Dark Star

From an interview on Political Punch:

TAPPER: In recent days, it has seemed that some of your staffers and supporters have walked back from your statement that you would be willing to meet with the leaders of rogue nations, countries hostile to the U.S., without preconditions. Your foreign policy adviser Susan Rice said you wouldn't necessarily meet with Ahmadinejad, Sen. Daschle said of course there would be conditions -- (Obama interrupts)

OBAMA: You know, Jake, I have to say I completely disagree that people have been walking back from anything. They may be correcting the characterizations or distortions of John McCain or others of what I said. What I said was I would meet with our adversaries including Iran, including Venezula, including Cuba, including North Korea, without preconditions but that does not mean without preparation.

TAPPER: Well, what's the difference?

OBAMA: There's a huge difference. When you talk about Iran, for example, the Bush administration's position has been we won't have talks with Iran until they agree to everything we want to them to agree to. That's not diplomacy. That's asking them to do what they say and then acknowledge we are willing to meet with them. That's not how diplomacy works. That's not how Ronald Reagan operated with Gorbachev or Kennedy with Khruschev or Nixon with Mao.

There are a whole series of steps that need to be taken before you have a presidential meeting but that doesn't mean you expect the other side to agree to every item on your list. That has been the attitude of the Bush administration and that will change when I'm President of the United States. What we are doing now hasn't worked. Iran is stronger now than when George Bush took office. The Cuban people are no more free than when George Bush took office. The one area we saw progress, North Korea, and that is in direct proportion to the Bush administration's reversing itself and participating in the six-party talks when early on they refused and (North Korea) developed nuclear weapons they didn't have when George Bush took office. We will return to common sense, bipartisan approach to diplomacy that existed before George Bush. In fact, his father practiced the same diplomacy I'm talking about.

(Hat tip: TWS)

That clear it up for everybody?

One would think that if the difference between preconditions and preparations were so "huge," then this bright, talented, articulate, US Senator could make what the hell he's talking about perfectly clear. But somehow he leaves us more confused.

One thing does seem to spring into focus, however, Obama doesn't grasp that the US cannot accept Iran with nukes. And that's our precondition: Halt your nuclear program while we talk and we can talk. Iran says no. What's there to talk to them about?

Obama says this us demanding everything we want before we'll talk to them. No, sir. We're not asking them to install a democratic government, give their citizens a free press, ensure freedom of religion, endorse women's rights, and give us cheap oil. Our precondition is they at least halt their nuke program while we talk. As, you know, a sign of good faith.

And this crap about North Korea and the nukes they didn't have before George Bush took office... does he actually remember those responsible for the conditions which enabled North Korea to develop their nukes?
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