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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (90681)	12/14/2004 11:49:52 PM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793756

Barnett's view on Iran is the one I am having the toughest time with. It takes a 180 turn in my thinking. But we have to face the fact that even if we took down their nuke capability, Iran is always going to be there. The need to create local security partners on Iraq ¦"Iraq, Jordan See Threat To Elections From Iran: Leaders Warn Against Forming Religious State," by Robin Wright and Peter Baker, Washington Post, 8 December 2004, p. A1. ¦"Rebels Aided By Sources in Syria, U.S. Says: Baathists Reportedly Relay Money, Support," by Thomas E. Ricks, Washington Post, 8 December 2004, p. A1. ¦"U.S. Wants to Block Iran's Nuclear Ambition, but Diplomacy Seems to Be the Only Path," by Thom Shanker, Eric Schmitt and David E. Sanger, New York Times, 12 December 2004, p. A10. ¦"U.S. and Europe Are at Odds Again, This Time Over Iran," by Steven R. Wiseman, New York Times, 12 December 2004, p. A10. ¦"Iran and Europeans Open A New Round Of Negotiations," by Elaine Sciolino, New York Times, 14 December 2004, p. A14. ¦"Will Iran Win the Iraq War? A hawkish stance on Tehran would help us in Baghdad," op-ed by Reuel Marc Gerecht, Wall Street Journal, 14 December 2004, p. A14. The United States cannot make Iraq work all by itself in the region. It cannot make Iraq stable in defiance of every other state in the region. Yes, we can get small weak states like Jordan to go along (what choice do they have sitting right next door to 150,000 U.S. troops?), but the big, more powerful ones aren't simply going to go along. That's why we need to create a serious security partner in the region—someone who's big and who can bring along others. Iran is that someone. With Tehran, you've got a chance for stability in Iraq, but without them, tell me how it works. Instead of fixating on Iran's quest for the bomb, which only alienates our European allies all over again (our credibility on this subject is—let's say—a bit weak following Iraq), the U.S. needs to think long and hard about what it would take to turn Iran from our inveterate enemy to someone who's strategic interests essentially overlap with ours in terms of security. When the Taliban went away, who was most happy in the region? Ditto for Saddam? The tipping point on our relationship with Iraq is coming. It can go very well or very bad. But it's coming. So's my piece for Esquire, which I'm sure will generate more hate mail than I can possible read and probably get me some heat from the Navy for what I say about China. But hey, it's a career!