Message to Obama: Take a more diverse line on Iran

Some 50 scholars from disparate disciplines, brought together by the US Institute of Peace and the Stimson Center, have spent the past year analyzing the standoff with Iran and attempting to “shed light on the most important factors that shape or constrain US policy” towards Iran.

Their report, “Engagement, Coercion, and Iran’s Nuclear Challenge“, is a wide-ranging and thoughtful document, as you would expect after so many man-hours of consideration. As you might also expect, its conclusions are nuanced and moderate, shying away from quick fixes or nationalistic posturing. Bottom line:

 We recommend that the US renew its effort to engage Iran diplomatically, taking a bolder, more comprehensive, and more diverse approach.

I’m sure Senator Lindsey Graham didn’t spend a year formulating his Iran policy, but perhaps he might be able to spare half an hour to listen to some people who did.