The next outrage: US may drop key Iran talks condition

[Uzybone]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/world/middleeast/14diplo.html?hp

U.S. May Drop Key Condition for Talks With Iran

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration and its European allies are preparing proposals that would shift strategy toward Iran by dropping a longstanding American insistence that Tehran rapidly shut down nuclear facilities during the early phases of negotiations over its atomic program, according to officials involved in the discussions.

The proposals, exchanged in confidential strategy sessions with European allies, would press Tehran to open up its nuclear program gradually to wide-ranging inspection. But the proposals would also allow Iran to continue enriching uranium for some period during the talks. That would be a sharp break from the approach taken by the Bush administration, which had demanded that Iran halt its enrichment activities, at least briefly to initiate negotiations.

Under Bush, the Iranians were so sad that we refused to talk to them that they only built over 5,000 centrifuges.

[Clio the Leo]

1. The President will be shaking hands with an Iranian dude before this all over with...

... you mark my words.

And he'll be SMILING!!!

And so will I!

[billyoc]

2. Same here.

[MADem]

3. Maybe, maybe not.

We've managed to restart our relationship with Muhamar Quaddafi in Libya, and I haven't seen any President shaking his hand.

Maybe poor SECSTATE Clinton will be forced to go say "Hey there" to Ahmadinejad, but I'm thiking that will be the extent of it.

Could happen, though. Never say never...

[Kdillard]

4. Well we'll see how it goes. I hope this will bring about more

concrete progress than was seen under the Bush Administration.