As I read his article in the Washington Post Opinion section I found myself wishing there was a US equivalent not tainted by the knowledge of violence so much as the knowledge of the way Syria was before this horrific current history.
One of the greatest Mideast diplomats the USA ever had was William Stoltzfus, Jr.. Mr. Stoltzfus retired many years ago from the US diplomatic corp and is currently 89 years old. I wish he were 20 years younger and the peer of President Rouhani at this moment in time. But, the point is there needs to be people involved in the Syrian negotiations that remember Syria as it was before radicalism took over so much of it's politics and stability.
One of the follies of President Assad and his predecessors was to continue to claim Lebanon as if still belonging to Syria and allowing Hezbollah to act as it's agent. If there is to be a sincere peace to come out of all this President Assad has to realize he needs to live within his own borders and allow Lebanon it's peaceful place as a nation in the Middle East.
That said, I believe President Rouhani would be a great help to the peace tables and should be allowed to intercede with the process.
To begin with President Rouhani is eminently qualified. He has engaged in Iran's government in many capacities and until the invasion into Iraq by the USA has been a partner for peaceful use of nuclear capacity in Iran. He resigned positions under the previous President to work as a diplomat within his own country (my interpretation, not his). It seemed as though he became discouraged with President Ahmadinejad and faded into the background. He then served The Supreme Leader directly for a couple years. President Rouhani is an earnest broker of peace in the Middle East, his actions and responsibilities in Iran over time stands testament to that.
There is so much to write about how very qualified this man is to bring people up to speed in thinking about these circumstances as they exist today that it would beleaguer the effort. I think I can put it this way, President Rouhani knows displacement. He was among those that were a part of the Iranian Revolution when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to Iran. He knows how close the Shi'ites came to being eliminated as a peoples in the Middle East. He does not want that threat again and neither should anyone else. I believe he is uniquely President of Iran today because he does understand the deep abiding desire to be a Shi'ite and the need for recognition as a peaceful people. I don't believe he desires to 'play tricks' in any of his dealings. I also believe if the world ignores this opportunity on the timeline of Earth we will have completely missed the opportunity to end violence in the Middle East for generations to come.
These were his words during his Presidential campaign and he is living up to every one of them. We cannot dismiss that.
15 June 2013 9:34
...“Let’s end extremism,” (click here) he said during a campaign speech. “We have no other option than moderation.” He took swipes at the Basij, the Islamist morality police who go around asking women to veil up. He’s spoken about releasing political prisoners, and lifting internet censorship....
By
...We must pay attention (click here) to the complexities of the issues at hand to solve them. Enter my definition of constructive engagement. In a world where global politics is no longer a zero-sum game, it is — or should be — counterintuitive to pursue one’s interests without considering the interests of others. A constructive approach to diplomacy doesn’t mean relinquishing one’s rights. It means engaging with one’s counterparts, on the basis of equal footing and mutual respect, to address shared concerns and achieve shared objectives. In other words, win-win outcomes are not just favorable but also achievable. A zero-sum, Cold War mentality leads to everyone’s loss....
President Rouhani remembers Syria as it was and not as it is. He wants that peaceful, beautiful nation to return to it's standing when there was economic wellness and people were safe within it's borders. He knows where the heart of Syria lies and it would be complete foolishness to disregard his approach and influence.
...Syria, a jewel of civilization, has become the scene of heartbreaking violence, including chemical weapons attacks, which we strongly condemn....
...We and our international counterparts have spent a lot of time — perhaps too much time — discussing what we don’t want rather than what we do want. This is not unique to Iran’s international relations. In a climate where much of foreign policy is a direct function of domestic politics, focusing on what one doesn’t want is an easy way out of difficult conundrums for many world leaders. Expressing what one does want requires more courage....
President Rouhani wrote a book about Iran's nuclear program. It was very transparent. He states that Iran's nuclear ambitions was to define it's capacity as a nation. The Shi'ites were not to be disregarded and accomplishing nuclear capacity helped define the seriousness of the country and it's abilities within it's brain trust and leadership.
He has an approach to authority that has worked for him and for Iran. But there is some degree of faux representation still lingering, unintended as it may be.
Quote: "While we were talking with the Europeans in Tehran, we were installing equipment in parts of the nuclear conversion facility in Isfahan. By creating a calm environment, we were able to complete the work there."
I realize Iran believes they are in a place most needed by the Shi'ites as a homeland within the Shi'ite Crescent. I also realize there is great animosity leading to tensions in the region. But, Iran's actions have to speak as loudly as it's words. Iran's people have a right to be safe within their sovereign nation, but, when it comes to peace and what can be achieved, Iran has to look for reassurances other nations with greater military capacity will never breech a treaty for the sake of power gamesmanship. The USA in recent history has played games with it's power and never should have. I am quite certain in time Iran would have protected the Shi'ites of southern Iraq without the death of so many. Rouhani has to decide about that for himself.
He is a great leader of his people, both Iranian and Shi'ite. The negotiations going forward need him within the scope of all that is possible. I believe he will lead with sincere meaning and actions.
If Iran is to be considered a great nation it has to be an honest and forthright broker. I believe it can be and I believe President Rouhani can be that leader. I believe we need to trust him, but, he has to act to validate every reason for that trust. The previous President of Iran did a great deal of damage to the image of Iran, it will up to President Rouhani to bring about the peace he seeks and bring about sustainable trustworthiness so Iran is never questioned to it's intentions, willingness or integrity.
I wish him well and look forward to a far more peaceful region of the world. I believe he can accomplish it.
From The Jerusalem Post:
09/20/2013 03:13
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (click here) has offered on Thursday to help in peace talks between the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad and its opposition.
Rouhani continued what Israel calls his "charm offensive" on Thursday night in an op-ed column he wrote for the Washington Post ahead of his visit to New York to speak at the UN General Assembly next week.
"I announce my government’s readiness to help facilitate dialogue between the Syrian government and the opposition," he wrote.
In his column, the Iranian president urged the international community to put an end to the unilateral approach "which glorifies brute force and breeds violence" and instead adopt his offered approach of "prudence and hope" in which others' needs are considered "on the basis of equal footing and mutual respect."
Rouhani also stressed the importance of Iran's nuclear program , saying that generating nuclear power "is as much about diversifying our energy resources as it is about who Iranians are as a nation, our demand for dignity and respect and our consequent place in the world."
