The United States has entered into negotiations with
Iran. It’s about time, it seems to me. Indeed, they have come to a temporary
agreement along the path of limiting Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Sounds good to me. The goal for the U.S. is to keep Iran from
developing nuclear weapons, and the goal for Iran is to have the sanctions
lifted, or maybe more to the point, the goal for Iran is to be accepted as a
normal country in the world.
Apparently Henry Kissinger stated a while ago that Iran had
to decide whether to be a cause or a nation.
Perhaps this negotiation is a good sign that they have decided to become
a nation rather than a cause. Certainly
the people of Iran did their best to elect the most moderate candidate they
could to be their elected leader.
Israel is furious, or rather the right wing faction of Israel
is furious. The Republicans are furious,
or rather the right wing faction of the Republican party is furious. They decided long ago that Iran is not to be
trusted, that Iran is dedicated to nuclear annihilation of Israel, and that
Iran will say anything that allows them to develop the bomb and destroy Israel,
and that Iran is eager to have every Iranian living in Iran become a martyr to
the holy cause of eliminating Israel.
Long ago they decided this. Long
ago.
Personally, I think the right wings in Israel and the Republican
party are a little nuts. I can well
imagine that Iran wants to have nukes and may be willing to be devious to get
them. But I don’t think that Iran is
ready to immolate itself in order to immolate Israel. I would imagine that if I were an Iranian I
would think that if it’s OK for Israel to have nukes it should be OK for Iran to
have nukes.
At any rate, talk-talk is a lot better than war-war, and I’m
glad to see Obama willing to step away from toeing the line of Israel and the
Israel lobby in the U.S., and for him to come up with a less hostile and
domineering approach to the Middle East.
I understand that this is especially unnerving to the Tea Party faction
of the Republican Party since the foundation of that ideology seems to be a
hyper-masculine, super-tough, gun-totin’ rootin’-tootin’ brand of manhood,
expressed best by Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachman (oddly enough). Never compromise, or give in, or negotiate anything
for any reason at any time, just stick-to-your-guns and congratulate yourself
on your extraordinary bravery - this seems to be their modus operandi.
Time for a new approach.
I have hopes that Obama and Iran are on a new track that can end quite
well. Who knows, Israel might get tired
of their own Sarah Palins and find a way to make deals for safety rather than
intimidate their way to safety.
