Dennis Ross as Iran Envoy?

Two days after taking office, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a press conference to announce the new administration's advisers for the hottest part of the globe: the Middle East. Obama handed oversight of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to former Democratic Senator George Mitchell; veteran Clinton-era diplomat Richard Holbrooke took control of U.S. foreign policy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and possibly India. But what about Iran? Who would Obama choose to oversee policy to the country's chief adversary in the Middle East, the government that supposedly has been funding Hamas and Hezbollah, and stirring up so much evildoing?

While the Iran portfolio remains unassigned, one figure stands out as a likely Obama appointee: Dennis Ross, a former US ambassador to Israel and lead negotiator during Israeli-Palestinian talks under President Bill Clinton. The New York Times reported Ross's presence inside the State Department on January 28, however, his duties remain unspecified. Considering Ross's hand in crafting Obama's outreach to the Israel lobby, and his own recent orientation towards US-Iran policy, there is reason to believe he will get the vaunted Iran portfolio, a pivotal component of Obama's foreign policy.

During the campaign, Obama faced an onslaught of attacks on his Muslim background and insinuations that he harbored sympathies to enemies of Israel. Enter Dennis Ross. The veteran diplomat is widely believed to have crafted Obama's campaign address to the American-Israeli Political Action committee in which the candidate called for an undying commitment to America's alliance with Israel and ensured that Jerusalem would remain "undivided," a controversial proposal that contradicted President George W. Bush's "Road Map For Peace." Having helped consolidate Jewish support for the young senator, Ross positioned himself for a prominent position in the upcoming administration.

Ross's hard line on Iran raised eyebrows. In the heat of the presidential race, Ross co-chaired an ad hoc group called United Against A Nuclear Iran. Members of the organization comprised a who's who of neocons and Iran hawks, including former Bush advisor Karen Hughes, neoconservative scholar Fouad Ajami, and Jim Woolsey, the former CIA chief who clamored for an invasion of Iraq well before Bush assumed power. In September, Ross added his signature to a report demanding that Iran suspend all uranium enrichment activities as a precondition for negotiation. Joining Ross in support of the statement were arch-neoconservatives Michael Makovsky and the American Enterprise Institute's Michael Rubin, with consultation from Patrick Clawson, the Iran specialist at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP), a think tank formed by AIPAC.

Ross' support for the confrontational statement is no surprise. He is closely tied to the Israel lobby, currently serving as a counselor and distinguished fellow at WINEP. When Ross joined the Obama campaign, WINEP released a statement declaring Ross a "nonexclusive" advisor in accordance its non-partisan classification. Despite these ties, or perhaps because of them, Ross appears in line for an appointment as envoy to Iran, or a position like it. For anyone hoping for a break from the confrontational approach to the Islamic Republic that has prevailed for eight years, this is a disturbing prospect.

Comments

[goldsteiner]

this would just prove unequivocally that Israel OWNS the US!

[zookie]

Ross??????? Are you out of your mind, Obama? Sending a fox into the hen house!!!!!!
Ross does have dual Israeli-US citrizensh­ip...the right given to all Jews by the US. He has lived his political life in allegiance, totally, dedicated to the Zionist-Israeli cause. He believes in a greater Israel, meaning more territory, and getting the "enemies" out of the way. The last biggie in the picture is Iran.
Geez, if Obama appoints him, the neocons surrounding him sure as hell had a hand in the appointment. Holdbrooke is another twin of Ross.
Those longing for a peaceful co-existence among Muslims-Arabs and the West, I fear, have a much, much longer wait than appears on immediate horizon. Sad, disappointing news.

[sixx]

Ross is a poor choice for many reasons but first because of his connections with PNAC, who created with Bush the worst U.S. foreign policy ever.

[Macready]

Ross sounds like a big mistake ... there are too many pro-israelis on Obama's team and it worries me . . big time .. . what about asking Lincoln Chaffee . . . Carter would be the best choice . . . . he knows the Middle East . . . he understands the problems

[ajax2]

Ross is much more than ' pro-Israeli ' he is a PNAC supporter. The whole Bush WH foreign policy that was such a disaster would be reintroduced with his appointment.

[Macready]

just what is going on then with all these pro-israeli appointments or shouldn't I ask . . . any one who holds dual citizenship US/israel and is PNAC to boot . .. should be an automatic NO!

[BADRALDUJA]

What a joke,this is intentional,becouse they know ross will not be welcomed in iran,no mater what obama says

[trudem2]

Dennis Ross? The stupidest idea yet.....or an outright intent to offend.

[Pip1860]

President Carter is the PERFECT choice for the job. There is no country in the world that does not respect Carter today.

[TheFriendlyAtheist]

Except for the US.

[Amomma]

Carter was one of the weakest presidents in US history. Iran turned him into a laughing stock with the Hostage Crisis.

[Jezreel]

"Carter was one of the weakest presidents in US history. Iran turned him into a laughing stock with the Hostage Crisis."

Disagree. Carter negotiated the release of hostages from Iran. Reagan's supporters intervened and asked Iran to hold up the release of the hostages until after the election. Regan never deserved the credit he received.

[Anna-Marina]

Not only Dennis Ross belongs to the Washington Institute for Near East Study (designed to support and promote Israel's interests); Mr. Ross has a dual US-Israeli citizenship. No way he can bring impartiality to the suffering region.

In mass media, miraculously, all mentions of the Israel's violations of the Geneva Conventions in the Gaza Ghetto had been suddenly muted. - As if there are no new publications that finally tell us what exactly had happened in Gaza and how exactly those 400+ Palestinian children died. ( Journalists were prohibited by "democratic" Israel to enter Gaza. )
What a travesty that the US taxpayers continue financing Israel's war crimes!

[gakabani]

Daniel Ross is an intellectually violent person that excuses Israel's atrocities. He is not unbiased, he super bias and a demagogue. A criminal to say the least.

[JonSmiley]

Is Obama out of his mind?

Why not just hand the Iran portfolio to Netanyahu?

[max08]

GAWD.....N­O !!!

[zukervati]

Oh brilliant, let's send a Jewish emissary who failed to get the Israeli/Palestinian peace process going because he was too partisan to Iran - makes a lot of sense to me!

[TheFriendlyAtheist]

Yeah, Clinton had a great idea there. Send a US delagation of six Jews to bargin with the Palestinians and Israelis. Think the Palestilnians might have thought they were being rolled?

[Manchurian]

A much better approach toward selecting an envoy to Iran would be to find a qualified individual who is acceptable to the Iranians. Diplomacy is a two-way street. It is highly unlikely Iran will accept a person like Ross who is so obviously biased on issues of Middle East policy. We need someone like Mitchell as envoy to Iran: someone who has proven have an even-handed approach to the problems of the Middle East. Jimmy Carter, for example, would be a great choice, though his age may preclude taking that kind of job.

[zukervati]

Mr. Carter would be an excellent choice. His history with the regime goes way back (failed attempt to rescue the American hostages) and should give him the credence needed. Besides, he's one of the most level-headed presidents that I can think of.

[EspressoAtNoon]

Carter did bring the American hostages home. He'd be an excellent choice.

[Bobleblah1]

Why would you send an Israeli to be an American "PEACE"envoy anywhere?
So our message to Iran is "Hey lets get along, meet our zionist envoy we have sent
to talk about treating arabs with dignity?

Whats wrong with this picture?
And yeah I know Ross claims to be American, what are the odds he has dual citizenship?

This is all just getting so old and tired and full of sh**.

[zukervati]

Here here!

[Petunia39]

Just sent my email to the White House letting our President know that I think this is a lousy choice, unless the intent is to sabotage a potential Iran-U.S. rapprochement from the get-go.