Obama's Iran policy has amounted to little more than rhetoric and wait-and-see diplomacy -- all while Tehran launches missiles and enriches uranium. If trends continue, a North Korean-style nuclear moment is in our future.
The Arab world is concerned not only about the prospect of nuclear-armed Iranian ballistic missiles but about how this could lead to Iranian hegemony in the Mideast.
Iran's recent deployment of warships to the Arabian Sea for supposed anti-piracy operations was a message heard loud and clear by Tehran's neighbors, especially rival Riyadh.
This trip gives Obama a bully pulpit, and he should make the most of it, pulling the Arabs together to deal with this common threat.
In fact, containing (or, even better, rolling back) the Iranian juggernaut would help the Palestinian-Israeli situation by removing Iran "” and its henchmen Hezbollah, Hamas and Syria "” as Israel's short-term focus.
Israel, naturally, is drawing a bead on the wolf closest to the sled "” the existential threat posed by Iranian nukes and missiles.
More of Obama's feel-good, blame-America-first speechifying will do little to help dissuade Islamist terrorists from their deadly ways. Instead, it will make America look like a paper tiger "” just like Osama bin Laden said.
It'd be better if the president focused on something on which we, the Arabs and the Israelis can agree "” defanging the Iranian terrorist, nuclear and missile threat to the region and beyond.
Peter Brookes is a Heritage Foundation senior fellow and a former deputy assistant secretary of defense peterbrookes@heritage.orgSubscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click hereSharePrintEmailWrite a CommentEnter your comments - 3000 characters maxType in image codeSubmit Receive China Post promos Respond to this email Also in Peter BrookesUpdated Saturday, April 4, 2009 0:46 am TWN▪North Korea going ballistic with its own satellite launch▪Russia's 'reset' is a military buildup▪Rebooting Russia relations should not mean rollover▪Iran's situation explosive "” It's not just a satellite launch▪Mexico needs a lot of help to beat the narco-gangs, cartelsMoreMost Read▪Tiananmen 20th anniversary brings new repression▪Obama visits Saudi king before high-stakes speech▪China mobile market may bring NT$60 bil.▪From porn to political chaos, UK expenses row spreads▪Gov't to fulfill military policy in '14 Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career | Subscribe | Advertise | RSS Feed | About Us | Career |
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