FOR ALL its belligerence and hawkish political stances, the Bush administration has produced little when it comes to dealing with Iran. The main reason behind this is its shelving of engagement in favor of isolation and sanctions, despite the fact that the former options have historically worked better (look at the negotiations with the Soviets at the end of the Cold War and Nixon's China visit, versus the Cuban embargo and decades of Iraqi sanctions). In order to remove this thorn in U.S. foreign policy, the Bush administration must embrace engagement as the only credible option toward resolving the Iranian dispute and avoid humiliating Iran.
Contrary to popular belief, the regime in Tehran and the people of Iran have no doubt that negotiation is the only way to resolve the current dispute with the United States. 75 percent of Iranians favor engagement with the United States, according to a survey conducted by the International Crisis Group. Furthermore, Iran has responded positively to some recent U.S. diplomatic initiatives. Not too long ago, Iran's national security adviser, Ali Larijani accepted the U.S. offer for a dialogue on Iraq, only to have the move unreciprocated in Washington. Just two weeks ago, Iran again officially responded positively to the incentive package offered by the United States. In response, Washington demanded a "firmer, less ambiguous" answer, and is currently pushing for punitive sanctions. Indeed, the sad reality is that the greatest obstacle to the resolution of the Iranian issue is the hawks in Washington, not the anti-Semite in Iran. Whilst dialogue is considered the only viable option for Iranians, hardliners in Washington are still considering a preemptive military strike or punitive sanctions to hasten Iran's collapse (we are too weak to engage Iran militarily, and sanctions never work).
Such preposterous measures also misunderstand the political dynamics in Tehran. The Iranian government is immensely unpopular. According to polls taken Guardian Unlimited, only 15 percent of Iranians support Ahmedinejad's fundamentalist policies.
If you dig a little deeper, it becomes clear that it is not the Iranian people, but the U.S. government that is keeping Ahmedinejad in power. The Bush administration's careless rhetoric, incoherent Middle East policy and subjugation of the Iranian regime have been the key tools which Ahmedinejad uses to appeal to Iranian pride -- his principle source of power. Comments like "Islamo-fascism," U.S. foreign policy failures in the Arab-Israeli conflict, and lack of respect for a proud Iranian peopleare the key ingredients needed for this hardliner to prevent his downfall.Worse still, the United States is abetting this regime's ability to stay in power at a time when young Iranians, a generation removed from the 1979 revolution, are demanding political change and engagement.
Yet despite an immensely unpopularity regime, a restive and more modernistic youth, and a political leadership in Tehran that has embraced diplomatic initiatives, the United States has not accepted engagement as the only viable option to solve this issue. Instead, it has damaged the greatest prospects for peace between the Great Satan and the Mullahs since 1979 beyond measure. Bush's offhand comments about an "axis of evil" and coercive subjugation and humiliation of the Iranian regime may enhance his domestic popularity, but they are major dents to Iranian pride. The Iranians are proud descendants of the once-great Persian empire, and this rhetoric is manipulated by Ahmedinejad to reflect a Western sense of superiority and oppression of the glorious Iranian state. With each remark and hawkish stance, the Bush administration enhances the authority of a leader which rests solely on the manipulation of a once proud people.
Therefore, we need to move from a policy of coercion and humiliation to one of compromise and engagement with Iran. Instead of dealing solely with the nuclear issue, the Bush administration must include educational and cultural exchanges at the very least within the incentive package framework. This will enable the Iranian youth to be educated in the United States and train a future generation of political leaders with a greater cultural awareness of this nation.Early this year, the Bush administration approved $75 million in programs of this nature, but they were created in isolation and not offered directly to the Iranian government.
Secondly, the U.S. must tone down its rhetoric of humiliation, treat Iran with respect, and resolve contradictions in its Middle East policies -- thus removing key ingredients of Ahmedinejad's power. This must include the Arab-Israeli dispute and a greater emphasis on differentiating between Islam and terrorism. And if Tehran rejects this? My answer is, so what? If we offer this directly to Tehran and they publicly reject this, they will face the wrath of their restive domestic population.
Prashanth Parameswaran's column usually appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at pparamewsaran@cavalierdaily.com.
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