President Obama: Can't Let U.S. Be "Foil" For Tehran

[cal04]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/22/earlyshow/main5102053.shtml?tag=stack

President Obama says the United States has to guard against allowing itself to be used as a scapegoat by the regime in Iran.

In an exclusive interview with Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith, Mr. Obama responded to critics claiming he hasn't spoken out forcefully enough in favor of those who've taken to the streets to protest the result of the recent presidential election in Iran.

"The last thing that I want to do," the president said, "is to have the United States be a foil for -- those forces inside Iran who would love nothing better than to make this an argument about the United States. That's what they do. That's what we've already seen. We shouldn't be playing into that. There should be no distractions from the fact that the -- Iranian people are seeking to -- let their voices be heard.

"Now, what we can do is bear witness and say -- to the world that the, you know, incredible demonstrations that we've seen is a testimony to -- I think what Dr. King called the -- the arc of the moral universe. It's long but it bends towards justice."

[varelse]

1. He's right

that is what would happen.

[JPZenger]

2. Obama cannot be their excuse for violence