Thomas Barnett is an international strategist with a growing fan base.
He recently commented on an article by Henry Kissinger about negotiating with Iran. He agrees that to a great extent, “all the talks need to do is buy us time and a forum for starting what will inevitably be a long-term forum for regional security discussion, much like the The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
…No, this forum won’t magically make our rapid departure from Iraq possible, and no, it won’t stop Iran from getting the bomb. The regional forum concept is not designed for magical outcomes, but slowly building the collective will for permanent security regimes to arise in the region that settle the endemic conflicts and allow enough political stability for economic connectivity to ensue, which in turn will fuel social change already underway and political change that seethes just below the surface (the great fears of the despots).”
“Realism is just idealism stretched over time. It is a belief in inevitabilities that prefers inaction to action and cynicism to morality. But such delays do not constitute diversions much less defeats.
…To me, the outcome will never be in doubt, just the timing.”
The Democratic leadership is often accused of having no plan for Iraq other than backing the Baker Hamilton Report. Perhaps it is time to take a stand behind a conceptual and paradigm shift to a new regional collaboration that can provide a fresh context for the inevitabilities of mutual cooperation to unfold.
Born 1950, Married, Living in Austin Texas, Semi
Retired Small Business owner and investor. My political interest
evolved out of his business experience that the best decisions come out of an objective gathering of information and a pragmatic consideration of costs and benefits. I am interested in promoting Centrist candidates and Policies. My posts are mostly about people and policies that I believe are part of the solution rather the problem.