Friday
May012009
Clinton/Gates to Israel (and Congress): Back Off on Iran
Friday, May 1, 2009 at 8:48
Video and Transcript: Robert Gates Remarks to Senate Appropriations Committee (30 April)
Video and Transcript: Hillary Clinton Remarks to Senate Appropriations Committee (30 April)
One of the headlines from the joint appearance of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates before a Senate committee came not from the opening statements but from an exchange much later in the hearing.
Asked about a military option to curb or destroy Iran's nuclear programme, Gates firmly rejected airstrikes in favour of diplomacy to deter Tehran from an arms race: ""Their security interests are actually badly served by trying to have nuclear weapons. They will start a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and they will be less secure at the end than they are now."
Gates' statement is a clear indication that, for the foreseeable future, the Obama Administration is committed to an "engagement" to get a resolution: Iran renounces any intention of pursuing nuclear weapons, the US eases economic sanctions, and the two countries co-operate in some areas and reduce their conflict in others.
I suspect that Gates and other officials are now building policy on a "Libya precedent". In 2003, after talks pursued by European countries, Tripoli gave up its long-time pursuit of a nuclear device in exchange for the dropping of US sanctions and closer economic links and opportunities.
Clinton did make a reference to the possibility that talks with Tehran will only lead, after they stall, to an American pursuit of tougher sanctions: ""We do have intensive consultation efforts going on with our friends and like-minded nations, not only in the region but elsewhere in the world, concerning the threats that Iran poses." However, unlike her signals last month, the Secretary of State offered this as a sop to tough-minded Senators rather than as a likely development.
Video and Transcript: Hillary Clinton Remarks to Senate Appropriations Committee (30 April)
One of the headlines from the joint appearance of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates before a Senate committee came not from the opening statements but from an exchange much later in the hearing.Asked about a military option to curb or destroy Iran's nuclear programme, Gates firmly rejected airstrikes in favour of diplomacy to deter Tehran from an arms race: ""Their security interests are actually badly served by trying to have nuclear weapons. They will start a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and they will be less secure at the end than they are now."
Gates' statement is a clear indication that, for the foreseeable future, the Obama Administration is committed to an "engagement" to get a resolution: Iran renounces any intention of pursuing nuclear weapons, the US eases economic sanctions, and the two countries co-operate in some areas and reduce their conflict in others.
I suspect that Gates and other officials are now building policy on a "Libya precedent". In 2003, after talks pursued by European countries, Tripoli gave up its long-time pursuit of a nuclear device in exchange for the dropping of US sanctions and closer economic links and opportunities.
Clinton did make a reference to the possibility that talks with Tehran will only lead, after they stall, to an American pursuit of tougher sanctions: ""We do have intensive consultation efforts going on with our friends and like-minded nations, not only in the region but elsewhere in the world, concerning the threats that Iran poses." However, unlike her signals last month, the Secretary of State offered this as a sop to tough-minded Senators rather than as a likely development.