Mind you a certain group will ignore or belittle this but thank you for trying to educate them.

I understand it poorly.

to easily establish groups for specific issues.

their asses handed to them on a platter?

Obama has done some good things, he has done some great things, but the TPP will tarnish his legacy and send the US into a death spiral economically and legally make the average citizen completely beholden to the benevolence of the Corporate state.

and only care about being aligned with Personality and Party, that's what happens to you. Morals and ethics are thrown straight out of the window along with all common sense.

for posting the link. I agree with you 100% - 'Well done, Mr. President.

From the middle of the speech

To summarize, the United States has a hard-earned humility when it comes to our ability to determine events inside other countries. Now, the notion of American empire may be useful propaganda, but it isn’t borne out by America’s current policy or by public opinion. Indeed, as recent debates within the United States over Syria clearly show.

The danger for the world is not an America that is too eager to immerse itself in the affairs of other countries, or to take on every problem in the region as its own. The danger for the world is, that the United States after a decade of war, rightly concerned about issues aback home, aware of the hostility that our engagement in the region has engendered throughout the Muslim world, may disengage creating a vacuum of leadership that no other nation is ready to fill.

I believe such disengagement would be a mistake. I believe America must remain engaged for our own security, but I also believe the world is better for it. Some may disagree. But I believe America is exceptional. In part because we have shown a willingness through the sacrifice of blood and treasure to stand up not only for our own narrow self interest, but for the interest of all.

I must be honest though, we’re far more likely to invest our energy in those countries that want to work with us, that invest in their people instead of a corrupt few, that embrace a vision of society where everyone can contribute -- men and women, Shia or Sunni, Muslim, Christian or Jew -- because from Europe to Asia, from Africa to the Americas, nations that have persevered on a democratic path, have emerged more prosperous, more peaceful and more invested in upholding our common security and our common humanity.

I love the fact that Obama is always one step ahead of the Repukes!

he's going to make it almost impossible to start another war in the Middle East. Heads must be spinning in the MIC.

He seems to be starting on a path to peace that I hope will reach fruition. He will receive many challenges and attempts to derail this work, such as Netanyahu's attempt to portray Rouhani's moderate statements as a trick intended to reduce international pressure on Iran. These waters will be hard to navigate; but I'm personally optimistic.

Thanks for posting it.

It's not like the Shah's secret police rivaled the Gestapo or anything and besides, we own the world right?

Maybe the Neocons are just nervous that if relations with Iran improve, the sorted details of the Reagan campaign's deal in 1980 to keep the hostages in Iran until after the election might come to light. Treasonous Fucks: That how the arms started flowing to the Middle East in the first place, which led to more hostage taking and our brilliant alliance with Iraq. Gee no foreign policy disasters there!

**--finger down throat--**

[font size=12]B A R F![/font size]

Wouldn't it be fantastic if all the secrets from 1980-86 came boiling out!

Not that the Reagan worshippers would ever acknowledge what went down back then, but it might help wake up the rest of the country.

threads to praise him for stuff we like, well now you know.

It's because we know less than ten posts in someone is going to start this shit.

Heaven forbid there be a thread where people could actually praise Obama without someone shitting all over it.

Good job.

coming in to start some shit. Whatever...

He's still one of the greatest presidents we've ever had! Take it to the bank!!

It would appear that you are the one starting s@#t on this thread.

I don't always agree with President Obama, extending Bush tax cuts, looking forward not back, prosecuting whistleblowers instead of Wall St fraud, among others. I voted for him twice, I'm inspired by him as a person, and believe he entered office in the worst scenario of any president. I do try to praise him when I believe he's done a good job. I simply don't believe he's infallible, and refuse to praise his every move because he's the one that made it. If that makes me a 'hater' in someone's eyes, so be it. I don't see it as a binary 'Either you're with Obama, or your against him." That is the broad-brush thinking of the other side of the aisle, and it diminishes any real debate on issues.

That said, I completely praise the President for this speech. It is long overdue. The US needs to admit its foreign policy mistakes, and admit the harm they've done. To do so toward Iran is eye opening and courageous. Hopefully it is a big step toward mending the many fences we've torn down in the region.

Grammar police alert: The word used upthread should be sordid, not sorted. Sorry, pet peeve.

Anyway, this is still a free country. I don't take well to self-righteousness indignation. As for the grammar police, this is a message board. I'm sure that everyone makes typographical errors from time to time. You're not perfect, either.

that's some powerful wordage there. Thank you, Mr. President.

some really interesting comments at that daily kos link.

well, not some, almost All of them. Awesome.

I find the discussion over there to be...well, more like real discussion which gets more rare by the day here.

Julie

like, hmm, this must be Adult's room?

and not a word (that I saw, I know it's everywhere) about how Obama is going to stick us all in the back and sell our flesh to Wall street.

I think I will go there more often too. It was such a strange, calming feeling reading that stuff. And I learned stuff.

Thanks for the thread, ProSense.

Exterminate native Americans then dance with the wolves.
Discriminate against Blacks then elect Obama.
Destruct Iraq then say it was a mistake.
Help Bin- Laden and bring Taliban _who banned girls after 7 from going to school_ to power, then say oops they are actually terrorists, only when they start target Americans.
I dont wanna be part of this movie I will write and direct my own one.

When is the US policy in the middle east gonna be about today any way?
Why should we care that you acknowledge your mistakes when it doesnt help any more? especially that you are still doing similar mistakes?
US mistakes in Iran and the middle east in general during the cold war, helped extremists getting power, helped political Islam to dig deep in peoples' minds.
How can it be just mistakes you helped crushing progressives in the middle east during the cold war!
I dont see it as a mistake followed by a mistake.. I see it as a designed scheme to keep this area suitable for one thing.
Thats why I hope the US just make superficial relations with Egypt in the future.. we have different goals when it comes to middle east, I want progress and you want oil & power. I think of schools and books and you think of making a polite Bin Laden. I think of modern countries and you support religious ones.
I am done with US.. why should one country far away, always decides what happens here in my own area.
The US makes relations with Egypt only for Israel any way, I dont wake up each day thinking about crazy people who are still living in Moses times, its their own problem and it should never define me. It's an insult to make relations with 80 millions according to what their crazy neighbors are doing. Forever and Ever here in Egypt, Israelis will be considered crazy people who left Egypt to chase an imagined uninhibited holy land that was actually full of people, well keep chasing I don't care, it's their OWN problem. Why should this define my forien relations?
And then comes another crazy people that US cares about, Islamists that are chasing another imagined nonexistant country!! where all people are wearing the same dresses and believing in the exact same thoughts.

And why? all for Oil and money.

Thats why I pray the US cuts its relations with Egypt.

many of us Americans are fully aware of our country's history in your region of the world and are horrified.

I and millions of others don't want any of the things you list in your post as America wanting. Personally I see what America has done everywhere at one time or another and it is frustrating! We've wasted so much in the way of every kind of resource in order to better control all the remaining resources in the world.

There are many of us who work in real world politics to try to make things change. I hope you read this and remember, we don't all support what's been done in our name. Apparently not even our current President does and I, for one, find this to be a nice change and hope for a more forward thinking foreign policy.

Julie

I was talking about US middle east politics, not US people..

This is good. US media will likely not touch it.

That will allow for more of their oil to be exported and get gasoline prices back down where everyone can prosper again.

Sid

It's a way to acknowledge our wrongful role in that shameful episode, in rhetorical manner that can't easily be twisted by the rightwing noise machine.

No doubt they'll try to spin it as another "apology" but the more they put this out there, more people will become aware that we helped overthrow their democratically elected government and imposed on Iran the tyrant Shah.

IMO we do owe the Iranian people an apology for that. Too bad our American sensibilities are too immature for that kind of mea culpa.

Thanks.

is the deep level of honesty and truth about our history. it is not an apology. it is acknowledgment of how as a nation we can be better citizens of the world and more humane toward one another. in doing so, bridges for the good and betterment of all nations is fostered.

Finally, 5 years into your tenure in the WH, I'm listening, eager for more TRUTH TELLING.

Applause, applause.. But don't stop now, keep it coming!

But this is a "neo-con" foreign policy!!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023731331