It IS amusing to note that those who talk the most about multiculturalism show the least interest, knowledge or perception regarding true cultural differences, and just think everyone looks at the world the same way they do.

Total ignorance of history, both the grand sweep and the telling details, helps.

Even Neville Chamberlain hedged his policy of appeasement by fuding a massive increase in the Royal Air Force and the creation of a radar-and-communications-based air defense system.

The effective counter to Iran was and is the US. That won’t change anytime soon.

… do not presuppose what will happen in a manner that suits what you believe might happen.

Did you not read the linked article? It has already happened. The Iranians have taken just Obama’s willingness to open wider negotiations as a sign of weakness. At the very least, they have already scored an internal propaganda victory just by Obama opening his mouth.

You need to turn the problem around. If “talking” to the Iranians is so costless then why has the Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton and Bush 42 administrations refused to do so?

You can always say: NO NO NO, no deal whatsoever. and then you have a record for the world to view and see how you made an honest effort but that the other side was stupid and unyielding.

Yeah, that only works in movies. The Iranians and western leftist will spin it as our fault. More importantly, a conference serves no purpose because we already understand each other. The only reason to do so is political theater. Leftist just have a political fetish for negotiating. They think that just talking is a virtue regardless of the side effects or the likelihood of success.

Did you pre-judge Pres Bush in this manner at every turn?

Yes, when I voted. That’s what you do.

Obama has done nothing other than say he would be willing to speak to Iran leaders.

Okay, this isn’t some kind of whacky sitcom mixup that can be fixed by the principle sitting down clearing up misconception. It is a strawman to say that we are not talking to Iran now. We are in constant communication with them both directly through their UN representative and through third parties and informal channels. We know what they want and they know what we want. The fact that Obama appears to believe otherwise indicates that he is either naive or duplicitous.

The only reason to sit down with them in a formal meeting is to make concessions and they know it. They will refuse to negotiate until Obama gives them something they can brag about back home. Then they will demand even more when they show up and Obama will have to give them something or go away looking empty handed and foolish.

I predict this will be Obama’s behavior based on his foreign policy statements, the foreign policy academics he refers to as well as his foreign policy advisors. His has staked his position on being the opposite of Bush i.e. all talk and no fight. The Iranians will play him like a fiddle just like they did Carter.

Someone had better figure out how to make republican government work because,as it stands now, we have a Lord of the Flies situation with our political class.

This is what Bush should have been working toward post-9/11, instead of taking down Saddam Hussein. In fact, we should have skipped the offer to meet, and gone directly for the destabilization of the regime.

Alas, a bit too late for that.

That’s not a bad strategy except the Mullahs will probably do what the Soviets did, make a show of agreeing, then breaking any agreement instantly and then portraying and conflict as our fault. The people of Iran may fall for this because we can predict with an absolute certainty that leftist in the west will also blame the west.

Two out of three ain’t bad.