By Jeff Bartelli, Staff Editor
The IAEA is planning on releasing its latest report on nuclear development in Iran on November 9. This assessment is set to expose the work Iran has done toward developing a nuclear weapon capacity. Despite claims from Iran that their efforts are solely intended to generate energy, many analysts expect this report to detail a burgeoning weapons program.
These details will likely generate the typical global policy reactions: the E.U. and the U.S. demanding harsher sanctions while Russia and China veto such efforts. Perhaps it is time for new policy alternatives to be attempted. Why hasn't the U.S. actually reached out to Iran? Why don't we pursue a free trade agreement and strong educational and institutional ties with them? Why don't we develop diplomatic relations in Southwest Asia rather than martial relations?
Of course, each of these questions has a stock policy answer. But given the apparent failure of the status quo, it may be time to actually pursue change rather than merely use it as a campaign slogan.