Is Iran Testing Missiles or Obama?

What happened? Nine months ago the President said an open hand would be met in kind. Iran acknowledged his overture by saying if the President acts by deeds, not words, that new relations can happen. But what does Ahmadinejad do? Just the opposite of what he challenged the President to do! Iran is acting incredulously, poking at one sore spot after another, and even rousing concern from Russia and China, their strongest trading partners. Here's the latest: NPR Article , CNN Article and NY Times Article

And now President Obama is forced to take a stern, even hawkish stand against a country he dangled an olive branch to just months ago. This is an embarrassment for the President. Iran is testing him. All presidents seem to face the international policy exam. What’s the right answer to this quiz? Do we negotiate or rattle sabers?

If the President is too hawkish, then Iran will claim he is not serious about new relations, and continue to act with impunity-- and stupidity. If the President is too conciliatory, then Iran will take it as a sign of weakness, and continue to act with impunity. I don’t think he can pass this test. He’ll fail regardless of what he does.

Why are we the only country that has to take this test? The best thing he can do is back away from leading this malaise, and let Germany, France, UK and Russia deal with it. Help by leading for a change. We know that won’t happen. That’s not an acceptable answer to international policy exams.

Dragging the UK and France on stage with him to condemn Iran’s latest transgression was a step in the right direction. Now, if he could just handover leadership and say, “Here, you take this one”, there might be a way out for us. Unfortunately, we insist on keeping our chin a little more exposed than everyone else, to be the bulls-eye, the missile magnet, and the effigy the world loves to burn.