Bursting The Bubble
By Pejman Yousefzadeh Posted in 2008 | Barack Obama's Foreign Policy Platform — Comments (7) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Mirabile dictu, it would seem that more and more people are asking about Barack Obama's policy concerning negotiations with other countries:
In a Democratic presidential debate last summer, Obama was asked if he'd meet the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba, and North Korea without precondition and during his first year in office.
"I would," Obama said.
Since then he has frequently reiterated his belief that no preconditions should be set.
"When you say preconditions, what you're really saying is, 'I'm not going to talk to you until you agree to do exactly what I want you to do,'" Obama said. "Well, that's not how negotiations take place."
Challenged by Clinton in multiple debates, Obama allowed that while he would not set preconditions, he would have "preparations" and would not rush to see certain leaders right away.
The precise difference between preconditions and preparations has not been spelled out. What's clear is that low-level talks would precede any summit, as happens now.
Clinton called him naive. She said she would not risk the prestige of the presidency by negotiating directly with countries such as Iran until they had agreed to change their ways.
Obama called that a case of old Washington thinking.
The new thinking, however, appears not to have been thought all the way through.
Indeed it hasn't. And the press should not stop asking questions until it is. Even afterwards, the press should ask why it was that the new thinking was not completely thought through until people started challenging Barack Obama on it.
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Bursting The Bubble 7 Comments (0 topical, 7 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
What promises could President Obama make that would make us less offesnsive to Ahmadinejad?
Maybe he could offer that we would quit killing unborn babies. Or maybe he could promise that we would start killing homosexuals. Or begin treating women like animals.
As a show of good faith, President Obama could end dirty movies and political cartooning prior to the actual negotiations. As Commander in Chief, he could require all our weapons systems to be stored in hospitals and/or schools.
Now that's how to negotiate.
You caught me on the first question. My immediate response is why do I care about making myself less offensive to Ahmadinejad. However, now I see you are correct to ask and certainly with the tone coming from the Obama campaign I suspect that treating women like animals is the first concession.
M Penny
You really shouldn't enter negotiations with pre-conceived conditions set ahead of time. Now you certainly should have a list of items YOU won't budge on, but that comes up during the negotiations.
Another art of negotiating is you need to find a way to allow your opponent to save face to his own side. No one will agree to something that humiliates themselves.
The larger question is, should there be in the first place.
The changing of a President is an ideal opportunity, whether it's McCain or Obama (/shudders). It provides an opportunity to save face to the opponent. For example, Iran held the 444 hostages until Reagan took office simply to spite Carter.
Ahmadinejad is under pressure in his own country due to many failed policies of his. He may be looking for a way to save his own political standing in Iran. There may be an opportunity here and that will never present itself unless someone goes in and talks.
It doesn't mean we need to appease or compromise our own positions, and I certainly would feel a lot better if McCain was doing it over Obama. Diplomatic measures should always be attempted before any acts of force are pursued.
so close together --- especially given Ahmadinejad was involved in taking those hostages. Looks like he did fear Reagan and cared nothing about letting Carter "save face".
M Penny
I would humbly suggest our best course would be to ratchet up the pressure in the hope that his sane countrymen will escort him into the public square and remove his face from the rest of his body. They can then save in the fridge if they care to.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
like everyone else.He brushes off the MSM and the GOP when it comes to explaining his reasoning for the "sit downs". But stiil willing to talk to terrorists?
That's right Barry go hat in hand and fumble around without a teleprompter and declare your peace and hope plan to a thug that would like nothing more than to slit your slimy American throat.
geesh,that makes sense to me.
For an ivy league graduate he certainly knows nothing about the finer points of negotiation.
Obama could do well by spending the next few weeks watching and emulating Capt. Picard.
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It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
--Aristotle