THE LOOMING ISSUE – AT 8:41 A.M. ET:  Foreign governments watch our election results very carefully.  The looming issue for Obama is Iran, and Iran is making it very clear the issue will continue to loom:

"Iran is ready to hold talks on resolving international problems, establishing peace and security in the world," says Iranian president.

Iran is not prepared to discuss the "nuclear issue" with world powers, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a speech in the central Iranian city of Qazvin on Wednesday.

According to a Press TV report, Ahmadinejad told gathered supporters:

"Iran is ready to hold talks on equal conditions to help settle ongoing problems, ease international concerns and establish peace and security in the world."

He reportedly continued: "We have repeatedly said that our (nuclear) rights are not negotiable ... We only hold talks to resolve international problems ... to help the establishment of peace."

On Tuesday, Iran responded to reports that it had agreed to meet with the "5+1" group later this month by saying that it absolutely would not be discussing a nuclear fuel swap.

COMMENT:  So what, pray, is there to talk about?  It's like, "Nazi leader Adolf Hitler told Prime Minister Churchill today that Germany would discuss bringing peace and security to the world, but that it's intention to destroy Britain from the air was non-negotiable."

The trouble is that the Europeans are jumping at the chance for "more talks" with Iran, since that means not doing much, and the U.S. has been utterly passive during this period, also saying that it welcomed more talks.

At some point in the next few years, Iran is likely to have a nuclear weapons capacity.  A number of top Republicans are saying that only a credible threat of military force will stop the Iranians.  The administration has made it clear it has no intention of issuing that threat.

Another case where Obama's foreign policy can be marked, "no results."

November 10, 2010