Obama: I'm not bluffing on Iran
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inspects centrifuges at the Natanz nuclear site
March 2nd, 2012
12:51 PM ET

Obama: I'm not bluffing on Iran

President Barack Obama says he isn't bluffing when he says Iran shouldn't have a nuclear weapon, but he cautions against a premature Israeli strike against the Islamic republic.

"At a time when there is not a lot of sympathy for Iran and its only real ally, (Syria,) is on the ropes, do we want a distraction in which suddenly Iran can portray itself as a victim?" he said this week in an interview with the Atlantic.

Obama, who will be meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, said a permanent solution is necessary.

Read more about his comments here.


Topics: Iran • Israel • President Obama • The News

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soundoff (26 Responses)
  1. Lefty

    He's already "bluffed" on a number of things, ie, you can keep your regular doctor and insurance policy, GITMO will be closed in a year, unemployment will not reach 8% if the stimulus is passed, etc, etc ad nausem. Didn't he already do a "reset" with Iran anyway?

    March 2, 2012 at 1:46 pm |
    • Howard

      Obama is a lying thief, who will tell Americans whatever he thinks they want to hear, in order to get elected. And, once elected, this traitor betrays every promise he makes. How many times will gullible
      Americans fall for this charlatan's lies ??? If obama wins a second term, without the concern of winning another election, we will all be at the mercy of his destructive policies for FOUR more years ... enough time to TOTALLY destroy this once great country, beyond repair. Save America ... dump Obama, ASAP !

      March 2, 2012 at 1:47 pm |
      • Glen

        Howard I swear do you eat food or you eat grass to make you that stupid?You talking about Obama is a thief? you eain shame dude? after my sister catch you in her house sniffing the draws and smelling her panties? boy bring my money you borrow 6weeks ago before i send the pol,ice to you

        March 2, 2012 at 8:04 pm |
      • stanitan

        Still mourning over OBL I see.

        March 2, 2012 at 9:33 pm |
      • Danno from Co

        Hmm – "who will tell Americans whatever he thinks they want to hear, in order to get elected" – sounds like the current republican candidates for Prez. You seriously think any of these guys will win against Mr. Obama?

        March 4, 2012 at 3:46 pm |
    • Howard

      CHARACTER = When a man, like Mitt Romney, donates his inheritance to charity.

      CORRUPTION = When a man, like obama, uses the power of the state, to confiscate other people's hard earned money, squanders it, and finances loser companies, in exchange for political contributions, in an effort to get himself reelected.

      March 3, 2012 at 12:30 pm |
      • joep199

        IDIOCY = Someone who won't let facts get in the way of his opinion

        March 3, 2012 at 12:49 pm |
      • Danno from Co

        POLITICS – when the Republican contenders for the highest office focus on issues condoms, contraceptives, religion, who is the most conservative, and such rather than jobs, international security, and the economy. Are these guys for real? They are doing the Democrats a real favor.

        March 4, 2012 at 3:44 pm |
  2. MTATL67

    President Obama has more than proven himself on the international stage. What do we get from the GOP. Rick Santorum starts a war with women. Speaker Boehner "inappropriate" rebuke to that loser Limbaugh remarks was just like his leadership – WEAK. From what I see from the Republican party President Obama is the only one that has shown he's got a set.

    March 2, 2012 at 1:58 pm |
    • Howard

      WHERE ARE THE OBAMA GIRLFRIENDS?

      I hadn't thought about this – but where are Obama's past girlfriends
      surely he had at least one? No past girl friends popping up anywhere?
      Strange – strange to the point of being downright weird!

      OK, this is just plain old common sense, no political agendas for
      either side. Just common knowledge for citizens of a country,
      especially American citizens, who know every little tidbit about
      every other president (and their wives) that even know that
      Andrew Jackson's wife smoked a corn cob pipe and was accused
      of adultery, or that Lincoln never went to school or Kennedy
      wore a back brace, or Truman played the piano.

      We are Americans! Our media vets these things out! We
      are known for our humanitarian interests and caring for our
      'fellow man.' We care, but none of us know one single
      humanizing fact about the history of our own president.

      Honestly, and this is a personal thing... but it's bugged me
      for years that no one who ever dated him ever showed up.
      Taken his charisma, which caused the women to be drawn
      to him so obviously during his campaign, looks like some
      lady would not have missed the opportunity.

      We all know about JFK's magnetism, McCain was no monk,
      Palin's courtship and even her athletic prowess were probed.
      Biden's aneurisms are no secret. Look at Cheney and Clinton-
      we all know about their heart problems. How could I have
      left out Wild Bill before or during the White House?

      Nope... not one lady has stepped up and said, "He was soooo
      shy," or "What a great dancer!" Now look at the rest of what
      we know... no classmates, not even the recorder for the
      Columbia class notes ever heard of him.

      Who was the best man at his wedding? Start there. Check
      for groomsmen. Then get the footage of the graduation ceremony.

      Has anyone talked to the professors? Isn't it odd that no one is
      bragging that they knew him or taught him or lived with him.

      When did he meet Michele and how? Are there photos?
      Every president provides the public with all their photos,
      etc. for their library. What has he released? Nada – other
      than what was in this so-called biography! And experts
      who study writing styles etc. claim it was not O's own
      words or typical of his speech patterns, etc.

      Does this make any of you wonder?

      Ever wonder why no one ever came forward from Obama's
      past, saying they knew him, attended school with him, was
      his friend, etc? Not one person has ever come forward from his past.

      This should really be a cause for great concern. Did you see
      the movie titled, The Manchurian Candidate?

      Let's face it. As insignificant as we all are... someone whom
      we went to school with remembers our name or face... someone
      remembers we were the clown or the dork or the brain or the
      quiet one or the bully or something about us.

      George Stephanopoulos, ABC News said the same thing
      During the 2008 campaign. Even George questions why
      No one has acknowledged that the president was in their
      Classroom or ate in the same cafeteria or made impromptu
      Speeches on campus. Stephanopoulos was a classmate of
      Obama at Columbia-class of 1984. He says he never had
      A single class with him. Since he is such a great orator,
      Why doesn't anyone in Obama's college class remember
      Him? And, why won't he allow Columbia to release his
      Records? Do you like millions of others, simply assume
      All this is explainable – even though no one can?

      NOBODY REMEMBERS OBAMA AT COLUMBIA

      Looking for evidence of Obama's past, Fox News contacted
      400 Columbia University students from the period when
      Obama claims to have been there, but not one remembers
      Him. For example, Wayne Allyn Root was (like Obama) a
      Political science major at Columbia , who graduated in 1983.
      In 2008, Root says of Obama, "I don't know a single person
      At Columbia that knew him, and they all know me. I don't
      Have a single classmate who ever knew Barack Obama at
      Columbia ... EVER!

      Nobody recalls him.

      Root adds that he was, "Class of '83 political science,
      Pre-law" and says, "You don't get more exact or closer
      Than that.. Never met him in my life, don't know anyone
      Who ever met him."

      At our 20th class reunion five years ago, who was asked
      To be the speaker of the class? Me. No one ever heard of
      Barack! And five years ago, nobody even knew who he
      Was. The guy who writes the class notes, who's kind of
      The, as we say in New York , 'the macha' who knows
      Everybody, has yet to find a person, a human who ever
      Met him."

      Obama's photograph does not appear in the school's
      Yearbook, and Obama consistently declines requests
      To talk about his years at Columbia , provide school
      Records, or provide the name of any former classmates
      Or friends while at Columbia .

      How can this be?

      NOTE: Wayne Allyn Root can easily be verified. He
      Graduated valedictorian from his high school, Thornton-
      Donovan School , then graduated from Columbia University
      In 1983 as a Political Science major in the same '83 class
      In which Barack Hussein Obama states he was.

      Some other interesting questions.

      Why was Obama's law license inactivated in 2002?
      Why was Michelle's law license inactivated by court order?

      According to the U.S. Census, there is only one Barack
      Obama – but 27 Social Security numbers and over 80 aliases.
      WHAT!?

      The Social Security number he uses now originated in
      Connecticut where he is never reported to have lived.

      No wonder all his records are sealed!

      Please continue sending this out to everyone. Somewhere,
      Someone had to know him in school... before he "reorganized"
      Chicago and burst upon the scene at the 2004 Democratic
      Convention and made us swoon with his charm, poise, and
      Speaking pizzazz.

      One of the biggest CONS this country has ever seen, and
      Getting away with it. This is scary on many levels! He's
      The most dishonest deceiving liar to ever darken
      The White House,,,,,,,,,,

      March 4, 2012 at 2:22 pm |
      • Name*Liz Carter

        Howard...everybody isn't whorish,unfaithful, or leaves their wives on their sick and death beds for another! I'm sure he did have girlfriends, but they probably were intelligent 'real' women. Real ladies about themselves and their private lives. They aren't out to hurt or bring down the President to the media for money and to expose their past relationships with him before he got married! They were diciplined women who probably enjoyed their time together and have moved on in their own lives. I know there had to be many people who went to school with President Obama! I know actor, Hill Harper went to school with him! Even one of his Harvard professors came out through the media and talked about him during the first campaign. What in the world do you want?? Looks like you need a girlfriend yourself with all the time you have on your hands to sit back there behind that computer and perpetually pump out hate and poison to the masses against Obama! I bet you don't have one, because I sure if you did, she wouldn't be there long! She wouldn't be able to take your over-the-top hate towards Obama; therefore she'd start wondering if you cared one little thing about her!!

        March 6, 2012 at 1:56 am |
  3. dreamer96

    Remember when GWBush said the Iraqi oil was going to pay for the Iraqi war, and pay for rebuilding Iraq..(paying U.S. contractors to rebuild)..but when Dick Cheney tried to sell off the rights to the Iraqi oil fields to his friends cheap...Baghdad got mad and sold the rights for more money to China and Russia....

    GWBush really messed up the Iraqi war when he sent 250,000 Iraqi army members home without a job..no way to feed their families...and within days they raided the unguarded Iraqi army weapons depots and then the oil wells were blown up, the oil pipelines were blown up, the oil fields were to dangerous to work in...the power plants and water pump stations were looted for cooper, the cities were looted for food..and the IED's showed up..All within days of sending home the old Iraqi army....Even General Patton used Nazis to run the railroads, power stations, water pumping stations..to keep the lights on, the fresh water running..until Patton could replace them..

    Obama has killed Bin Laden, fought Al-Qaeda, and Libya and won for less then 2 billion...Libya is for Libyans not to be controlled by the U.S., but we will help them if they want us to..Every President since Reagan has tried to get Gadhafi...

    Obama has many options with Iran..from knocking out the fuel and refineries in Iran...Iran can not fight a war without fuel...To working with every neighbor of Iran AND Israel that does not want a nuky Iran...Iran is Persian not Arab...Iran needs to change it's government to represent the people of Iran , not a government that is brutal to it's own people and puts them in real danger, all of them..

    March 2, 2012 at 2:24 pm |
  4. California Conservative

    President Barack Obama says he isn't bluffing when he says Iran shouldn't have a nuclear weapon,
    ---–
    What's there to be bluffing or not bluffing about in that statement? So they shouldn't have them DUH. The question is will he or won't he actually do something about it if they're on the cusp of getting them.

    Maybe CNN needs actual writers instead of the hacks they have now.

    March 2, 2012 at 3:13 pm |
    • Joey

      Journalism hasn't existed at CNN for some time now. They simply cut and paste whatever they get fed from the white house without even questioning it. If Obama said he likes red socks more than blue it would be a major headline here.

      March 2, 2012 at 5:14 pm |
    • joep199

      Maybe you should ask Osama Bin Laden if our President is bluffing

      March 3, 2012 at 12:47 pm |
  5. Ivan

    Why should they not have a nuclear program?

    Because the only ones that keep telling us that their nuclear development is not for peaceful purpose are Obama and Israel

    Let’s see a President this is clueless and Israel that keeps using us.

    March 2, 2012 at 5:15 pm |
    • Danno from Co

      Hmm. Mr. Ahmadinejad has commented that Israel should be "wiped off of the screen" – off the face of the map. Israel has every right to worry. In addition to Mr. Obama, all of the Republican candidates for Prez are calling for action action against Iran. Is Ivan Russian for clueless?

      March 4, 2012 at 3:37 pm |
  6. jerry

    the only thing Iran has to fear from obama is a shot in the back of the head...ask Bin Laden and Gadhafi...oh wait they are in cold storage. Sure would have liked to see them go to trial...as President Bush did for Sadam...that is the rule of law and the moral thing to do...but, they can't talk now can they?

    March 2, 2012 at 6:45 pm |
    • Danno from Co

      A shot in the head for Mr. Ahmadinejad would make the world a safer place. As to OBL – how dare you second guess the military that was on the ground and fired on him? Rather take him out than risk harm to the team that went after him. They shoot rabid dogs, don't they?

      March 4, 2012 at 3:41 pm |
  7. Glen

    tell obama give us back our land and we will fight to defend it with bows and arrows, we will shot them in the third and fourth ribs. and howard who is from Iran

    March 2, 2012 at 8:11 pm |
  8. jimmy

    I would like to say two things and the first thing is: the past is the past on what has happen with bin laden and saddam. They are dead and gone. The two presidents george bush sr and bush jr. Done more damage to our ecomony than any president iknow. The only president that had a very good balance budget was bill clinton. He had to spend money to get the ecomony up and running. If everyone will look back when george bush went out, the ecomony was down and the so called wall street was down, dow joes was down below 8000 points. Now look at the ecomony and the stocks on the dow, almost 13000. Now who is better to run this country, democrats or republicans. If anyone is thinking republicans, you better think twice about republicans running this country again. Republicans are rich and they are going to get even richer if they have their way in washington.

    March 2, 2012 at 10:56 pm |
  9. steven

    Obama is scared crapless, his talk is BS., his only hope is our military leaders can make good decisions he can take credit for

    March 3, 2012 at 12:24 am |
    • joep199

      Better that than another republican like Bush or Cheney who does what they want, whether or not it makes military sense

      March 3, 2012 at 12:48 pm |
  10. ptny

    Wait....I thought the candateds and tag along followers wanted us to threaten Iran, say something, anything, you all said. Bomb them you all said. Take action, do something, anything. "Obama isn't doing anything" you all said.

    Now, after Obama has set the rules for Iran you're going back on what you wanted in the first place.

    Thr Republican followers and candidates outlook and decision making is dangerous. You could never safely run this country. You will certainly not get the chance in November. You should be embarrased.

    Barack H. Obama 2012

    March 3, 2012 at 12:06 pm |
  11. Robert E. Lee

    IF BARRACK HUSSEIN OBAMA WINS – YOU LOSE.

    March 3, 2012 at 1:25 pm |
  12. Name*Liz Carter

    @Steven....President Obama is not scared of you and anyone else. He just so wants to make the right decision so he's focused! He doesn't make decisions off the top of his head like someone else we knew! That someone also was quick to say...'they told me' this and 'they told me' that! 'Our military leaders'?? All Presidents hope THEIR military leaders make the right decisions. If they turn out good or bad...the President has to take the credit! Did you know that the military functions under the President stupid?? Like every other former President, he is the Commander-in-Chief!! And that's whether you like it or not! Anything they do or decide will be either accredited to him or discredited to him!! I see you all don't mind discrediting him if a military decision is made that looks questionable or is controversial, but if it turns out to be a good decision, he just can't seem to get ANY credit from you biggots!

    March 6, 2012 at 1:27 am |