By Alison Holm
Columbus, Oh – THE QUESTION OF HOW TO DEAL WITH IRAN AND ITS POSSIBLE NUCLEAR CAPIBILITY WERE AN ISSUE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THEN-CANDIDATE BARACK OBAMA RAISED HOWLS OF PROTEST WHEN HE ANNOUNCED HE WOULD BE WILLING TO MEET WITH IRANIAN LEADERS WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS. AN OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXPERT SAYS WHILE THAT APPROACH MAY HAVE PAID OFF IN BETTER RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO
COUNTRIES, THE RECENT CONTROVERSIAL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN IRAN CLOSED OFF THAT AVENUE FOR U-S OFFICIALS. RICK HERMANN HEADS THE MERSHON CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY. HE TOLD A MEETING OF THE COLUMBUS COUNCIL ON WORLD AFFAIRS RELATIONS WITH IRAN ARE COMPLICATED BY THE SHIFTING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CONSERVATIVES IN THE GOVERNMENT, WOULD-BE REFORMERS WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT, AND THOSE FIGHTING FOR REGIME CHANGE ON THE STREETS.
HERMANN TELLS ALISON HOLM THE OBVIOUS DANGERS OF A POLICY OF EITHER
ENGAGEMENT, WHICH WOULD VALIDATE THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP, OR CONFRONTATION, WITH THE SPECTRE OF YET ANOTHER WAR IN THE REGION, HAVE U-S OFFICIALS CONSIDERING A THIRD APPROACH.