New Iran report reeks of stale ideas

[bemildred]

Xposted to Editorials.

United States President Barack Obama may be puzzled as to how to initiate dialogue with Iran, but there are a wealth of pro-Israel pundits advising him in Washington who are crystal clear on the method, purpose and goals of such an approach. These advisors are now attempting to win Obama's approval over certain competing perspectives.

This much is clear from a report by a new "bipartisan" group tailored to assist the Obama administration's formation of a new Iran policy. The new paper fails to present any fresh or innovative ideas with respect to Iran's nuclear standoff, a shortfall that inevitably casts further doubts on one of its signatories, Dennis Ross, who is Washington's point man on Iran.

Although it was not commissioned by the past or present White House, the report, titled "Preventing a cascade of instability: US engagement to check Iranian nuclear progress," carries a badge of legitimacy under the "Presidential Task Force". It is, in fact, the work of a pro-Israel think-tank, the Washington Institute For Near East Policy, that operates as an important arm of the Jewish lobby in Washington. <1>

Thick on familiar accusations against Iran and rather thin on the much-needed specifics of a new US policy toward a Middle East country that has stood up to US hegemony for the past 30 years, the report's main value is in showing the hands of vested interests that actually seek to obviate Obama's search for new ways to deal with Iran. The report simply rehashes the main patterns of previous policies.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/KC06Aa01.html

[Jefferson23]

1. Thus far, this is not encouraging news.