|
Trending Topics
|
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/opinion/12friedman.html
Losing Weight in the Gulf
[New York Times] Thomas L. Friedman - Right now, the Arab Gulf states are all sizing up America, their protector, and are wondering just how much Uncle Sam weighs in the standoff with Iran - and whether it will be enough to keep Iran at bay. I've been at a security conference in the tiny Gulf state of Bahrain, attended by defense officials and analysts from all over the world, and all the buzz has been about the latest U.S. National Intelligence Estimate on Iran. It has left every Arab and European expert I've spoken to baffled as to why its conclusions were framed in a way that is sure to reduce America's leverage to negotiate with Tehran. Bush officials are trying to tell everyone: "No, no, Iran is still dangerous. You have to keep the coalition together to get Tehran to stop enriching uranium." But in a world where everyone is looking for an excuse to do business with Iran, not to sanction it, we've lost leverage. Everyone in the neighborhood can smell it - and it worries them.