Caroline Glick gives a thumbs-up to Trump’s offer to talk with Iran
Caroline Glick has been mostly bullish Trump’s on foreign policy moves so far, although she’s not completely optimistic; she has some caveats. Here’s what she has to say about Trump’s offer to talk with Iranian leaders like Rouhani:
In July, Pompeo spoke explicitly in favor of the Iranian people now protesting against the regime. He signaled clearly that the U.S. supports efforts by the Iranian people to overthrow the regime in Tehran.
So when Trump offered to meet with Rouhani without preconditions, it did not mean that he does not expect Iran to change its behavior. It meant that he was willing to meet with Rouhani while leading a policy whose goal is the fundamental transformation of Iran (to borrow a phrase from Barack Obama).
Trump would be happy if that transformation comes in the framework of a massive change in regime behavior. He would also be happy if it comes through a revolution that overthrows the regime.
As for the Iranians, their behavior in recent days probably gave Trump reason to believe they may be desperate enough to at least consider the former option.
Much more at the link.
I also think that if Trump’s offer falls on deaf Iranian ears, and even if the regime isn’t in as much trouble as we might hope, he still should get a small point or two for at least sounding like he’s in favor of diplomacy and making Iran the party refusing to make nice.
Not that Trump’s constant critics will ever award him those points. When he’s a hardliner, he’s a warmonger. When he offers to talk, he’s a naive imbecile. Obama got the Nobel Peace Prize for much less than this.
Domestic political considerations demand that Trump has to give the Mullahs the rope with which they’ll hang themselves. This move undermines future accusations by the left that Trump didn’t give peace a chance. Accusations that he didn’t do all he could to avoid a future confrontation will now fall flat. Trump knows that the inherent nature of totalitarian regimes makes them constitutionally incapable of permanent non-aggression.
Trumps employing the same tactic with Iran that he did with N. Korea’s Kim.
Because Obama = Lightbringer and Truimp = Doom, DOOM, and megaDOOM.
Once again, President Trump is engaged in deal-making. That’s what he does, and he seems to be uncommonly good at it.
Not all negotiated deals work out. But it’s guaranteed not to work out if you won’t even talk. Mind you, there needs to be a carrot AND stick available; if all you have is a willingness to talk, then you’re basically Neville Chamberlain.
We saw this with North Korea; it was practically a textbook example of Trump deal-making, applied to international diplomacy. An offer was made to talk; this got a bellicose response, causing Trump to cancel talks. The North Koreans fell all over themselves to renew talks, which Trump accepted gracefully. Then he met… and pitched to Kim Jong Un a complete game-changer, including a string of beachfront hotels! (Yes, that would enrich KJU; yes, it’s Trump doing what he’s done many times before. But it would also practically require drastic liberalizing and opening of North Korea to accomplish it.)
Now we’re seeing it in Iran. If the talks happen, I expect a similar approach – Trump will try to sell them on a deal that opens up Iran, and helps Iranians get rich.
If you haven’t yet read The Art Of The Deal, by the way, I recommend it. It helps to understand the man’s way of thinking.
“Now we’re seeing it in Iran. If the talks happen, I expect a similar approach – Trump will try to sell them on a deal that opens up Iran, and helps Iranians get rich.” Daniel
That may be Trump’s hope. But if so, he fails to understand that religion based, totalitarian ideologues do not place greed above all else.
Trump has to know that the Mullahs will not abide by any deal that opens Iran and requires it stop its pursuit of nukes and support for terrorism.
Rather than assume that Trump fails to grasp the Mullah’s motivations, I think it more likely his offer to meet with Rouhani is aimed at neutering domestic opposition to a future military confrontation with Iran.