Kerry Floats Plan to Visit Tehran

[beachmom]

Source: Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON -- Sen. John Kerry has suggested becoming the first high-level U.S. emissary to make a public visit to Tehran since the 1979 Islamic revolution, a move White House officials say they won't oppose.

The offer comes as mass protests against Iran's regime are resurfacing and a U.S.-imposed deadline nears to broach international sanctions against Iran.

"This sounds like the kind of travel a chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee would -- and should -- undertake," said a White House official, adding it would be at Sen. Kerry's own behest.

It's unclear whether Iran would welcome the visit, and it would be controversial within both countries. The Iranian government has rebuffed other recent White House efforts to establish a direct dialogue.


Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126161465189603571.html?mod=rss_whats_news_us

[Prometheus Bound]

1. Great news.

[Purveyor]

2. Has he received clearance from AIPAC yet? eom

[EFerrari]

3. John Kerry, grown up. n/t

[bleever]

4. Full court press.

Time to fully engage the Iranian government, and their constituency.

:thumbsup:

[Goldstein1984]

5. Mature dialog with an adversary

Who would have thought of that?

[Socal31]

6. Hmm.....

Would it be "controversial" to the Persian people, or just the government? I have my thoughts.

[pjt7]

7. Any adult political leader who have already visited Iran

eom.

[Swede Atlanta]

8. Not sure this would be a good thing at this time....

Depending on with whom he meets, this will be used by the current illegal regime as legitimizing their power. Further it may send the wrong signal that Congress makes foreign policy. Congress, with its control of the purse strings and the required Senate approval for Ambassadors and Treaties, influence foreign policy. But the Executive crafts and executes foreign policy.

[pjt7]

9. There is no need to discuss

meeting Iran. You do it & see what can be accomplished, if anything.

You can always drop bombs afterwards, if all falls down.

[politicasista]

10. Plus, people forget that the Senator is the Foreign Relations Committee Chairman

who has the ear of the president when it comes to foreign policy.

Can understand why this idea is controversial though.

[AverageJoe5]

11. Why go to Iran while we walk out on Ahmadinejad at the U.N.?

What's the point of a U.S. official going to talk to Ahmadinejad in Tehran while the U.S. delegation at the U.N. engages in the childish behavior of walking out on him when he addresses the U.N. Assembly?

[Rhiannon12866]

12. K&R for Senator Kerry!

Excellent news and he's the man to do it... :patriot: