Former Secretary of State and close Bush family advisor and friend James Baker III has been been cleared to meet with a " high representative" of Iran's government. Baker is co-chair of the bi-partisan Congressionally appointed task force called the Iraq Study Group. ISG was launched by Congress and endorsed by the White House this past April. The mission is to try to get America on the right footing in foreign policy in the Middle East.
Add that prospective meeting to the actual 2 hour meeting of Iran's President Ahmadinejad with the Council of Foreign Relations on Friday. The CFR is America's foremost nonpartisan foreign policy think tank that was founded in 1921. It also publishes " Foreign Affairs" which is the leading forum for opinions on American foreign policy.
Then just to show what those 2 initiatives add up to, consider the reaction of the Israeli ambassador . After the normal drivel about anti-semitism he scolded the CFR's President Haass for just talking and listening to Iran's president. Israel's ambassador said it was a "terrible mistake". Never mind that Iran has 75 million people and is the fourth largest oil exporter compared to whatever Israel offers or represents.
Gee Mr. Ambassador, if we have normal relations and talk to the gangster leaders of Israel, then isn't the bar sufficienly lowered for the U.S. to speak with absolutely anyone? Ahmadinejad has a point about Zionists. Just because he resents their tactics and government doesn't make him anti-semitic. It's comparitively the same as resenting the Mafia but not disliking Italians.
Talking is better than fighting. America should cultivate a normal relationship with Iran. Even if means upsetting Israel. After all what has Israel ever done for America?
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