Did Obama Wink at Tehran?
While millions around the globe were glued to their TVs listening to President Obama's message of hope, decision-makers in Tehran were looking for a single-phrase alone: Mutual respect. Obama didn't disappoint.
"To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect," Obama said in his address to the 1.5 million man strong crowd on the Washington mall.
"Mutual respect" has become an almost mysterious term in US-Iran relations. The Iranians have repeatedly stated that improved US-Iran relations only can come about once the two countries negotiate with each other as equals, with "mutual respect." The rather ambiguous term has often bewildered US officials, not understanding what the Iranians exactly are demanding of the US. "What does this "mutual respect" mumbo-jumbo mean?," a US lawmaker once asked me? "Why don't they just say what they want?"
While in the American point of view the US-Iran conflict is rooted in policy differences and differing visions for the Middle East, to the Iranians it is just as much about discarding an uneven relationship - that between a master and a servant. The term "mutual respect" is so critical to Tehran that the Iranians even included it in their 2003 negotiation offer to the Bush administration. (The Bush White House never responded to the proposal, a move interpreted by Tehran as a sign of utter disrespect).
Tehran will likely interpret Obama's declared interest in finding a new way forward based on mutual respect as a clear - and very positive - signal to the Middle East in general, and to Iran in particular.
While positive signals are important, perhaps even necessary, they are not sufficient. If Obama intended this passage of the inaugural address to serve as a signal to Tehran - or even more pointedly, his promise to extend a hand to hostile nations if they are willing to unclench their fist - it would not be the first time that an incoming president would use this occasion to reach out to Iran.
In 1989, George H. Bush said in regards to Iran that "goodwill begets goodwill. Good faith can be a spiral that endlessly moves on." Tehran interpreted Bush's statement as an invitation for an Iranian goodwill gesture. They responded by pressuring Hezbollah to release all American hostages in Lebanon and by tacitly supporting the U.S. during the first Persian Gulf War.
But contrary to Bush's promise, goodwill only begot ill-will. "When the hostages were all released," then-National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft told me, "we didn't do anything."
The U.S. did not respond to the release of the hostages and Iranian cooperation in the Persian Gulf War did not lead to an inclusive Persian Gulf security arrangement that would recognize a legitimate role for Iran in the region.
Now, exactly 20 years later, goodwill - and reciprocation - is needed more than ever before. Obama has on his first day in office taken an important step by beginning to change America's vocabulary on Iran.
With a timely response by Tehran, and proper follow up by both sides, they can go beyond vocabulary and symbolism and begin addressing the substance of their dysfunctional relationship.
Tehran should take a risk and wink back.
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Dude. I'm just an average person, and even I would be offended by the failure to even dignify my communique with a response. In the business world, that would not fly. It would have been less rude to reply with a single sentence along the lines of "We've received your proposal, and it is totally unacceptable. Full stop."
Only if you want to reduce the promise of a great leader to the lowest common denominator of a bully. Now..look at this line of the speech:
" Our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
In other words right makes might, not might makes right.
"To the Muslim world we seek a new way forward based on mutual interest and mutual respect. We will extend a hand IF you will unclench your fist."
" And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity."
"With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you"
If I were President, I would apologize to every nation in the world for the ignorant behavior of the U.S. during the Bush years and ask them to give us another chance.
lol... really? Obamunism at it's finest. Send North Korea a hallmark card and some chocolate, Send Fidel Castro a get well soon card and invite Ahmadinijad (or however you spell his name) an invitation to the sate of the Union Address. Make sure the President signs all the letter with "your BFF Big O"
Gdebs may be exaggerating for effect, but s/he didn't suggest that we just bend over and spread our cheeks for Ir.an or North Korea. As far as I'm aware, he has not sent Castro a get-well card, or any of the other ridiculous things you mentioned.
Is the notion of showing a little humility and respect-- and you'd better respect nuclear weapons-- somehow communist? When you're confronted by a snarling mad dog, it's probably worth at least trying to calm it down (if you get it calm enough, it will let you get close; then you can pull out its teeth).
I think if we remove the Political Embargo against these countries and act with cooperation and the general well being of the globe in the UN, that will be all the apologize we will need. Right Action speaks volumns of words. Walk the walk.
how about starting with cuba.?
not a bad idea for a place to start. it's nearby and not particularly aggressive anymore.
We gave the opening salvo of a "wink, wink" to Tehran and the Fundamentalist aspects of The Middle East in general, now it's time for Iran and the other Fundamentalist regimes to return our "wink, wink" with a "Nudge, nudge" right back to show they understood and are ready and willing to play the diplomacy game
How novel that nation states have the right for Sovereignty and to defend their citizens. Is that a logical rational for "unalienable right" of nation states?
Imagine NON-Proliferation Treaty being exercised as JFK asked tor "remove the nuclear threat" not a foreign policy against the weak, suffering and unprotected.
Time has definately been wasted and a mature effort to surmount the stalemate by opening up to the possibilities of communicating towards mutually acceptable future negotiations and a complex solution!
STOP THE MADNESS!!! wink wink
Caution caution caution,
everyone is so hungry for change that every single word, gesture or pause of silence is going to be read as either positive or negative comment on something. It would be wisest to wait until the word Iran is used in a sentence before attributing some platitude as new specific policy.
I tend to agree with the author on the direction of the new administration but I am not set willing to see signs and oracles in every sentence Barack utters.
Who could not know that their idea of mutual respect is we let them do whatever however to whomever.
Not sure what you mean by that. Iran certainly does not "do whatever however to whomever" nearly as much as we do. Mutual respect means just what it says: to respect the other party as a civilized nation with legitimate interests and aspirations.
Thank you. I thought "mutual respect" was something that was easily understood
DWFLYO
LIKE ISRAEL DOES HA HA HAAAAAAAAAA?
ISRAEL HAS NO RESPECT FOR ITSELF TO RESPECT OTHERS,EVEN AFTER ALL BUSH DID FOR IT,OLMERT STILL DISRESPEDTED BUSH AND CONDI
"his promise to extend a hand to hostile nations if they are willing to unclench their fist "
Unfortunately, if "mutual respect" was a signal, this was the anti-signal. Neither Iran (nor Cuba nor Venezuela nor any other of the countries the U.S. proclaims as our "enemies") has any kind of "clenched fist" raised at the United States; this is a classic case of blaming the victim. It's the U.S. which has been raising a clenched fist (and a lot more, e.g., economic blockades which are a "polite" form of warfare) against Iran etc. for decades.
All the U.S. has to do is unclench ITS fist and everything is possible.
leftonthenews - well put
I don't know of any (clenched fist) country threatening the most powerful military in the world.
I think the idea was to indicate to these countries that are hostile to us that there are still options for them-- to let them know that they are not backed into a corner, that desperate measures are not called for, and that diplomacy is not a waste of time.
Reciprocity is an ancient aspect of friendship. It's one that we newer societies have reflected upon as deeply as the ancient ones.
I kind of doubt it...
Right U.S. and Egyptian warships led by the amphibian warship the USS San Antonio (which is head of Combined Task Force 151) in the Gulf of Aden are looking for an Iranian ship with supposedly 60 tons of weapons for Hamas. Also British warships are to move off the coast of Gaza to patrol alongside Israeli warships and just up the coast off Syria's coast sits the Russian aircraft carrier and a guided missile cruiser and support vessel.
Warming relations with Iran? Israel will not let this happen.
It's time for Israel to have no say in what is best for the US.
Thank you for your good post, Mr. Parsi. I sincerely hope that diplomacy with Iran can begin apace with the new, hopefully more politically sensitive administration in our White House!
However, the phrase "a nod to Iran" might be more appropriate since the erstwhile VP candidate, Mrs. Palin, has ruined indefinitely the political wink for me.
Iraq and Iran are very old countries, far older than any in Europe or the United States. We need to understand that they have a legacy that goes back much much further than anyone else. It is kind of like your great great grandson telling you what to do. Islam recently has succumbed to fundamentalism, but it wasn't always like this. 1000 years ago, it was the center of the world, while Europe was still in the dark ages.
president obama not only winked at tehran but gave a shout out to pyongyang to get on board before they miss their stop!
www.twitte
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