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Engagement Has Failed. The U.S. Needs a New Strategy

(Wall Street Journal) Editorial - There is a need for a new U.S. strategy that drops the engagement illusion and begins to treat Iran as the single biggest threat to Mideast and U.S. security. Sanctions can be part of that strategy, but they will need to be more comprehensive than anything to date. They must also be ramped up rapidly because they will need time to be felt by the regime. The U.S. should give up on the UN, which will only delay and dilute such pressure, and build a sanctions coalition of the willing. The U.S. can also speak and act far more forcefully and clearly on behalf of Iran's domestic opposition. The regime's recent crackdown suggests that the chances of regime change in the near term are remote, but popular animosity against Iran's rulers still seethes underground. The U.S. should assist that opposition in any way it can, especially with technology to help communicate with each other and the world. Finally, the option of a military strike will have to be put squarely on the table. Sanctions have little chance of working unless they are backed by a credible military threat. The risks of military action are obvious, but the danger to the world from a nuclear Iran is far worse.
2010-02-19 09:05:50
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