Is Iran’s Time Running Out?

The election of Barack Obama gave much encouragement to those who hope for a negotiated settlement with Iran regarding that nation’s push to develop its nuclear capability. While I never particularly shared that hope, based on my distrust of their leadership, I have watched with interest how the negotiating process has unfolded.  So-called negotiations with the west have been ongoing for many years now. So far, they have come to no agreements. Few people have any illusions that the recent presidential election in Iran was anything but a sham. Ahmadinejad remains in power and pro-democratic protesters continue to be beaten and tortured.

Ahmadinejad and his cronies have been playing with the west for years, pretending to negotiate on the nuclear issue while they pursue their ultimate goal, that of acquiring nuclear weapons. If you believe that the Iranians only goal with their nuclear program is the “peaceful production of nuclear power”, then I have some swampland in Florida I would like to sell to you.

Let me stress one thing here clearly: a peaceful resolution of this issue is vastly preferable to one achieved by military action. However, the process of negotiating is only useful if you are negotiating with somebody who actually wants to come to an agreement.