Words Not Bombs

What a novel concept:

President Barack Obama's administration will engage in "direct diplomacy" with Iran, the newly installed U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said Monday. 

Not since before the 1979 Iranian revolution are U.S. officials believed to have conducted wide-ranging direct diplomacy with Iranian officials. But U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice warned that Iran must meet U.N. Security Council demands to suspend uranium enrichment before any talks on its nuclear program. 

"The dialogue and diplomacy must go hand in hand with a very firm message from the United States and the international community that Iran needs to meet its obligations as defined by the Security Council. And its continuing refusal to do so will only cause pressure to increase,"

Obama discussed this extensively during the presidential campaign. He also made reference to talking to our enemies during his inaugural address: "..we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist." 

Of course, the Republicans will predictably say that engaging Iran is akin to "appeasing the Nazis." They conveniently forget that Ronald Regan (that ultra-liberal) engaged the Soviets during the Cold War and  Richard Nixon opened  relations with the Chinese. Obama has the right idea and I'm sure he will adopt President Regan's common refrain: "Trust, but verify."