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dlssmith · #37 03-25-2007, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dculkin

You have stretched my argument beyond recognition. I said that Bush should engage Iran and see whether their selfish interests overlap with our own. For example, in 2001, Iran and the United States shared an interest in defeating the Taliban and I'm told that we got valuable cooperation from Iran during the early parts of the war in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, W lost interest in that war and decided to start a different war in Iraq. Even so, I will bet that Iran would like to talk to us about fighting the resurgent Taliban. There are other areas where we might have things that Iran wants. We should explore it. We might actually learn something.

If you're talking about talking to Iranians, I am sure you're right. To their government, I doubt there is much we have in common.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dculkin

I don't see how you can say that history does not support my view that people act in their own selfish interest. I thought that was a universal truth throughout history.I would love to see you go back and find a single word I said that makes that argument.

Your argument seems to imply that there is a commonality in those interests. In some cases, yes. The first world war was one in which the exploration of common interests was ignored, and disaster ensued. But some countries define aggressive moves as if they were "In their best interests". Clearly, with Iranian support of Hamas, and AlQaeda, and with them supplying IEDs to the insurgency in Iraq, our interests diverge. Iranian statements regarding Israel? Serious divergence. dculkin, your argument is the basis for diplomatic theory, and as I said, I think the US is engaging the Iranians, but through the Syrians, and only through back channels.

So let's ask, to go a step further, what interest of the US does the current war serve? Surely some vital interest? Oil, some would say? Others, and I do believe Bush when he says it too, say that the US is protected by taking the fight against violent islamofacists, out of the US. Outside US territory. I like that the fight is not in New York. One day of that was enough. And for those of you that believe 9/11 isn't connected to Iraq, or the Jews did it, or some other nonsense; get a clue.