Dr. Maccoby participates in a Weekly Forum on Washington Post.com called "On Leadership". I am compiling all of his responses to the weekly questions here.
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DATE: October 29, 2009 Facing Off with Bad Leaders? Most Americans would probably agree that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is effectively leading Iran in all the wrong directions. How should other leaders deal with such a clever but menacing adversary? What's the right balance of toughness/boldness vs. patience/accommodation? |
Obama's Khruschev
In his new book, Kennedy and the Berlin Wall, W.R. Smyser describes how Nikita Khruschev tried to bully John F. Kennedy at their first meeting in Vienna. After the Bay of Pigs disaster, Khruschev saw Kennedy as a weak leader who would cave into his threats of war. Kennedy had come to the meeting advised by White House staff and Soviet experts at the State Department to expect a smooth, cordial meeting. His lack of firmness in response to threats led Khruschev to believe he could get away with placing missiles in Cuba. With bullies like Khruschev or Ahmedinejad, it is essential to take unambiguous, unyielding positions or they will think we won't stand up to them.
President Obama's position will be greatly strengthened if he meets Ahmedinejad with the full support of the other members of the UN Security Council. He should assume that Ahmedinejad's ambition is to use nuclear weapons to gain power and status in the Middle East, and he should take seriously the threats against Israel. The position of the Security Council should be that if Iran continues to develop nuclear weapons, the consequences will first be economic. If they are a poor country, they will not be respected by anyone.
However, if Iran stops making nuclear weapons and allows full inspection, the United States and its allies could help Iran to gain power and status in a positive way, by developing their economy. Nuclear power could be used for peaceful purposes and to prepare for a time when oil runs out. If economic sanctions do not convince Iran to take a positive path, it should be made clear that there will be even harsher consequences.
Ahmedinejad will probable make accusations and threats. He will either deny that Iran is building nuclear weapons or claim that Iran has just as much right to have them as Israel, Pakistan and India. But Obama should keep in mind that his strong words will also be heard by the ayatollas who are the ultimate authority in Iran. The generals and industrialists in Nazi Germany were ready to oust Hitler when he trashed the Versailles treaty, but when the British and French gave into his early aggression, they decided to go along with him. Let's not repeat the mistake of letting a dangerous bully believe he can get away with murder.
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