Negotiation 101: Iran

Among the many requirements for successful negotiation, the fundamental requirement for a successful outcome is that the other party can be trusted to fulfill their negotiated obligation.

Negotiate with a person who denies the Holocaust, says he wants to annihilate Israel, and makes it clear that he wants to obtain a nuclear bomb? Probably not a good idea. The result will be a nuke (or more) exploding somewhere in the middle east or in an American city or cities.

The President seemed to understand this when there was public pressure to talk with Iran's President Ahmadinejad and he refused. He resisted when the Iraq Study Group also recommended the same.

Now, we are going to talk to Iran. The goal is to persuade Iran to not build nukes. Fortunately, the President knows the scoop. No matter what Ahmadinejad says for public consumption, he will build a nuke and he will use it.

Ahmadinijad's branch of islam* believes they must help along what we call Armageddon. You just know he's going to create the mother of all world wars if he gets a nuke.

So, the ostensible reason the president directed discussions with Iran is to level with them. Stop your nuclear ambitions or we will destroy you. This language, Ahmadinejad understands. These discussions provide cover should we have to attack Iran. The president can say that we have explored all diplomatic options.

One cruise missile is all it takes and Ahmadinejad is out of power. We wouldn't have to invade.

Sure, a war with Iran is not ideal but letting them obtain a nuke is unthinkable and irresponsible.

*We do not capitalize anything associated with islam until when, and if, their believers decide to rejoin the human race.

Winning the war against terrorists

In this article, I will make an exception to my long-standing policy of not capitalizing Muslim, Islam, or the Qu-ran in the hopes that there are still decent Muslims out there who will fight the terrorists.

Winning the war against terrorists requires a continued assault both militarily, diplomatically, and economically against terrorists and countries that either sponsor terrorists or look the other way at terrorist activities.

There is yet another way to defeat terrorists to have the best chance of success. This war has lasted for at least thirty years but only recognized (and only by some that we are at war) in America on September 11, 2001. This war will probably last another thirty years before the end. Non-radical Muslims must speak up to defeat those in their midst who take the violent portions of the Qur'an and twist the words for their violent goals.

To be sure, here in the United States and in other countries, there are Muslims working against the terrorists in their midst at a legitimate and probable risk of their own deaths and the deaths of their families. Terrorists have been killing Arabic, Afghan, Pushtun, and other translators and contractors not only as a matter of policy, but because the Qur’an calls for the death penalty for helping infidels.

So far, the silence from the Muslim community is deafening. This silence only encourages the terrorists much as the media and some in a political party encourage the terrorists by their words and actions.

There are many more good Muslims than bad Muslims. Paraphrasing a cliché, the way for evil to triumph is for good Muslims to remain silent against the extremists. It is time for Muslims across the world to stand up against the terrorists who have hijacked your religion.