U.S. wants Iran in on Afghanistan talks

Posted By Elizabeth Dickinson Thursday, March 5, 2009 - 3:05 PM Share

Looks like the Obama administration has been reading Parag Khanna. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today acknowledged that all of Afghanistan's neighbors will have to be involved if the NATO intervention is ever to succeed. Iran looks likely to be on the invite list for a proposed conference on Afghanstan to be held this month. 

It's a bold move with the potential of reopening negotiations between the United States and Iran -- on an issue of great importance to both countries.

And also not a bad move, if my diplomatic analysis counts for anything; the two spatting countries might even find some common ground. As Khanna pointed out, Iran is rapidly building up commercial investment in the country, and would surely prefer a stable host for its work. 

EXPLORE:CENTRAL ASIA, AFGHANISTAN, IRAN
 
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SAM

6:45 PM ET

March 5, 2009

"...great importance for both

"...great importance for both countries"? i don't think so, why should iran help US in Afghanistan? maybe to give US more flexibility to pressure iran more?

Iran's problem with the US are the sanctions and all the other things, and it won't help US by just giving up its aces in Iraq and Afghanistan, why should Iran do that? what would she get in return? another proposal that if you stop this and that and turn in all your negotiable assets we will start talking to you with all the sanctions and everything else still in place?

I can understand secretary Clinton trying to send a signal that we want to talk to Iran to uninformed US citizens and especially Obama supporters, its a good move that can help Obama's reelection if he gets questioned for that in 4 years. but I can't understand how FP can simplify things this much?

 

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