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2007-04-19 Fifth Column

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Posted by 3dc 2007-04-19 00:00|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 If it hopes to tame Iran, the United States must rethink its strategy from the ground up. The Islamic Republic is not going away anytime soon, and its growing regional influence cannot be limited. Washington must eschew superficially appealing military options, the prospect of conditional talks, and its policy of containing Iran in favor of a new policy of détente. In particular, it should offer pragmatists in Tehran a chance to resume diplomatic and economic relations. Thus armed with the prospect of a new relationship with the United States, the pragmatists would be in a position to sideline the radicals in Tehran and try to tip the balance of power in their own favor.

Wotta tripe volcano!

"the pragmatists would be in a position to sideline the radicals"

What "pragmatists"? Iran is a thugocracy dead set on regional hegemony. Resupmtion of "diplomatic and economic relations" will only embolden them and validate their current strategy of delay and deceit. Iran's vision of theocratic Islam is simply unacceptable and must be dismantled at the earliest opportunity. Those who think otherwise are seriously deluded. Allowing such persistent and egregious violations of human rights to continue unhindered would be a disaster of monumental proportions. It would amount to a crime against humanity, equal to the one which is already in progress in Iran. A course of detente would only lead to a nuclear armed Iran. That one single development would rank as the most hideous strategic blunder of this new century.

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2007-04-19 14:05|| 2007-04-19 14:05|| Front Page Top

#2 'growing regional influence' ? Iranians are indoeuropeans in arab environment, shiite in a sunni environment. What can they offer to their neighbours ? They allied themselves with insurgent organizations in the region, and that is what their influence is about.

Posted by Trenchsol">Trenchsol 2007-04-19 14:34|| 2007-04-19 14:34|| Front Page Top

#3 The Islamic Republic is not going away anytime soon
What was their take on the Soviet Union? Just curious.

Of course, to be mired in diplomacy keeps their lot in business in perpetuity.

Posted by eLarson 2007-04-19 15:25|| http://larsonian.blogspot.com]">[http://larsonian.blogspot.com] 2007-04-19 15:25|| Front Page Top

#4 The DemoLeft may like to PC talk "detente",
"bilateral" or "multipolar negotiations" and "dipomacy", etc. feel-good labels vv Iran, but they know that after Dubya leaves the WH come January 2009, THE USA WILL BE NEGOTIATING FROM OVERWHELMING, UNILATERAL, MILPOL STRENGTH ala Ronald Reagan, Bush 1 or Nixon, NOT JUST REGIONALLY, BUT GLOBALLY THAN EVER BEFORE. Iff POTUS = CO-POTUS Hillary wants eight years of Bill-style, Dem-credited, relative geopolitical "quiet" ala 1990's, then the WOT must be resolved or mostly resolved by the time she assumes the WH, ERGO THE DEM DEMAND FOR "TIMETABLES" [March 2008], where "ending the War" + "pulling out of Iraq-ME" > only ending ACTIVE US-LED/SUPP GROUND COMBAT OPERATIONS INSIDE IRAQ, NOT BRINGING THE TROOPS HOME TO LET IRAQ FEND FOR ITSELF.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2007-04-19 21:50|| 2007-04-19 21:50|| Front Page Top

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