by George Dienhart
I am shocked by the recent "talk to Iran"movement that has recently risen. Lets take a second to reflect on how Iran talks to the United States, and the rest of the world. All quotes are attributed to Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
- “Thanks to the blood of the martyrs, a new Islamic revolution has arisen and the Islamic revolution of 1384 will, if God wills, cut off the roots of injustice in the world.”
- “The wave of the Islamic revolution will soon reach the entire world.”
- “Anybody who recognizes Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation's fury,”
- “Iran is ready to transfer nuclear know-how to the Islamic countries due to their need.”
- “We ask the West to remove what they created sixty years ago and if they do not listen to our recommendations, then the Palestinian nation and other nations will eventually do this for them."
- "Israel is a rotten, dried tree that will be annihilated in one storm."
This is what the left wants to bargain with. I can see why. Giving North Korea what they wanted worked out wonderfully. President Clinton gave in to Kim Il Jung at every opportunity, and was rewarded with lies and misdirection. Surely, taking the same course of action with Iraq will provide us with the same results. Another nuclear armed terrorist state.
In years past we would never negotiate with our enemies. Now such negotiations seem to be the centerpiece of the Democrats foreign policy. Worse yet, elements of the right are eagerly jumping aboard this sinking ship. We are allowing the left to turn this war into another Viet Nam.
In Viet Nam, we won the major battles, but lost the war because the left would not stand up to defend American interests. The difference here is Iraq is much more important. A loss here reinforces the perception that we won’t stay to finish the job anywhere else. Allowing Iran to broker a pullout is a an immediate loss in that it enhances Iranian prestige, while showing the world that the United States doesn’t have the stomach to stand up to it’s enemies.
The only way to talk to Iran, is to explain that meddling in our affairs will not be tolerated. We must tell them that Iranian nuclear arms won’t be tolerated. We must tell them that we are in Iraq for the long haul, and then back it up by honoring our commitments. This is the only way to successfully talk to Iran.