Where the hell is Obama?

[Platypus]

OK, Naso; what should Obama be doing in Iran? Arming the protesters? Denouncing the regime?

The revolution is lead by people who are just as anti-American as the government. The US doesn't have friends in Iran, and if Obama explicitly backed the protesters the automatic response from the government would be that this was an american intervention and any chance of a popular movement taking hold would be lost. Obama is doing exactly as he needs to on the issue.

North Korea is looking for attention and aid, and thinks it can force America's hand by being a nuclear bully (which is quite frankly hilarious). The most effective way in limiting North Korea's craziness has been the Six party talks, with both the Koreas, China, Russia, the US and Japan. Bush backed it and so does Obama, because it works - and a military invasion would not. Again, Obama is acting appropriately by using an effective diplomatic channel rather than the military, while also strengthening US defences in Hawai'i and Guam, which are both outside the realistic reach of North Korea's missiles anyway.

Obama has been disappointing in some areas for both sides of the political fence, but one area where his administration has excelled is in foreign relations. Much of the credit for that lies with Hillary Clinton, much with Obama himself, and a large chunk with his advisors. He is handled the almost impossible situation of Iran in the best way possible when everything is new and changes instantly, and he is using known effective measures with North Korea that will have the desired effect - and if they don't, he's making sure the US's already perfectly sufficient defences are even more robust. In neither situation should he be a figurehead speechmaker, he should be at most a behind the scenes co-ordinator - and that's what he's doing.

To answer the question in one esentence - Obama is in the Oval Office, doing his job of the President of the United States of America with remarkable foreign policy nous for a newcomer.

[Platypus]

The revolution is lead by people who are just as anti-American as the government.

Wrong! Try again.

They are only asking for help from Western countries over the internet and risking their lives doing so. Many supported Mousavi, because one of his platforms was improved relations with the West.

If you believe that Mousavi is pro-American, you're wrong. If you believe that the young urban elite that are using the internet are pro-American, you're wrong. If you believe that the majority of the Mousavi supporters are pro-American, you're blind.

Anti-Americanism in Iran runs through every sector of society, and goes deep. Yes, there are some people (less than the western media seems to be amazed by, but still certainly some) who are using technology to spread news from within Iran to the world and to share information internally, but these people are still, broadly, supportive of the Islamic revolution and islamic clerics - and strongly dislike American global power projection.