Legitimizing the Iranian Theocracy

On Wednesday, Condoleezza Rice announced, in so many words, that the US will indefinitely suspend military action against Iran in favor of "diplomacy," giving the theocracy a fresh green light to fund Islamic terrorism and develop nuclear weapons.

Despite millennia of evidence to the contrary, the Bush administration clings to the belief that compromising with evil "works," and has therefore made the following offer to Iran: Temporarily stop your nuclear program, and we'll legitimize your theocratic dictatorship by having direct diplomatic talks with you—for the first time in 27 years. During such talks, the administration would offer them further legitimacy in the form of "incentives" to permanently halt their nuclear activities. When we realize that we've been had—that the Iranians are taking our money and still pursuing a nuclear weapons program—we will resort to the ultimate punishment: " tough U.N. Security Council action, possibly including economic or other sanctions."

For their part, the Iranians seem disinterested in the offer, asserting an ironically refreshing position regarding the purpose of their foreign policy:

The Iranian news agency said Iran accepts only proposals and conditions that are in the nation's interest. "Halting enrichment definitely doesn't meet such interests," IRNA said.

Perhaps we can learn something from Iran. If our "nation's interest" was the foundation of our foreign policy, we wouldn't empower the Iranians by legitimizing their theocracy with powwows and handouts. We'd reduce their capital to rubble.

About Alan Germani

Alan Germani is an associate editor of The Objective Standard.

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