Tehran – Iranian demonstrators burned photographs of Barack Obama today as they protested against America’s inaction over Gaza.
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Dozens of people gathered in Tehran waving Palestinian flags and defacing and setting fire to images of the President-elect.
Iranian demonstrators have often burned effigies or pictures of US presidents in the past but this appeared to be the first time Mr Obama’s picture had been defaced, a week before his inauguration as president.
The Iranian government has condemned the West, and the United States in particular, for not doing more to stop Israel’s attacks on Gaza. The 17-day-old offensive, which Israel says is to stop rockets being fired at it, has killed more than 900 Palestinians.
“Where are the freedom seekers?” read one poster held up by a demonstrator today protest. It had the word “Gaza” emblazoned on it and an image of a weeping Palestinian.
The demonstrators, waving Palestinian flags, some chanting “Death to Obama”, had gathered outside the Swiss embassy which handles US interests because Tehran and Washington have not had diplomatic ties for nearly three decades.
Pictures showed the president-elect’s image laid on the road for cars to drive over it and other images showed demonstrators burning an Obama poster.
In other recent protests against Israel’s Gaza offensive, demonstrators have climbed into a British diplomatic compound and gathered outside the missions of Jordan and Egypt, which have peace treaties with Israel, to condemn what they see as the inadequate international response.
Apparently they haven’t heard that he’s not president till next week. They might as well burn pictures of Bill Gates.
Get Tough
There are a group of people that feel that the best way to help terrorist behave better is to negotiate with them .The theory being that just like here in Western society if we have a disagreement with someone the best way to get along is to first discuss and then negotiate with them into a compromise . This generally does work in our society which is based on normal human value. This does not work when it come to dealing with Muslims in the Middle East. I will not expound on why in this comment perhaps in future comments
Those people who feel that negotiating with terrorist is the way are probably very thrilled that President Barak Obama was elected. During the Campaign he clearly gave the impression he would discuss and deal with the terrorist through diplomacy. In fact today Hillary Clinton mentions the same thing today in her hearings in Congress.
The Events today of burning a picture of Obama is clearly not a good thing and will surely be condemned. However it does show that just because an incoming president says he wants to negotiate with these people that does not help. Even before he had a chance his picture was burned. This humiliation is probably the same as saying they want him dead. The same person who wants to give and appease them
In conclusion perhaps there is a positive thing that can be taken out of this story. When the President elect will see the way Iran feels about Americas best negotiator with terrorist (after Carter ) he may reverse tracks and decided instead to pursue Presidents Bushes approach that was to indentify a terrorist as a terrorist and treat him with the only thing he understands . This is strength, might and ultimately death.
I hope Obama realizes who his friends are and who his enemies are, and reacts accordingly. Obama didn’t take office yet, just by virtue of being American, he is hated- as we all are.
are all arabs retired? they have been protesting all over the world for almost 3 weeks now, nonstop
this is making me finally like and appreciate obama
Iranian Muslims burning pictures of US Presidents and Presidents-to-be. Vus noch iz Neias?