Iran talks are not appeasement

In “The way of all appeasement” (July 26 Bee), Victor Davis Hanson debates the U. S. alienating Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, although all were in lockstep extending, three times, the nuclear weapons non-proliferation agreement deadline with Iran.

It’s true former three-continent-empire Iran hates us despite its people’s continued lust for Western ways, including Mash Donalds, Pizza Hot, and Digikala, its Amazon.com-like equivalent. Throw in their workaround to access uncensored internet and Western world thinking. But comparisons to Greece? There are none.

What’s happening isn’t chagrin, but Iran appearing to its Middle Eastern brethren closer to crossing the divide toward the U.S. and its Arab friends Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel, signaling a shift in Middle Eastern power. This warming is despite the U.S.’s removal of Iran’s democratically elected, oil-industry-nationalizing Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh in 1953. You get it.

Iran already has nuclear capability, like Pakistan, India, Israel and North Korea. But they won’t even negotiate and aren’t Non-Proliferation Treaty signatories. Where is that appeasement complaint? Treaty or not, we can’t stop the race, but can make excellent chess moves. Our allies are neither angry nor looking for similar treatment, but lauding our skill in this ongoing game of brinkmanship.

This story was originally published July 31, 2015 at 6:43 AM with the headline "Iran talks are not appeasement."