“We are going to have to take a new approach” to Iran, President-elect Barack Obama said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. Lauren Victoria Burke/This Week, Associated PressFrom New York Times:
WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama addressed some of the most delicate foreign policy issues over the weekend, confirming that he intended to pursue a clear policy of engagement with Iran and to press immediately for peace in the Middle East.
Speaking on the ABC News program “This Week,” Mr. Obama reiterated that he wanted to work directly with Iran — a country whose president has called for Israel’s destruction — to improve relations and halt a nuclear program that Tehran describes as peaceful, but that the West believes is not.
“We are going to have to take a new approach,” he told the program’s host, George Stephanopoulos. “My belief is that engagement is the place to start.”
Mr. Obama said he wanted to adopt “a new emphasis on respect and a new willingness on being willing to talk” to the Iranians, while making it clear “that we also have certain expectations.”
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My Comment: It is on Iran that President-elect Obama's view on international policy shows a number of weaknesses. Professing that he would meet Iran with no preconditions, Iran follows up by laying down a number of preconditions. Professing that engagement is necessary, he fails to mention that every President since President Carter has always engaged wit Iran, but Iran has always responded by supporting terrorist groups like Hezbollah to attack American interests and their allies, and has rebuffed every diplomatic overtures from the U.S.
But what is even worse is that America's Arab allies in the Middle East are now starting to question American objectives and strategy in an Obama administration. Egypt, Jordan, the Gulf States, and .... more importantly .... Saudi Arabia .... are hostile and blunt in their statements on having no enthusiasm to deal with Iran. I guess being on the receiving end of Iranian threats and .... in some cases .... direct terrorist support and involvement from Iran to attack and target Arab interests ..... makes these countries openly hostile and unsupportive in any talks with such an enemy.
President Obama may approach the Middle East with the intent to promote peace, but his actions would only enbolden the enemies of our friends in the Middle East .... resulting in more war and conflict.