President of Pique Obama Assails U.S. Critics but Gives the Ayatollah a Pass.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/president-of-pique-1428875257

Remember when Senator Barack Obama assailed President George W. Bush for exceeding his presidential powers? In the twilight days of his own Presidency, Mr. Obama is speaking and acting as if he can determine U.S. foreign policy all by his lonesome.

That afflatus was on display Saturday at the Summit of Americas in Panama City, where the President took umbrage that anyone would disagree with his unilateral forays on Cuba, Iran and climate change. He was especially annoyed at Senator John McCain for daring to point out that Secretary of State John Kerry’s interpretation of his “framework” nuclear accord differs substantially with that of Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

“That’s not how we’re supposed to run foreign policy, regardless of who’s President or Secretary of State. We can have arguments, and there are legitimate arguments to be had. I understand why people might be mistrustful of Iran. I understand why people might oppose the deal—although the reason is not because this is a bad deal per se, but they just don’t trust any deal with Iran, and may prefer to take a military approach to it,” Mr. Obama said.

“But when you start getting to the point where you are actively communicating that the United States government and our Secretary of State is somehow spinning presentations in a negotiation with a foreign power, particularly one that you say is your enemy, that’s a problem. It needs to stop.”

Now, as it happens, the Ayatollah is the one who first said that the Obama Administration was spinning what was in the framework. Mr. McCain then said he was inclined to believe the Ayatollah more than Mr. Kerry, who “tried to come back and sell a bill of goods.”

Leaving Mr. Kerry’s motives aside, regarding the framework we also believe the Ayatollah more than Mr. Kerry, since he’s the Iranian who will have to abide by it. The Supreme Leader contradicted Messrs. Kerry and Obama on two specific and crucial points—stressing that U.N. inspectors would have no access to Iran’s military sites and that sanctions must be lifted right away.

Asked in Panama about Mr. Khamenei’s remarks, Mr. Obama dismissed them as posturing: “It’s not surprising to me that the Supreme Leader or a whole bunch of other people are going to try to characterize the deal in a way that protects their political position.”

So what the Ayatollah says doesn’t matter, but American critics should shut up because all they want is war. Once again Mr. Obama is more respectful of foreign enemies than of domestic opponents, which is one reason his diplomacy has so many Americans worried.

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