Monday, November 3, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Another foreign policy blog
Speaking of blogs, just as our blog is dedicated to foreign policy issues, there are a number of others.
In particular, I was struck by this blog, which is run through the Foreign Policy Association.
It shows how important an issue foreign policy is, not only for Americans, but also for the rest of the world.
In particular, I was struck by this blog, which is run through the Foreign Policy Association.
It shows how important an issue foreign policy is, not only for Americans, but also for the rest of the world.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Joe Biden: a "liberal interventionist"
I found an interesting article from yesterday's Miami Herald regarding the foreign policy ideals of Joe Biden, Obama's running mate.
Long story short, Biden is a typical politician/typical human being that has made an array of decisions and held a variety of opinions throughout his life, and it's these decisions and opinions in conglomerate that are being analyzed in an effort to determine where exactly Biden stands with foreign policy.
The article comes to the conclusion that Biden rests in, big suprise, the middle. I recommend reading the article for yourself, and even doing some outside research, so that you can develop your own opinion or confirm this one.
-Cayla Lambier
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Iran is willing, U.S. is chilling.
Here's an interesting article from yesterday's Washington Post.
Basically, the U.S. is somewhat dropping the ball when it comes to connecting with Iran. The situation is not unlike two middle school students who have a crush on each other, and communicate via friends (the media.)
The U.S. has the media tell Iran that they're interested, and then Iran tells the media to tell the U.S. that if the U.S. wants to get to know Iran better, than the U.S. has to actually ask them out to a movie.
Or an interests section.
Original article here.
U.S. Proposal Yet To Reach Iran
Thomas Erdbrink, Washington Post, Tuesday, October 14, 2008; A13
Iran has yet to receive a request from the United States to open an interests section here, officials said Monday, but analysts added that such a proposal would probably get a positive response. "We have had no request from the United States on this issue," said Hassan Qashqavi, a spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "First we need a request, and then we can consider it."
David Ignatius of The Washington Post wrote in a column Sunday that the Bush administration plans to announce the opening of a U.S. interests section in Tehran in mid-November.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told state television in an interview last week: "Our stance remains the same: We would react favorably to any positive signals indicating the will for communication on the basis of respect and justice."
But some Iranian officials expressed frustration at ambiguous statements from unnamed U.S. officials quoted by the media. "They are talking to us through the media but not making any official requests for negotiations," Kazem Jalali, a spokesman for the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said recently. "Iran will seriously consider any official request from the United States government for talks," Jalali said. "But if that is not made, nothing can happen."
Iran’s position marks a change from when any talk of relations with the United States was taboo in Iranian politics. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who oversees all foreign policy issues, would have to agree to the opening of any U.S. representative office in the country. Since the idea was floated in Washington in August, Iranian politicians who are in regular contact with him have been positive and have made clear that such a request from the United States would be considered.
"It is clear from the positive responses from Iranian officials that if such a request would be made, the Iranian system would accept it," said Davoud Hermidas Bavand, professor of international relations at the Allameh Tabatabai University in Tehran.
Analysts here said the U.S. gesture would have to be made carefully. Rahman Ghahremanpour, an analyst at Iran’s Center for Strategic Studies, said, "The U.S. can’t say, ‘We are opening an interest section in Iran, and that’s final.’ That will not be regarded as positive. The announcement should be a start of negotiations on the subject." Ghahremanpour supports the idea of an opening. "The language should not be confrontational but diplomatic and geared toward open negotiations," he said. "Such an announcement cannot be made unilaterally by the United States without consulting Iran first. That should be clear."
If proposed in a nonconfrontational way, the announcement would be regarded as a confidence-building measure, he added. "The Iranian system knows that sooner or later it will have to talk to America, even though domestically there might be resistance by some political groups. They are ready."
Basically, the U.S. is somewhat dropping the ball when it comes to connecting with Iran. The situation is not unlike two middle school students who have a crush on each other, and communicate via friends (the media.)
The U.S. has the media tell Iran that they're interested, and then Iran tells the media to tell the U.S. that if the U.S. wants to get to know Iran better, than the U.S. has to actually ask them out to a movie.
Or an interests section.
Original article here.
U.S. Proposal Yet To Reach Iran
Thomas Erdbrink, Washington Post, Tuesday, October 14, 2008; A13
Iran has yet to receive a request from the United States to open an interests section here, officials said Monday, but analysts added that such a proposal would probably get a positive response. "We have had no request from the United States on this issue," said Hassan Qashqavi, a spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "First we need a request, and then we can consider it."
David Ignatius of The Washington Post wrote in a column Sunday that the Bush administration plans to announce the opening of a U.S. interests section in Tehran in mid-November.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told state television in an interview last week: "Our stance remains the same: We would react favorably to any positive signals indicating the will for communication on the basis of respect and justice."
But some Iranian officials expressed frustration at ambiguous statements from unnamed U.S. officials quoted by the media. "They are talking to us through the media but not making any official requests for negotiations," Kazem Jalali, a spokesman for the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said recently. "Iran will seriously consider any official request from the United States government for talks," Jalali said. "But if that is not made, nothing can happen."
Iran’s position marks a change from when any talk of relations with the United States was taboo in Iranian politics. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who oversees all foreign policy issues, would have to agree to the opening of any U.S. representative office in the country. Since the idea was floated in Washington in August, Iranian politicians who are in regular contact with him have been positive and have made clear that such a request from the United States would be considered.
"It is clear from the positive responses from Iranian officials that if such a request would be made, the Iranian system would accept it," said Davoud Hermidas Bavand, professor of international relations at the Allameh Tabatabai University in Tehran.
Analysts here said the U.S. gesture would have to be made carefully. Rahman Ghahremanpour, an analyst at Iran’s Center for Strategic Studies, said, "The U.S. can’t say, ‘We are opening an interest section in Iran, and that’s final.’ That will not be regarded as positive. The announcement should be a start of negotiations on the subject." Ghahremanpour supports the idea of an opening. "The language should not be confrontational but diplomatic and geared toward open negotiations," he said. "Such an announcement cannot be made unilaterally by the United States without consulting Iran first. That should be clear."
If proposed in a nonconfrontational way, the announcement would be regarded as a confidence-building measure, he added. "The Iranian system knows that sooner or later it will have to talk to America, even though domestically there might be resistance by some political groups. They are ready."
Monday, October 6, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
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