Even if Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadineja doesn’t get his chance to debate George Bush, there may still be some communication between Iran and the United States, even if limited to former Presidents. Former President Carter has agreed to speak with former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami. According to the Washington Post:
Khatami, a reformer who served as president from 1997 to 2005, is scheduled to speak at the Washington National Cathedral on Sept. 7. His schedule may include speeches at the University of Virginia and to an Islamic group in Chicago. He may also pay a private visit to Thomas Jefferson’s home at Monticello, according to sources familiar with his trip. He will begin his visit in New York at a U.N. conference on the dialogue of civilizations.
A conversation between Jimmy Carter and a former Iranian President is especially interesting considering that Carter lost his reelection bid largely as a consequence of the hostage crisis in Iran. Despite such potential tensions, Carter aide Phil Wise said Carter is willing to speak with him:
“President Carter, in his role since leaving the White House, has made his office and services and center available to basically anybody who wants to talk. He believes that it is much better to be talking to people who you have problems with than not to, and that’s the approach he takes now,” Wise said. “I can confirm that President Carter is open to a meeting if the former president of Iran would like to have one.”
The right wing blogoshere is not as happy about the prospect of speaking to those we have problems with. The Booman Tribune has a round up of the response. Little Green Footballs objects to Khatami even entering the country:
Giving Khatami a visa is a sheer outrage, at a time when Iran is issuing genocidal threats, sponsoring terrorism around the world, and rushing toward nuclear weapons. What the hell is wrong with our government?
I can think of a lot of things wrong with the government, but this would not top the list. Blue Crab Boulevard protests what they see as “back door diplomatic exchanges.” I wonder what they think of the alleged back door dealings between Reagan and Iran before Reagan took office, or the back door agreements which came out in the Iran Contra Scandal. Captain’s Quarters would like to see the White House “inform Carter of their intention to enforce the Logan Act.”
Yes, to them I guess it is far better to avoid communication. The Bush policy of labeling them part of the axis of evil, talking of a crusade, and starting a preemptive war next door has sure done wonders for our relations with Iran.
