he was in charge of the nuclear program.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I give Putin more credit for keeping America out of a war and forcing Syria to disarm then Obama.

No credit is due here. Pure and selfish politics. Russia has been a power broker in Syria since the 70's supplying arms and providing all sorts of technoligical assistance to its petroleum industry in exchange for being able to influence the Middle East situation. A war would have threatened their last "friendly" regime over there.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

John McCain and Lindsay Graham and that group of nutjobs more so.

With all of the rhetoric publicly spewed by the President and Secretary Kerry prior to Putin's self insertion you are going to claim that the military option in Syria was being championed by Republican Senators?

If your version is true then Obama really is very, very weak.