David Ignatius writes:
[Iranian National Security advisor] Larijani isn't proposing a grand bargain but a ruthlessly pragmatic one shaped by Tehran's view of current realities: Iran is up, America is down, and any post-Iraq settlement should reflect those facts. That's the steep price of Tehran's help.
That isn't just Tehran's view of currently realities, it's the current reality. America is weak, and proven more so every day. Iran has enormous pull within Iraq and knows, no matter how long we occupy the country, that they'll be their after we leave. Indeed, it's a disheartening truth that there are only two outcomes for Iraq: One that vastly strengthens Iran, or one that throws the whole region into chaos. Frankly, I'd opt for the former.
Meanwhile, folks should remember that Iran approached the Bush administration a few months after we invaded Iraq asking for a Grand Bargain and new alliance. The Bush administration rebuffed their entreaties, believing there no reason to negotiate when American held all the cards. Now we get to do it from a position of weakness.
