Like Iran Talks, Obama Meeting With Pakistan Leader Is a Foreign Policy Test
By Bonnie Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
President Obama is meeting with Pakistan's leader today, to produce a strategy that will test the limits of Mr. Obama's openness to talk with U.S. foes:
Pakistani forces were continuing their assault on the Taliban on Tuesday as the country's leader flew to Washington to discuss strategy against the militant group with U.S. President Barack Obama.
Mr. Obama has reversed the isolationist policies of the Bush administration. That's a good thing. He is opening lines of communications with U.S. foes ignored by the Bush administration. Good in theory, not so great in practice, at least not so far.
Last month, he shook hands and joked around with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Chavez returned the favor by calling Mr. Obama an "ignoramus" several days later.
Mr. Obama promised during the presidential campaign to open similar lines of communication with Iran. The results there, for now, have not been productive.
CAIRO (Reuters) - The United States will persist for now with diplomatic overtures to Iran despite the lack of a positive response from Tehran, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday.
Visiting Egypt, Gates said some of Iran's statements in response to the administration of President Barack Obama had "not been very encouraging."
But he added: "We're not willing to pull the hand back yet because we think there's still some opportunity."
Obama's efforts to engage with Tehran mark a break with the policy of his predecessor George W. Bush, who once labeled Iran as part of an "axis of evil."
But Gates said any dialogue would likely develop slowly, if it happened at all. He also sounded a note of caution about the prospects of a positive response from Iran.
Mr. Obama has never promised to talk with Taliban leaders and that's a good thing. They are not open to hearing anything the United States has to say. Trying to help Pakistan deal with its Taliban problem, which threatens to unravel Pakistan's fragile government, is talk enough for the moment.
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Tags: Iran | Pakistan | Barack Obama | foreign policy | Taliban | Obama administration
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Reader Comments
It's one thing to talk to all countries, but
The Taliban is not a country. It is a bunch of heavily armed thugs who would love to whip YOUR wife, daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, or girlfriend in the street if they caught her there in normal western clothes.
There is nothing to talk about. DISARM AND DISEMPOWER these Quran-toting bullies or kill them deader than doorknobs---to the last man.
Obama is not dumb. He knows this is required and has already been doing some of it with the predator drones. He will be doing it throughout his first term---maybe his second too.
I Hate To Do This...
Collin, while I share your general opinion of Ms. Erbe, duty and honor compel me to point out that Ms. Erbe was not advocating negotiation with the Taliban - actually the opposite.
Hyenas smell weakness and move in for the kill - There is much weakness in Washington these days.... Cum -by -Ya ain't gonna cut it....
*Sigh*
I am truly saddened that one such as you is able to get a running opionion piece on a nationwide publication. Opening dialogs with radical countries that have no desire but to see us destroyed? That is CERTAINLY great.
Ms. Erbe, I have suggested this in the past, and I will now suggest this again: find a new line of work. I know it is difficult in a recession such as this, but I'm sure someone as talented, oh wait...never mind. You are better off collecting welfare, I think.
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