Negiotiating with Iran

Condi Rice announced yesterday that we're going to participate in the Mr. Sadr's Neighborhood talks coming up that will include representatives from Iran and Syria. Some people hail this as a sign of progress--that we're finally going to start negiotiating with our enemies. I don't think progress is the right word.

When you're "negiotiating" with someone who is poking you in the eye with a sharp stick, there is not much bargaining room. Stop or else is the only position that has any meaning or value. Unless of course you like getting poked in the eye with a sharp stick. You can't reason with these people. They only understand one kind of negiotiation. I'll repeat my earlier contention that our situation in Iraq would be dramatically improved if there were a few industrial "accidents" and "heart attacks" in both Syria and Iran.

That's what I'd take to the "negiotiations." Anything else is a sign of weakness that will certainly be received with the contempt it deserves.