Tehran Rising

By Shawn Healy

The title of this post is borrowed from Ilan Berman's recent book on Iran's emergence as a global power and what this means to the United States. Propped up by oil exports and the elimination of historic enemies in the Middle East (the Taliban and Saddam Hussein), Iran's influence in the region and elsewhere is unprecedented, and Berman urges engagement and a strategy that extends their timetable for nuclear weapons acquisition.

The Iraq Study Group also called for US engagement with the second component of the so-called "Axis of Evil" (North Korea is a topic for another day) in an attempt to end the sectarian violence that has crippled post-invasion Iraq.

Although these suggestions are probably practical, Iran's recent shennanigans are cause for concern. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad convened a Holocaust conference in Tehran this week to debate what he considers a "myth." This from a man who seeks to wipe Israel off the map. In a wary sign of diplomacy, the US did have one representative on hand, former Klan leader and presidential candidate David Duke...

While I by no means condone the prohibition of such undertakings as would be the case if the conference were held in Paris (Germany too, but an exception is warranted), the US should be wary of any affiliation with a country who seeks the destruction of our historic ally, a lone voice for democracy in the Middle East. Moreover, must we bargain with Iran to discontinue their support of terrorist groups throughout the world? Such an olive branch will only strengthen their hand and lend credibility to disgusting undertakings like calling a conference of anti-Semites to further threaten a historically marginalized religion and country.