A Reagan Strategy for Iran and Syria

The title for this opinion appeared on page A18 in the Wall Street Journal, Wednesday, December 20, 2006. The opinion is one of the best I've read on what to do currently in our volitile world. However, I believe the strategies opined in this article are not only good for Iran and Syria but they are fundamentally good foreign policy.

The article describes four policies adopted by Reagan during the cold war and aptly points out that the same can be used today. They include:

Regime acceptance. The U.S. refrained from activities aimed at destroying the Soviet regime it was seeking to influence, while vigorously denouncing its political and moral legitimacy. Let's allow Iran to choose their leadership and deal with it accordingly.

Limited linkage. Negotiations on human rights, arms control, regional issues and bilateral relations were pursued without linkage to Soviet conduct, enabling negotiations to proceed while the U.S. responded firmly through deeds. Can you imagine doing this with China or North Korea?

Rhetorical restraint. Reagan vigorously criticized the Soviet system and its behavior, but promised to never "crow" when the Soviets agreed to U.S. proposals, enabling Soviet leaders to aoid being seen as captulating to U.S. demands. How about Lebanon here?

Self-interest. U.S. negotiating policy was based on convincing the Soviets to act in their own best interests. Free democracies are the best known models to date. Let's continue to convince others that these strategies are good for them.

If these policies were adopted as our standard for foreign policy during netotiations with the only other super-power during the cold war, surely they can work during our crisis of world terror.