(Globes) David Menashri - President Obama is again offering a carrot in the hope that Iran will prefer a diplomatic settlement over the biting sanctions scheduled for the summer. Obama will present himself as the man who offered the Iranians a ladder to climb down from the tree that they are on. The proposal also sends an important signal to Iran's youth that the U.S. is prepared to give diplomacy another chance and that it is offering Iran's leaders an exit with honor. This is also an important message to the American people, who have no enthusiasm for another military adventure in the Middle East, that their president is really trying every other option. It should not be forgotten that, in the past, when pushed into the corner, Iran agreed to proposals before subsequently retreating from them, or making statements later found to be completely baseless. Only if the pressure on it increases, and offers are made which Iran can compromise on while keeping its honor, is there any chance for diplomacy. The writer is President of the Academic Center of Law and Business in Ramat Gan and a researcher at the Center for Iranian Studies at Tel Aviv University.
2012-04-10 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive