Round Winner: Iran

Regardless of your politics, regardless of your religion, nationality, background or beliefs, contemplate this with an open mind. The United States claims reason under the new administration. Obama has publicly contended that he will meet with Iran under no pre-conditions during his campaign and reiterated that during his speeches following the elections. Yet when the United Nations holds an "anti-racism conference" the U.S. boycotts it because of the presence of Iran's president Ahmadinejad.  This does not sound like the Obama administration we know, it sounds a lot like the former administration.  

The reason behind the boycott by the U.S. is really the reason behind the boycott by Israel.  This conference's agenda includes discussing the Israeli campaign against Gaza and the racism illustrated based on accounts by Israeli soldiers printed in an Israeli newspaper and also based on dozens of reports by humanitarian groups and red cross members who were not allowed into Gaza to help with the relief months after the Israeli offensive. So basically the few countries that have much at stake with Israel boycott the conference like the U.S., Germany and Poland but most countries stayed, listened and participated.  

Here is my issue with the actions of the United States: by doing what we did, we are giving Iran and Ahmadinejad more credibility than he deserves.  The worst thing the United States could have done (and we did) was not let our voice count. Whether you care or not, more and more nations now, know and understand the point view of Iran and are clueless to ours. If you are George Bush or Dick Cheney, that does not matter much to you, but if you are Barack Obama who claims that the United States NEEDS the world's respect and cooperation, then your previous action was the very definition of oxymoron.