re: #340 lawhawk

ST:VI is a rather appropriate analogy to the present situation, much as it was to the fall of the USSR. You have the hardliners in Iran in the form of Chang, who cannot accept a situation where Iran is not the dominant power in the region and see any deal that would mean delaying or abandoning nuclear weapons as denying them that which they view as rightfully theirs.

Then you have those like Cotton and McCain in the form of Cartwright, convinced that they finally have Iran on the ropes and they only need to keep the pressure on a bit longer. In their minds, the sanctions have proven that Iran is vulnerable, that if they just hold on a bit longer or tighten the screws a bit more, the Ayatollahs will come to them begging for mercy.

And finally you have Bibi in the form of Ambassador Nanclus, who can only view the matter in the danger (phantom or real) posed to his power if the US and Iran begin to ratchet down the mutual animosity. Making a deal like this would not only making beating the war drums harder, but it could serve as a pathway to future deals and possibly a normalization between us. And that’s something that scares the bejesus out of Cold Warriors like Bibi, the idea that Israel would no longer be the only ally in the region.