According to John McCain, Sarah Palin, Joe Liebermann, the Neocons and Joe the Plumber, the election of Barack Obama was supposed to "embolden our enemies", epsecially Iran. Well, according to the Jerusalem Post, it ain't really working out that way.
Despite this message, the conservative hard-line camp in Iran is worried about the overwhelming enthusiasm and support for the US that Obama's election has created around the world. A popular American president who talks about peace and wants to negotiate with Iran would take away their justification for leading the anti-American front in the Middle East. Furthermore, increased international support and credibility for the United States represents a more serious challenge to Iran, especially if the international community initiates new sanctions against Teheran. All this while oil prices are falling.
This is why efforts are already efforts under way in the Iranian press to tarnish Obama's image.
Anyone with a little foreign policy common sense knew that our Middle Eastern adversaries used George Bush as a recruitment poster over the last seven years and they were hoping to do the same with John McCain. But if Obama can re-establish ties with Europe and moderate forces on the Middle East, our enemies lose support with the masses. Another lesson in how elections have consequences.
Barack Obama: Putting the hardliners out of business at home and abroad.