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Obama Criticizes Iran for Attacking Demonstrators

   VOA News  February 15, 2011
   President  Barack  Obama  makes a statement about hi s budget during a
   news conference on the White House complex in Washington, February 15,
   2011

Photo: AP

   President  Barack  Obama  makes a statement about hi s budget during a
   news conference on the White House complex in Washington, February 15,
   2011

   President  Barack  Obama  has  criticized  the  Iranian government for
   attacking peaceful demonstrators.
   In  a  news  conference Tuesday, the president said the people in Iran
   should  be  able  to express their opinions and grievances, and seek a
   more responsive government. Â
   He  said  he hopes he will continue to see the people of Iran have the
   courage to be able to express themselves. Â
   Obama said the right signals are coming out of Egypt, and he called on
   governments in the Middle East to respond peacefully to protestors who
   are demonstrating peacefully. He said a lot of work remains to be done
   in Egypt, but what has happened so far is positive.
   He said it is ironic how Iran says it welcomes what happened in Egypt,
   but then cracks down on protestors who gather in its own country.
   On  domestic matters, the president said the budget he unveiled Monday
   presses  the  federal government to live within its means, as American
   families have been forced to do in their own budgets.
   Obama  said  the  $3.7  trillion  budget  includes  tough  choices and
   significant  spending  cuts,  so by the end of the decade the nation's
   annual  spending  will  match annual revenues. He said it includes key
   investments in places like education and science and technology.
   He  called  on Democrats and Republicans to find common ground to work
   together.
   Republicans,  who  control  the House of Representatives, have slammed
   the  spending proposal, saying it does not go far enough to reduce the
   deficit.  Obama's  Democrats  retain control of the Senate, making for
   what  is  expected to be a protracted partisan battle in Congress over
   federal spending.

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