Why we need to talk to Iran

One of America's top strategic interests must be to get Iran to behave less like a gang of revolutionary fanatics and more like a traditional nation-state. The President of Iran and the Mullahs must be shown that a stable neighborhood in the Middle East is good for Iran.


Talks with Tehran should begin, without any preconditions; I know this is not a very popular frame of thought with many. But the other side of this could well be some sort of nuclear war in the next few years in the Middle East that in all likelihood will spill over dragging the United States into the conflict on the side of Israel.

Our present policy is that Iran should be denied any direct contact or discourse with the United States until it suspends its nuclear-enrichment programs. This policy has hurt the U.S. much more than it hurt Iran. For over 27 years we have relied on unilateral sanctions and diplomatic roughness to persuade Iran to restrain its behavior and abandon its nuclear ambitions. This approach has not even come close to working.

Direct talks with Iran will not persuade it to abandon its nuclear dreams right away. Even the slightly saner predecessors of President Ahmadinejad stealthily proceeded down the nuclear path despite pledges to do otherwise. Given Persia's precarious location and imperial impulses, I dare say that even the late Shah a strong friend of America was and would be doing the same thing if he was alive and in power today.

Iran in 2006 decided to play power broker. It invited Iraq's President to visit Tehran to discuss regional stability, and it sought to bring Syria into the process as well. This was not greeted well in Washington by the Bush Administration. But it should have been.

When a problem is for the moment seems unsolvable, history some times gives us the answer. One example is the opening to China negotiated by Henry Kissinger, which did not try to settle such intractable issues as the status of Taiwan. But instead created a framework for a realistic long-term relationship involving both cooperation and debate.

After 9/11, Iran helped the US extensively in Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban and establish a new government. It anticipated better relations in exchange for its assistance. But it was soon dubbed a member of the "Axis of Evil" by President Bush in his 2002 State of the Union address.

Is time to start better relations with Iran. The United States should permit commercial deals with Iran's small private sector, which could build a middle-class constituency for stability and greater integration into the world economy. This will probably lead to some sort of accession talks with the World Trade Organization. In the process, Iranians will see more clearly the benefits of being treated as a responsible global player. Only then might we have enough leverage to convince the nation's leaders that there's a downside to flouting the world on the nuclear issue.

Engagement with Iran should be done in partnership with our allies in the region, namely Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. They can help keep the Iranians (and Syrians) in check and look after Sunni interests. That requires one other ingredient: reigniting efforts to reach an Israeli-Palestinian peace, if and when the Palestinians form a new government willing to deal with Israel. The Israelis understand this; Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has informally talked to the Saudis about relaunching their Arab peace plan.

Iran will want all issues on the table, from its controversial nuclear program and resumption of US-Iran ties to Iranian support for Hizbullah in Lebanon and the Palestinian militants. Once again we will be talking.

President Ahmadinejad has the advantage of looking like a poet, sounding like a lunatic and not caring whether the West likes him or not. But Iran has multiple power centers. And these power centers are the opportunity for real change in Iran.

America can do this, talk is always a good starting point. Iran needs to know we are a super power they are not. Not just the ability to make war but a super power in life. The thought of a nuclear war anywhere scares me to death. Let us hope it scares others also to the table of reason.

Don Tracey ~ www.traceyforcongress.com

Don is a Candidate for congress the 26th district

I ask all candidates for this seat to send in their thoughts on this matter. So we may open some real dialog in this matter.

The time for blame is over.

Front-paged by Steve. We welcome contributions from candidates in this race.