Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Should We Talk To Iran?

Ralph Peters thinks so and tells us why, here.


We need to know this enemy better. Everything we hear is second-hand. Whether in a business negotiation or a bid to prevent a nuclear catastrophe, there's no substitute for sitting down face to face with the other guy and talking.

Why?


Talking to someone doesn't mean you can't kill him later; on the contrary, it lets you better judge how to slip in the knife.

That is but one reason, he gives several others. While, all are intriguing, one thing he fails to consider is, we do not have a lot of bargaining power. We do not do business with Iran, like Europe does. They have the economic leverage, all we have is military leverage.

That fact alone, will beg these questions:

1. What will they want from us in talks?

2. Will they talk in good faith or will they use this as another stall tactic?

3. Will they be sizing us up, as Peters suggest we do?

But Peters does make some good points, worthy of some additional thought and consideration. Give this one a read.

3 comments:

G_in_AL said...

I have thought for awhile that we should make a deal with Iran that they can do whatever they want as long as they dont attack Israel, and then tell Saudi that they WILL start supporting our oil demand, and make sure that they do their part to boose the value of the dollar to offset Iran's moving from it for oil sales.

If we walk away, Europe will have to clean up their own mess, then we can sit in the cheap seats and heckle them for once.

Anonymous said...

-OR-

We could tell the Saudis that Iranians are good to eat.

gandalf said...

g

you do not seem to realise that the fate of the US is inextricably tied to europe, America is in deep hock to China, China is not a friend of the US if you break links with europe you will be truly isolated, without any ally
, the symbiosis between europe and america is essesntial for both.

sit in your cheap seats if you wish , that is all you will have left