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Nixons China vs. Obamas Iran
April 8, 2013
One day, President Nixon surprisingly decided to make peace during the Cold War with one of the most implacable enemies of the United States at the time, China. Perhaps Iran is today for Obama what China was for Nixon and by turning on the dormant engine of diplomacy both countries can benefit greatly commercially, geopolitically and ideologically.
Maos China vowed to humiliate the United States: war on the nationalist island of Taiwan, support to any revolutionary movement, piracy and subversion in Asia, anti-American Propaganda at home. In spite of everything President Nixon decided to make peace with China during the Cold War.
Nixon had much merit by building his entire career on a frenzied anticommunism. He hated to reveal any vibes of weakness in his actions and policies. Hence, when he went to Beijing in February 1972, he betrayed his middle, his party, his political family, the Pentagon and the State Department. Therefore, by placing all the cards on the table he won all along the lines. He isolated the USSR and facilitated the American withdrawal from Vietnam.
The slow normalization of relations between China and the United States started a new chapter in politics and the economic era in Beijing and Washington, as well as in Asia and the rest of the world.
Over forty years later, the 43rd US President Barack Obama, a president with big promises, is facing a big strategic issue: Iran might acquire the ability to build a nuclear weapon despite sanctions imposed by the United States to force the Iranians to halt their nuclear activities in Parchin and Fordow.
The prospect of seeing Iran acquire a nuclear weapon causes nightmares in the White House. The Obama administration believes that the Gulf Arab states will not leave the monopoly of the nuclear weapons to the only two non-Arab States in the region: Israel and Iran. If Tehran acquires nuclear weapons, perhaps Saudi Arabia and Egypt will follow Irans ambition as well.
Strangely, dozens of nuclear warheads, processed by a failed state such as Pakistan, doesnt seem to worry Washington at all. Moreover, Pakistan is a wavering state, the military establishment in Islamabad supports the Jihadist movement and the local public opinion seems to demonstrate their reluctance for the United States. In contrast, Iran, a very old state where its isolated people from the global community, are most certainly very welcoming to establish relationship with the world community.
In the case of Iran, Barack Obama suffers from a particular constraint: the threat of Israeli strikes on nuclear facilities of the Islamic Republic. If it happens, it would lead the United States into a war, a new one after their unsuccessful interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Iran pays dearly its intransigence: as it is subjected to harsh economic sanctions, it has not less muscled its nuclear program. It acquired many centrifuges and increased its capacity to enrich uranium, however this does not mean that they are proceeding to create a nuclear weapon.
Forty-four senators, Republicans and Democrats wrote to President Obama to tell him that Irans policy is a failure: long negotiations, and the centrifuges keep spinning. Hence, Washington believes that the entry into force of an unprecedented embargo on Iranian oil at the behest of the Americans and Europeans will lead Iran to a compromise. Obama is in the worse situation by trying to prevent Teheran from attaining the bomb.
Nixons offer to China may seemed as light-hearted and a rosy compromise, but it led to the cessation of the military conflict. Perhaps for Obama today Iran is Nixons China. Therefore by turning on the dormant engine of diplomacy since 1979, both countries can benefit greatly commercially, geopolitically and ideologically.
Surely, such an idea at least tempts one of them. For Washington it would be beneficial as normalization with Iran is a condition of appeasement in the Middle East on all fronts.
Maybe it is time for President Obama to consider a trip to Tehran .
Nixon
April 8, 2013
One day, President Nixon surprisingly decided to make peace during the Cold War with one of the most implacable enemies of the United States at the time, China. Perhaps Iran is today for Obama what China was for Nixon and by turning on the dormant engine of diplomacy both countries can benefit greatly commercially, geopolitically and ideologically.
Maos China vowed to humiliate the United States: war on the nationalist island of Taiwan, support to any revolutionary movement, piracy and subversion in Asia, anti-American Propaganda at home. In spite of everything President Nixon decided to make peace with China during the Cold War.
Nixon had much merit by building his entire career on a frenzied anticommunism. He hated to reveal any vibes of weakness in his actions and policies. Hence, when he went to Beijing in February 1972, he betrayed his middle, his party, his political family, the Pentagon and the State Department. Therefore, by placing all the cards on the table he won all along the lines. He isolated the USSR and facilitated the American withdrawal from Vietnam.
The slow normalization of relations between China and the United States started a new chapter in politics and the economic era in Beijing and Washington, as well as in Asia and the rest of the world.
Over forty years later, the 43rd US President Barack Obama, a president with big promises, is facing a big strategic issue: Iran might acquire the ability to build a nuclear weapon despite sanctions imposed by the United States to force the Iranians to halt their nuclear activities in Parchin and Fordow.
The prospect of seeing Iran acquire a nuclear weapon causes nightmares in the White House. The Obama administration believes that the Gulf Arab states will not leave the monopoly of the nuclear weapons to the only two non-Arab States in the region: Israel and Iran. If Tehran acquires nuclear weapons, perhaps Saudi Arabia and Egypt will follow Irans ambition as well.
Strangely, dozens of nuclear warheads, processed by a failed state such as Pakistan, doesnt seem to worry Washington at all. Moreover, Pakistan is a wavering state, the military establishment in Islamabad supports the Jihadist movement and the local public opinion seems to demonstrate their reluctance for the United States. In contrast, Iran, a very old state where its isolated people from the global community, are most certainly very welcoming to establish relationship with the world community.
In the case of Iran, Barack Obama suffers from a particular constraint: the threat of Israeli strikes on nuclear facilities of the Islamic Republic. If it happens, it would lead the United States into a war, a new one after their unsuccessful interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Iran pays dearly its intransigence: as it is subjected to harsh economic sanctions, it has not less muscled its nuclear program. It acquired many centrifuges and increased its capacity to enrich uranium, however this does not mean that they are proceeding to create a nuclear weapon.
Forty-four senators, Republicans and Democrats wrote to President Obama to tell him that Irans policy is a failure: long negotiations, and the centrifuges keep spinning. Hence, Washington believes that the entry into force of an unprecedented embargo on Iranian oil at the behest of the Americans and Europeans will lead Iran to a compromise. Obama is in the worse situation by trying to prevent Teheran from attaining the bomb.
Nixons offer to China may seemed as light-hearted and a rosy compromise, but it led to the cessation of the military conflict. Perhaps for Obama today Iran is Nixons China. Therefore by turning on the dormant engine of diplomacy since 1979, both countries can benefit greatly commercially, geopolitically and ideologically.
Surely, such an idea at least tempts one of them. For Washington it would be beneficial as normalization with Iran is a condition of appeasement in the Middle East on all fronts.
Maybe it is time for President Obama to consider a trip to Tehran .
Nixon
