OP-ED: Stars (and Stripes) in Their Eyes, By Azadeh Moaveni, Washington Post, June 1, 2008; B01

This is why I don't easily trade away the one asset I have in this contentious relationship: the love of the Iranian people.

I don't ask that population to choose between a sense of national pride and a sense of national fear and vulnerability. The nuke issue is the wrong one to fight over. I want to access the Iranian people, not turn them against the outside world that allows others around them to have nuclear power and/or weapons but denies the concept to them.

So I want to be extra discrete here: threatening Israel is a great way to bring about annihilation. Attacking them with nukes, either directly or through proxies, will bring about national annihilation--guaranteed.

But no, I don't go preemptive on nuclear power and a lot of hot air from Ahmadinejad. Crying "fire" in a crowded theater doesn't get you a death sentence.

So separate the bad leader from the good people and signal clearly how nice things can get for Iran once Ahmadinejad is voted out.

I mean, everywhere I travel this world I hear the same about the U.S. ... life's gonna be so much nicer when ...

(Thanks: Lexington Green)