“Is it appropriate to have a social dialogue if they come?” the reporter pressed.

“Well, (loud sniff) we have made a strategic decision to engage on a number of fronts with Iran and we tried many years of isolation and we’re pursuing a different path now (loud sniff).”

Yes, the path to appeasement, lined with apologies and hot dogs while they do what they please to their own people, threaten the sovereign nation of Israel, mock and deride us—and still get invited to the party? Clearly, media attention forced the administration and the State Department to change course from this horribly misguided effort to engage in 4th of July diplomacy while Iranians yearning for freedom die in the street. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs announced yesterday that “those invitations will no longer be extended.”

Nevertheless, the administration seems to have only reluctantly deviated from this path to appeasement, which also included the declaration by our president just a few weeks ago that Iran has a “right” to nuclear development. He’s sure they can be trusted with nuclear materials to develop only power generating facilities … just as President Bill Clinton assured us North Korea would do.

While Iran spins out of control, North Korea threatens to “wipe out” the U.S. and the Taliban teeter ever closer to Pakistani nukes, the State Department official sniffs a “different path” and our president continues to preside over ridiculous policies, deviating only reluctantly and following international opinion.

I’m just wondering: Is Barack Obama fiddling while Rome burns? I think I smell smoke.