I have supported President Obama’s decision to make a good faith effort to engage the Iranian government in direct diplomacy. By doing so, the President has put the global spotlight exactly where it belongs: on Iran’s intransigence.
Unfortunately, however, there has been nothing in the Iranian leaders’ behavior since President Obama came to office to ever suggest they are now any more likely to reciprocate the President’s good faith, or accept their responsibilities under international law, than they were on January 20th. On the contrary, there is significant evidence past and present that gives us reason to believe that they will try to exploit the current attempt at engagement by the West, just as they have exploited past attempts at engagement, as an opportunity to ensnare us in a process without end, while they continue to advance toward a nuclear breakout.
I know that there are some who argue that, in the wake of the protests following Iran’s June 12 election, the Iranian regime will now be more amenable to striking a deal, in order to defuse tensions at home. I disagree. It seems to me that what we have witnessed in recent months in Iran is a consolidation of power within the regime by its most hard-line elements.
As a result, I fear that we are now dealing with an Iranian leadership that is even more ideologically inflexible, and thus less likely to accept negotiated compromises and agreements—including ones that are in their national self-interest. The fact is, the Iranians have lied and cheated and violated their obligations under international law for years—and thus far, they have gotten away with it. So why would they now change course?...
“The bottom line is this: it is not enough for the Iranians to engage in a process in Geneva today. That process needs to yield results—and quickly.”
While the Iranians engage in their "rope-a-dope" charade they are buying time to build their nuclear weapons right under our nose. How many times will we fall for this!
And Doom marches on
