Rival interests in the Middle East have discovered fresh will and energy to talk about their problems with one another. Michael Slackman (”Talks Signal Mideast Shift,” New York Times, July 18, 2008, A1) writes that the new mood is forcing the United States, its European allies, and Israel to reassess their policies especially their reluctance to deal with their enemies face to face: “The United States, Israel, and some of their European allies have begun to realize that their policy of trying to defeat their enemies by isolating and vilifying them has failed.”
On the same day Slackman’s piece appeared, two other Times reporters - Elaine Sciolino and Sheryl Gay Stolberg - wrote that the United States is floating the idea of opening a diplomatic mission in Tehran, the first time since the 1979 hostage crisis that the U.S. may again have a diplomatic presence in Iran (go to article).
Not everyone writing in the July 18 Times was so optimistic — (see).
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