Try engagement with Iran, then tough sanctions

iranmissileIran has strained credulity for years with assurances that its nuclear ambitions were peaceful, our editorial today notes. The recent disputed elections and the brutality of the crackdown on protesters furthered distrust in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the ruling clerics. The tension ratcheted up last week with the revelation by the Obama administration, France and Britain that Iran had a secret underground uranium enrichment facility in the works. Then came Iran’s several tests of missiles capable of striking Israel, parts of Europe and U.S. military bases in the Middle East. Diplomacy may not defuse the situation. But engagement must be tried in order to work. And it will be easier to build and sustain a global coalition against Iran if its leaders are given every opportunity to stave off tough economic sanctions or other action.

54 Comments

  1. politicalmama
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 6:12 am | Permalink

    We told you that if we went to Iraq, this would put us in more danger. Another consequence of the failed Bush policy.

    Now we can just sit and watch.

  2. Posted September 29, 2009 at 6:34 am | Permalink

    When Bush took out Iran’s foe next door…

  3. Heckler
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 6:39 am | Permalink

    “But engagement must be tried in order to work. And it will be easier to build and sustain a global coalition against Iran if its leaders are given every opportunity to stave off tough economic sanctions or other action.”

    Easy to say from what, 8,000 miles away? Rhonda might sing a different tune if she were in Israel or southern Europe.

  4. DorisKing
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 6:46 am | Permalink

    I believe Israel has rockets that can hit Iran. Where’s the outrage?

  5. Heckler
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 6:51 am | Permalink

    DorisKing says “I believe Israel has rockets that can hit Iran. Where’s the outrage?”

    For one thing they haven’t threatened , repeatedly, to wipe Iran off the face of the earth.

  6. Posted September 29, 2009 at 6:59 am | Permalink

    Iran fought, what? A four-year war against Saddam Hussein? To a draw.

    Americans annihilated the Iraqi army in a couple of weeks.

    That doesn’t strike me as evidence Iran is a military threat.

    Without going into the whole Mutual Assured Destruction concept, only a truly suicidal regime would launch nuclear missiles. Kim Jong Il? That’s a possibility. But Iran isn’t likely to fire off rockets (they don’t have) tipped with nukes (they don’t have) anywhere without assuring their doom.

    CONs just want to find something or somebody they can be afraid of.

    And whine about it.

  7. BlueJay
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 7:28 am | Permalink

    Yawn………………

  8. outlander
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 7:28 am | Permalink

    “But Iran isn’t likely to fire off rockets (they don’t have) tipped with nukes (they don’t have) anywhere without assuring their doom.”

    ————

    What, me worry? Relax folks. Monkey’s figured the odds. They AREN’T LIKELY to fire off nukes, because Holocasut denier Ahmaddinnajacket isn’t crazy(he isn’t?). Now there’s something to base world security on.

  9. BlueJay
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 7:33 am | Permalink

    How many YEARS have the cons been wetting the bed that Iran is gonna get nukes any minute, any second, and day now? I don’t care if Iran gets nukes. It MIGHT make Israel a better international neighbor.

  10. Hud
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 7:36 am | Permalink

    “How many YEARS have the cons been wetting the bed that Iran is gonna get nukes any minute, any second, and day now? I don’t care if Iran gets nukes. It MIGHT make Israel a better international neighbor.”

    “Yawn………………”

  11. biased1
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 7:47 am | Permalink

    …….And it will be easier to build and sustain a global coalition against Iran if its leaders are given every opportunity to stave off tough economic sanctions or other action.
    ——————————————–
    1. Diplomacy…
    2. Sanctions…
    3. Resolutions…
    4. Inspections…
    5. Throw the insectors out…
    6. Move operations..
    7. Break a few resolutions…
    repeat 2-7 about 4 or 5 times…

    Sound familiar????

    Where IS Hillary by the way?

  12. Regular
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 7:49 am | Permalink

    Didn’t Iran just reveal they had a secret nuclear plant? (also confirmed by satellite)

    What else aren’t they saying?

  13. Mr_Kia
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 8:58 am | Permalink

    We can’t manage to get three Americans who supposedly wandered across the Iranian border back using diplomacy. How’s that going to work in something as important as this issue?
    Sanctions are BS. Just what we need in our fragile (at best) economy is to drive up the cost of Oil again.

  14. ANTI
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:07 am | Permalink

    Serious sanctions SHOULD be implemented, but when has that ever happened. China an or Russia oppose certain sanctions that would choke Iran.

    The problem I fear, is that if the nations do not take this seriously, Israel will. If Israel attacks Iran, we may see WWIII.

    But keep passing mamby pamby resolutions that take years to have any effect, World ‘Leaders’, surely everything will be fine….

  15. Freebird1971
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:11 am | Permalink

    IMHO Iran ought to really be afraid of Isreal. One of these day they are gonna decide we have had enough of Iran’s BS and take care of business themselves.

  16. SolDevVB
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:26 am | Permalink

    politicalmama
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 6:12 am | Permalink
    We told you that if we went to Iraq, this would put us in more danger. Another consequence of the failed Bush policy.

    Now we can just sit and watch.

    __________________________________________________

    LMFAO. There is so much wrong with this I don’t even know where to start. I guess I’ll go first with the utter lack of intelligence the poster SCREAMS with the statement.

    Second, I’ll go with who controlled congress when we went to war with Iraq? Control congress, control the purse strings. Not one of them had the b@ lls to defund the war.

    So who is this we you speak of? Could it be the libtards? You have had the purse strings for how long now?

    OK, this could turn into a book. Let it suffice to stand on its own and declare the complete and utter ignorance of this poster in particular and the libtards in general.

    Wait wait wait. Gotta get this in there too:

    Now we can just sit and watch.

    That is what you and the libtard controlled government have been doing, but now it is a conservative problem. Damn you’re stupid.

  17. fleettwood
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:27 am | Permalink

    Where IS Hillary by the way?
    ===============================================

    Watching Barbara Streisand sing.

  18. XXX
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:29 am | Permalink

    #
    Freebird1971
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:11 am | Permalink

    IMHO Iran ought to really be afraid of Isreal. One of these day they are gonna decide we have had enough of Iran’s BS and take care of business themselves.
    _____________________________

    Yeah that would be he11, wouldn’t it? A situation where the U.S. doesn’t have to go in and clean up a mess.

    I’m betting that if Israel went after Iran, they wouldn’t get bogged down for years.

  19. ANTI
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:35 am | Permalink

    I’m betting that if Israel went after Iran, they wouldn’t get bogged down for years.
    ===============================

    Israel attacking Iran would give every two bit leader of a Muslin country to join forces with Iran to defeat the evil Jews. Which would pull us and many other countries into the war.

  20. Freebird1971
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:36 am | Permalink

    I’m betting that if Israel went after Iran, they wouldn’t get bogged down for years.
    —————————————
    And Iran would be begging the rest of the world to call Isreal off.

  21. ANTI
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:37 am | Permalink

    Iran knows this. This is why Iran is acting nutty, they want to force Israel to strike first.

    Holy War…

  22. Freebird1971
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:39 am | Permalink

    Anti,
    I think there are several countries in the mideast that are just as afraid of Iran as Isreal is, I think they would be happy to see Iran’s current regime taken out.

  23. ANTI
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:43 am | Permalink

    Freebird1971
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:39 am | Permalink
    Anti,
    I think there are several countries in the mideast that are just as afraid of Iran as Isreal is, I think they would be happy to see Iran’s current regime taken out.
    ===========================

    Well sure, if you take religion (extremist leaders) out of the picture.

  24. SolDevVB
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:46 am | Permalink

    Who are the senators in our senate that represent Iran? What? They don’t have any? Then it is none of our f’ing business.

    Israel gets billions from us every year. They have one of the most effective militaries on the face of the Earth. They have their big girl panties on. They can take care of themselves.

  25. DorisKing
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:46 am | Permalink

    “For one thing they haven’t threatened , repeatedly, to wipe Iran off the face of the earth.”

    No they simply wiped another country off the face of the earth.

  26. Mr_Kia
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:48 am | Permalink

    I don’t think regime change is what anyone is pushing for in Iran.
    It’s simply taking out the nuclear capabilities.

  27. ANTI
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:49 am | Permalink

    They have their big girl panties on. They can take care of themselves.
    ============================

    I agree however, that is not the political reality. We will be sucked in.

  28. Freebird1971
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:50 am | Permalink

    But Iran isn’t likely to fire off rockets (they don’t have
    ———————————————-
    I’m wondering where they got those missles they dont have to fire off in tests?

  29. SolDevVB
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:56 am | Permalink

    I agree however, that is not the political reality. We will be sucked in.

    Why is that? Do we have a charter with them? A binding agreement? Something the trillions we have sent them won’t cover? Something in the constitution?

    We engage in combat only in the areas we wish to. If Israel v Iran kicks off, we hold no obligations, as it should be.

  30. A_J_
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:56 am | Permalink

    Try engagement…

    Just last week “we” walked out on Ahmadinejad during his speech to the UN.

    What world of absurdity are we living in where President Obama runs a campaign on having negotiations with Iran with no preconidtions, but we can’t even sit through a speech given by Ahmadinejad at the UN?

    At some point the left is going to have to wake up from their la la land of Utopia and realize how naive their constant pleas for talk with people like Ahmadinejad really are.

  31. SolDevVB
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 10:00 am | Permalink

    Isn’t there some global organization that is supposed to take care of things like this? Some group of people we have sent trillions to to cover scenarios just like this?

    Well here you go. Let them handle it. If they can’t, well I guess we quit cutting them checks.

  32. SolDevVB
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 10:01 am | Permalink

    Trade with all, alliance with none. Now who was it that came up with this thought?

  33. ANTI
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 10:03 am | Permalink

    Why is that? Do we have a charter with them? A binding agreement? Something the trillions we have sent them won’t cover? Something in the constitution?
    ==========================

    Well that’s easy Sol. Our ‘representatives’ are tied to the money laundering scheme known as the U.N.

    Us and the Constitution, not so much.

  34. SolDevVB
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 10:11 am | Permalink

    Anti,

    Well then I guess it is high time we change the sheets and rid ourselves of the bed bugs. All these libtards are so up in arms over Hope™ and Change®. Maybe it is time for them to put up or shut up. Let’s rock this ruckfef. Let’s change this hitcb. Get out of bed with the UN, with Saudi, with Israel. Let’s make the damn change.

    I’m pretty sick of seeing my tax dollars sent to sorry dssea organizations and governments. Aren’t you?

  35. XXX
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 10:13 am | Permalink

    #
    ANTI
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 9:35 am | Permalink

    I’m betting that if Israel went after Iran, they wouldn’t get bogged down for years.
    ===============================

    Israel attacking Iran would give every two bit leader of a Muslin country to join forces with Iran to defeat the evil Jews. Which would pull us and many other countries into the war.
    ___________________________

    That’s been tried before. Israel gets bigger every time muslims get an attitude.

  36. SolDevVB
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 10:29 am | Permalink

    Israel attacking Iran would give every two bit leader of a Muslin country to join forces with Iran to defeat the evil Jews. Which would pull us and many other countries into the war.

    Not busting your ba lls, just sayin…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Day_War

  37. Freebird1971
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 10:31 am | Permalink

    Sol,
    Re your post at 10:11 :

    AMEN!

  38. BlueJay
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 10:40 am | Permalink

    Iran has oil.

    Israel has an ever lengthening list of demands.

    I’m not happy with our slavish dependence on oil. But as long as we are going to maintain it, we’d best be friends with people who have the oil and worry less about people who say a book gives them claim on some real estate.

  39. AW
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 11:13 am | Permalink

    We have nothing to worry about. We are threatening sanctions against them. That has always worked in the past with these radical nut jobs, hasn’t it?

  40. ANTI
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 11:34 am | Permalink

    I’m pretty sick of seeing my tax dollars sent to sorry dssea organizations and governments. Aren’t you?
    =============================

    Yes.

    I would like us to use our own oil and let the middle east choke on sand. No more money or imports for them.

  41. cosmos_originally
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 11:38 am | Permalink

    ANTI posted September 29, 2009 at 11:34 am

    I would like us to use our own oil. . .
    ———————-

    So you want us to run out of oil, and stop using it.

  42. ANTI
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 11:42 am | Permalink

    cosmos_originally
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 11:38 am | Permalink
    ANTI posted September 29, 2009 at 11:34 am

    I would like us to use our own oil. . .
    ———————-

    So you want us to run out of oil, and stop using it.
    ==============================

    I hear Gisele’s “on the job”, I ain’t worried.

  43. AW
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 11:50 am | Permalink

    Let Israel take care of Iran. Their military hasn’t been neutered by the liberals and the media like ours. The Isrealis are allowed to engage their enemy and fight to win (unlike the US). Their media and politicians prefer that they win.

  44. Hud
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 12:11 pm | Permalink

    “Let Israel take care of Iran.”

    No, I think the US has this one under control so we can take care of it. All it is going to take is to get Iran’s attention and sit down at the table.

    Why just today reports are they are willing to talk.

    “But with three rounds of U.N. sanctions already in place — and Iran’s defiant refusal Tuesday to put its nuclear program on the table when it meets Thursday with representatives of the five permanent Security Council members and Germany…”

    Well maybe we do not have it under that much control. They are willing to talk about anything but its nuclear program.

    BTW can someone tell me what the purpose of Thursday’s meeting is? Apparently, it is not about their nuclear program.

  45. Jed
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 12:34 pm | Permalink

    If Israel would truly desire peace with the Palestinians, and could find an unambiguous way to demonstrate such sincerity and come to terms with them, that whole dangerous aspect of the middle-east crisis would go away, and the excuse for nukes with it. Of course the Pakistan/India conflict is another aspect that desperately needs solving too.

  46. littlejohn
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 12:40 pm | Permalink

    “If Israel would truly desire peace with the Palestinians, and could find an unambiguous way to demonstrate such sincerity and come to terms with them, that whole dangerous aspect of the middle-east crisis would go away,”

    And how do you do that with people who refuse to recognize your right to exist?

  47. Austrian_Economist
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 12:40 pm | Permalink

    Iran reported all nuclear facilities in a timely manner to the IAEA.

    The IAEA only actually requires that it be informed six months before an enrichment facility comes online, and the new site is at least that far from completion. Nuclear material has not been added, and the IAEA says that the data they’ve been given suggests that as with the existing Nanatz facility, the new site is only designed to enrich uranium to 5%, useful for energy production at the nation’s Bushehr power plant but not for military purposes.

    Sanctions are an act of war.

  48. SolDevVB
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 12:43 pm | Permalink

    It is not we non-interventionists who are isolationists. The real isolationists are those who impose sanctions and embargos on countries and peoples across the globe and who choose to use force overseas to promote democracy. A counterproductive approach that actually leads the U.S. to be more resented and more isolated in the world.

    Dr. Ron Paul

  49. Austrian_Economist
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 12:50 pm | Permalink

    Obama was informed, after he was elected in November, of the nuclear facility and the US new about this facility since 2006.

    A CIA report in 2007 showed no findings of nuclear energy being used to make a warhead.

    This is a repeat of Iraq. Remember yellowcake and how Bush’s administration forged documents?

  50. Jed
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 1:06 pm | Permalink

    lj,
    “And how do you do that with people who refuse to recognize your right to exist?”

    It can be done, if the Israelis are sincere (which they haven’t been up to now). Among all but the most fanatic, practicality beats ideology hands down. If the average Palestinian can benefit from being an equal citizen of Israel with all the rights and privileges and economic benefits of full citizenship (which they have never been granted), most would become good Israelis. Of course to do that, Israel would have to give up its pretentions of theocracy, as would the Palestinians, and allow full religious freedom. That’s the tough nut to crack.

  51. littlejohn
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 1:35 pm | Permalink

    Jed-

    I do not pretend that Isreal has been innocent in the conflict. There are several things here, that must be said

    1) Most Palestinians do not live in the state of Isreal, and could not have full citizenship. NOr should they.
    2) Many Palestinians do live the the occupied zones, which were occupied after Isreal was attacked by it’s neighbors. I am really not sure how to address this. The best way would be for Isreal to withdraw from the west bank. For them to do so, would require the Palestian government (such as it is) at a minimum recognize Isreal’s right to exist
    3)Some Palestinians do live in Isreal proper. They should be granted full citizenship rights if they do not have them.
    4) Recognition that manyh Palestians are refuges from, I believe, Jordan, who kicked them out.
    5) Resolution of the Jeruseleum issue

    None of these are easy. Neither party is willing to agree that the other has greivances. But it is not up to Isreal alone.
    3)

  52. Mr_Kia
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 2:49 pm | Permalink

    Iran is not even a Top 10 oil importer to the US. The access to oil isn’t the issue. The sanctions and Iran’s ability to export will cut into the rest of the world market driving up the prices. A price we can’t afford.

  53. Jed
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 3:09 pm | Permalink

    lj,
    I have severe doubts as to the economic and political advisability of trying to balkanize the middle-east. I’m therefore more in favor of Israel keeping and awarding full Israeli status to the West Bank and Gaza, with its citizens becoming fully Israeli. This is of course a hard bone for either side to swallow, given the long-standing tensions, but it can be done, and for the long-range benefits to both Israel and the rest of the world, must be done. It will require a lot of previously nonexistent sincerity on both sides, and a substantial period of time required to build a lasting trust on both sides, and it won’t be anything like smooth or easy or quick, but if it’s done, the economic and political advantages are huge.

  54. littlejohn
    Posted September 29, 2009 at 3:40 pm | Permalink

    Jed-
    I would not be opposed to such an arrangement. In fact, in might just be a great answer. However, I doubt either party would agree. Neither side seems to be willing to negotiate in good faith, or recognize the futility of their current path. It would be worth a try