Talking to Iran has helped the US | Samuel Charap and Brian Katulis
Critics say it has been a waste of time but Barack Obama’s worldwide diplomatic outreach is beginning to deliver results
Critics argue that the recent International Atomic Energy Agency report proves that the Obama administration’s policy of engagement has been a waste of time, allowing Iran to make progress toward a bomb without feeling the pain of tougher sanctions. But this myopic view ignores the fact that engagement has created an unprecedented international consensus on the need for coercive action.
By offering an outstretched hand directly to Tehran, the Obama administration clearly exposed the Iranian regime’s erratic behaviour to the rest of the world and legitimised its eventual…
Link to original post: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/mar/04/iran-us-outreach-diplomacy-obama
