The idea that diplomacy is a viable option with the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world — Iran — has been fallacious from the moment the idea was first raised by the Obama administration. The initial round of six-party talks with Iran went nowhere. Last Monday it was announced that the second round went nowhere. The current, third round, will also go nowhere.
The proof is nothing other than the statements by Iran itself. It says it will never close down or even significantly reduce its nuclear program. Period. It’s said this over and over. What part of “no” does the US not understand?
Meanwhile, Iran has received major sanctions relief. What this means is that the formal negotiations with Iran are nothing other than an extension of Iran’s strategy ever since the West got wise about Iran’s nuclear ambitions more than a decade ago: Stall. Promise. Talk. Lie. Bob. Weave. Kick out inspectors . . . and keep building nuclear weapons capability.
The administration’s correlated idea that Iran should be freed of additional sanctions during the formal negotiations is especially destructive. It is time for the US to wake up and smell the coffee: Only pressure, including increased economic sanctions and possibly also military action, will stop Iran’s nuclear weapons program. It is time for Congress to act. It is time to heed Israel’s warnings about Iran and its true intentions.
Copyright © 2014 by the Intermountain Jewish News
