Open dialogue with Iran has become a strategically imperative course of action that must be seriously considered if we wish to achieve any semblance of stability the Middle East. The unilateral foreign policy of the United States, (we don't deal with terrorists) is far too simplistic for the complex realities of the situation we currently find ourselves in. Iraqi Shiites and Sunnis are killing one another at record pace and the Taliban is making a strong resurgence in Afghanistan.

The only plausible solution to these problems is to engage our enemy with an open minded dialogue; historically speaking, Iran has been a mortal enemy of the United States. From the overthrowing of the Shah to the hostage crisis, our relationship has not been on the best of terms. Now, with the nuclear threat looming and a civil war raging, we must acknowledge our mutual goals in order to move foreword. Scholars and journalists have noted that we shared many common enemies with the Iranians, from dismantling the Taliban to taking out Saddam'we have been doing Tehran favors by taking out some of their worst enemies. Case in point'when Saddam was hung he cursed the traitors, the Americans, the spies and the Persians.

Open dialogue with Iran would also naturally force the nuclear issue; however, this threat is less serious to Israel than that of the Kaytusha rockets that rained on the northern cities in this summer's conflict with Hezbollah. If we were to open a peace dialogue with Iran, we would also be opening conversation that would address Hezbollah and Israel. If we are not able to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons, we should not promote isolation or economic sanctions. We should recognize that our own nuclear arsenal is sufficient to deter any type of attack on us or our allies.

I don't want to sugarcoat the harsh differences that separate our two countries, but if we do not start to make a serious effort towards peace than all of our work in Iraq will be wasted. If we could entice Iran into giving up support for its Shiite militias and Hezbollah, it would surely change the entire dynamic of the region. President Bush's foreign policy hammer has been trying to punch a square peg through a round hole for far too long; there are alternatives to the Bush doctrine that need to be seriously considered. It has been said that we should not allow the perfect to get in the way of good, and we can no longer dupe ourselves into thinking that Iraq will one day be filled with country clubs and ice cream shops.

It's time for us to cash out our chips and realize that the only graceful exit strategy must include Iraq's neighbors. If we continue to view the world in such indistinct terms, then the chances of marginalizing any legitimate peace process mechanism are dangerously real.

Daniel Sanchez
Anthropology and Sociology
Senior