The right way to talk to Iran
Christian Science Monitor / Joshua Gross
09-Mar-2009 (3 comments)

Mr. Obama was quick to insist that the US will pursue "constructive dialogue" with Tehran, while Ahmadinejad alluded to opening talks in an "atmosphere of mutual respect." These are promising first steps to forging new US-Iran relations. However, now is not the time to engage Iran directly. The perception of American meddling during Iran's election season will only play into the hands of hard-liners.

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Examiner

Where's the beef?

by Examiner on Mon Mar 09, 2009 07:55 PM PDT

Here is my repeat comment:


Joshua Gross writes, “Nowruz, the Persian New Year, will be celebrated later this month. Obama should take advantage of this unique moment to travel to California and hold a town-hall meeting with the Iranian diaspora.” He adds, “Obama's speech should dispel popular myths about Iran and focus on the beauty of Persian culture. Obama might acknowledge a personal fascination with Persian history and express adesire to learn more.”

Joshua Gross may not have read -or he assumes we have not -, the N.Y. Times’ best seller, The Audacity of Hope. In this book, then Senator Obama wrote, “Whenever I appear before immigrant audiences, I can count on some good-natured ribbing from my staff after my speech; according to them, my remarks always follow a three-part structure: “I am your friend,” “[Fill in the home country] has been a cradle of civilization,” and “You embody the American dream.”” (p. 309)

Joshua,

Iranians – within and without their homeland – were not born yesterday. It is highly unlikely that many of them will be fooled by this kind of gratuitous lip service. In fact, President Obama’s predecessors did try what you are recommending here, to no avail. Nor did their ‘carrot and stick’ diplomacy work. As Trita Parsi and Stanley Weiss have recently demanded  (//iranian.com/main/2009/feb/think-big), “The Obama administration must decide on its end game - its vision of Iran's role in the Middle East- and then, in a truly grand confidence-building measure, clearly communicate this end game to Tehran.”

If President Obama addresses Iranians diaspora, he should expect to be asked (politely) the same question then Vice President Walter Mondale posed to his rival, Senator Gary Hart during the 1984 presidential primary campaign, “Where’s the beef?”

 


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capt_ayhab

I noticed

by capt_ayhab on Mon Mar 09, 2009 11:25 AM PDT

But who done it first? lol

kidding pal, I do enjoy your contributions a lot. Keep it up.

Regards

 

-YT


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News Goffer

Repeat News Item

by News Goffer on Mon Mar 09, 2009 08:07 AM PDT


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