6/1/09 obama ushers in his era of "smart diplomacy" by inviting iranian diplomats around the world to a bbq. nothing new here, we've seen it before, inexperience and naivety, two obama hallmarks.

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Having sent the Iranian people a video greeting on their New Year, President Obama is now inviting them to help celebrate a quintessentially American holiday, the Fourth of July.

Last Friday, the State Department sent a cable to its embassies and consulates around the world notifying them that “they may invite representatives from the government of Iran” to their Independence Day celebrations — annual receptions that typically feature hot dogs, red-white-and-blue bunting and some perfunctory remarks about the founding fathers.

Administration officials characterized the move as another in a series of American overtures to Iran. The United States has not had relations with Iran since the American Embassy in Tehran was seized by protesters in 1979; the country’s diplomats have not been formally invited to American events since then.

“It is another way of saying we are not putting barriers in the way of communicating,” said one administration official. “It is another way of signaling that there is an opportunity that should not be wasted.”

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new york times

since that 4th of july invite to our iranian brothers, surely our president's eyes have been opened to the brutal and suppressive tactics of that theocratic regime. thoughts of open dialogue must be long gone and there is no way he would ever entertain the idea of iranian diplomats at us embassies on america's birthday.

guess not.

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The United States said Monday its invitations were still standing for Iranian diplomats to attend July 4 celebrations at US embassies despite the crackdown on opposition supporters.

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"There's no thought to rescinding the invitations to Iranian diplomats," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters.

"We have made a strategic decision to engage on a number of fronts with Iran," Kelly said. "We tried many years of isolation, and we're pursuing a different path now."

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google/afp

I thought obama loved grassroot democratic movements? only when he is on the ballot, I guess. maybe pdrnk's plan for fireworks over his home state of hawaii, curiously also on the fourth, will grow him some stones.

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North Korea may launch a long-range ballistic missile towards Hawaii on American Independence Day, according to Japanese intelligence officials

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dailymail/uk