The correlation of policy-debate forces on Iran

ARTICLE: Washington 'snubbed Iran offer', BBC NEWS, January 18,2007

The correlation of policy-debate forces are lining up nicely: for every slickly-packaged Bush "revelation" on Iran, those who oppose his approach release their own.

Bit of a game, yes, and it's always fascinating to see when and under what conditions stuff you've known about for years becomes public knowledge. But this a fight worth waging, because, if left unmatched, I do believe Cheney pulls the trigger on his way out the door.

Thanks to Mike Frager for sending this.

Comments

[lou]

Typical attitude of an extremist mind organization. If anyone is surprised that Iran would wig out when they heard the denial of a Mickey Mouse offer, still does not under stand the Iranian leader's mindset.

[Steve]

It's not that they wig out or feel insulted. Now we are at a far weaker bargaining position than before, so the cost to such a deal goes up higher. Naturally then Iran will want more.

Tom, what do you mean by unmatched? Institutionally or politically, as in impeachment?

[Steve Skalski]

The BBC revelation on the Iranian's offer for help and willingness to work out the nuclear problem actually appeared publicly some time before. I seem to recall reading about it in "State of Denial". I may be wrong about the book (since I have read so many books/documents), but find it interesting that it took so long for the news media to report on information that was in the public domain.

[TM Lutas]

The more we can make them nervous, the more we can shift their resources away from shoring up their domestic support and towards countering our threat. They beggar themselves and we have a firm kill as the khomeinist enterprise comes apart and hopefully something better arises out of the rubble. Already the Majlis is circulating ministerial impeachment papers.

[Mark in Texas]

Since 1979 the Iranians have pretty consistently humiliated every US official who attempted to deal with them.

Why is it surprising that nobody is volunteering to play the role of Charlie Brown when the Iranians play the role of Lucy holding the football one more time?