http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.7091/pub_detail.asp
Talking to Iran, While Withdrawal Worries Iraq August 18, 2010 - <http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/authors/id.140/author_detail.asp> Presidential Policy: Does It Make the Grade?, <http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/authors/id.27/author_detail.asp> James Carafano, PhD http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/imgLib/20090608_presidential_policy.JPG After weeks of seeming more like observers than actors on foreign policy and national security issues, the White House appeared to wake from its summer lethargy. The National Security Advisor General James Jones <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7940061/Barack-O bama-may-be-prepared-to-meet-Iranian-president.html> made news last week declaring that President Obama may be prepared to meet with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Jones suggested that such a meeting might not be a something for nothing deal. For instance, he asked for the release of three Americans who had been arrested for straying across the Iranian border. Jones also raised the issue of Tehran opening up additional nuclear facilities for inspection by the IAEA, the U.N. watchdog agency that is supposed to monitor for violations of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Recently, the U.S. received backing for a new round of sanctions, but its not clear they have been in place long enough to have any success in pushing the regime to rethink its pursuit of nuclear weapons. That raises the first question about the new White House initiative. Is this offer to talk a sign that Obama is getting the Iranians attention or is the White House just flailing for something to do? A one-on-one meeting with Ahmadinejad would offer the often unpredictable leader a global stage. It is far from clear what Washington would gain from the meeting. Perhaps, Obama has forgotten when he agreed to share a forum with Venezuelan strongman Chávez, who then sought to embarrass the President. If taking action means courting dictators, perhaps this nation would be better off if the White House just did nothing. The other major news last week was the Administrations trumpeting of the drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq. This was indeed good news. Speaking to the press <http://voices.washingtonpost.com/checkpoint-washington/2010/08/jones_lauds_ progress_on_iraq_d.html> Jones said, Things are going well, and that the Administration expected a resolution [of the Iraqis attempt to form a new government] in the next few weeks, a month. Meanwhile, according to press accounts, Gen. Ray Odierno, the U.S. commander in Iraq, reported that Iraqi security forces are up to the task of handling things themselves, which is very, very good news, Jones said, and there will be no delay in bringing the level of U.S. forces down to 50,000 by the end of August. While the news from the Oval Office was encouraging, doubts over a further withdrawal have been raised in Baghdad. Lieutenant General Babakir Zebari, Iraqs senior military officer, <http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67B3LS20100812> told AgenceFrance Presse at a defense conference in Baghdad on Wednesday the Iraqi army would not be ready to ensure security until 2020. At this point, the withdrawal is going well, because they are still here, Zebari was quoted as saying. But the problem will start after 2011the politicians must find other ways to fill the void after 2011. If I were asked about the withdrawal, I would say to politicians: the U.S. army must stay until the Iraqi army is fully ready in 2020. The reality is that a U.S. presence will probably have to remain in Iraq for some time, even if U.S. and Iraqi officials dont want to acknowledge that fact in public. Much like the Presidents promise to start yanking U.S. combat troops out of Afghanistan in 2011, the White House knows that right now there are no signs it could actually begin such a withdrawal without endangering that mission as well. So while last week the Administration sounded it like was doing something, in reality a couple of press statements from the National Security Advisor dont really add up to a White House taking control of U.S. interests around the world. It still feels like foreign policy is on summer vacation. That earns the President another grade of B for the week. B for just being there. <http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/> FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., is a leading expert in defense affairs, intelligence, military operations and strategy, and homeland security at the Heritage Foundation. 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