Globe Columnist: 'Accept Iran's Dominant Influence In The Middle East'

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

It's not enough to embrace defeat in Iraq. The United States should pre-emptively surrender to Iran too. That's not Noam Chomsky's latest fevered pronouncement, nor the impassioned plea of Cindy Sheehan at the gates of Gitmo. It is the opening paragraph of a column in this morning's Boston Globe by Robert Rotberg. And who is Rotberg? Former President of Lafayette College, former professor at MIT, now Director of Harvards's Kennedy School Program on Intrastate Conflict and Conflict Resolution.

"The only way to promote sustainable peace, stability, and order in Iraq is to forge an unholy alliance with Iran -- and accept Iran's dominant influence in the Middle East. Only by accepting Iranian hegemonic pretensions, odious as they are, can the United States extricate itself somewhat honorably from Iraq."

In case we missed the point, here's how Rotberg concludes his column:

"Without talking to Iran and coming to a cynical but necessary understanding, Iraqis and US forces will only thrash their way deeper into an interminable quagmire."

Is there no appeasement that some on the American left will not embrace, no surrender to Islamism it will not rush to accept? Apparently not.

Mark was in Iraq in November. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Neville-Chamberlain-lives ping to Today show list.

[never4get]

The pathetic liberal midset never ceases to amaze me. Neville-Chamberlain reincarnated....There is peace only if we apease.

[NonValueAdded]

Ah, the Jimmy Carter solution! "Sorry, the problem is here to stay and best we learn to live with it."

[piasa]

Oh, great, another parchment moron.

[beyond the sea]

'Accept Iran's Dominant Influence In The Middle East'

Bebe/Binyamin ....... where are you?

[kjo]

The Left is morally and intellectually bankrupt.

[RichInOC]

Crack is bad, mmkay?

[piasa]

Isn't Rotberg German for "red city?"

[neodad]

Not unlike this famous quote from a great liberal military man: "We have to get back to the place we were, where terrorists are not the focus of our lives, but they're a nuisance".

[Hoosier-Daddy]

Sounds like the professor's sharpened his head to nice, shiny point. History is one of the easiest things to learn from: you either proactively stand up to bullies, dictators and totalitarian regimes, or you will have to reactively stand up to bullies, dictators and totalitarian regimes. All that education, wasted on an idiot.

[LibSnubber]

This liberal nutjob forgot to add the line "resistance is futile".

[betsyross1776]

Sorry I will not change my religion and bow to anybody but the God who I believe in. That is what they first want , read what they say. Second, I will not accept peace with a man who says the Holocaust did not exist. Third, he can take his oil and shove it where his mother never kissed him. I would rather be outside cutting trees for warmth and walking then make peace with a man who wants to destroy the world.

[piasa]

Apparently he's another posterboy for a "This is your brain on drugs" public service message.

I wonder if he throws like a girl?

[TruthConquers]

The left beleieves the West should fall anyway, but they do not consider to whom they want to let it fall.

The left is out there surrendering again.

[toddlintown]

Red mountain.

[Earthdweller]

Go back to your desk and hide while the adults take care of things will ya Professor?

[Obie Wan]

Hey,the Globe just had another layoff of personnel this week. I don't think these genius columnists are helping "Pravda northeast" much !!!

[gabidale89]

His last name ROTberg is very fitting.

I think his head is full of rot.

[Txsleuth]

Well...dang, he makes is so easy.

I know I would sleep better at night, knowing that Iran has our blessing for a nuke weapon.