IRAN and the United States

That Iran is very much in Washington's crosshairs was evident in a panel discussion held in Washington. The subject was "US Policy Toward Iran". The only member who had much feeling for Iran was Bruce Laingren, a former hostage. Far from being vindictive, he called for a dialog with Iran. Without publicity, low-level talks are going on, but only about limited subjects like Iraq. Former congressman Lee Hamilton, now director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, gave the lead address. He is an unusually well-qualified individual, but his warning to Iran not to interfere in Iraq seemed insensitive, in view of the fact that the US has "interfered" there and has a long record of interfering in its own backyard, the latest examples being Panama and Grenada. Hamilton recognized that Iran has ambitions to be the super power in the region. Most suggestive was the address the address by Kenneth Katzman, who apparently is the Iran specialist in the Congressional Research Service. He is a strange choice. He seems not to have been in Iran, where he would not be welcome. He said that a strike on Iran's nuclear facility was contemplated, but not a direct attack on Iran. None of the panelists seemed to realize how Iran, the major state in the area, must feel about such threats, while Israel has nuclear and other weapons. There was vague talk about a regional security pact. Pressure must be put on Russia, which is rather like Russia putting pressure on the US not to interfere in Mexico. An Italian, Giandomenico Picco, former UN Under Secretary General, seemed to be the best informed about Iran. There was talk of changing the Iranian regime by encouraging exile groups and student protesters. Would the US view kindly the encouragement by a foreign power of riots in the US aimed at a change of regime?

Ronald Hilton - 6/25/03