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THE QUESTION
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?
Posted by Ben Bradlee and Steve Pearlstein on September 28, 2009 1:28 PM
FROM THE PANEL
Diplomacy's Remote Chance
Diplomacy and negotiation are appropriate as long as they promise any chance of success, but our long history with such approaches show that chance with Ahmedinejad is remote.
Posted by Slade Gorton, on October 2, 2009 4:25 PM
The Hollow Language of Sanctions
We've had sanctions against the Castro regime for 50 years, and Castro remains in power, in part because the U.S. is alone in imposing sanctions.
Posted by Yash Gupta, on September 30, 2009 9:49 AM
Uprooting Bad Leaders
The problem of Ahmadinejad will not go away on its own. Bad leaders never do. They must be forced to change.
Posted by Barbara Kellerman, on September 29, 2009 1:43 PM
Don't Play His Game
U.S. leaders need to sit down and patiently try to lay out a broad framework for trade and cooperation with Iran.
Posted by Joanne B. Ciulla, on September 29, 2009 11:26 AM
High-Stakes Chess
While he's paying attention to our rook, our knight should be maneuvering into position to help us get what WE want.
Posted by Bob Schoultz, on September 29, 2009 11:15 AM
Obama's Khruschev
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.
Posted by Michael Maccoby, on September 29, 2009 5:46 AM
Malignant Megalomaniac
As a personality, Ahmedinejad should be completely ignored.
Posted by Howard Gardner, on September 29, 2009 5:40 AM
Enough Surprises!
After half-a-century of conflict, let's do our homework this time, figuring out what we want and then going about the process of influencing the right people.
Posted by Prudence Bushnell, on September 28, 2009 5:17 PM
Undermining the Adversary
In every case of a menacing adversary, strategy matters. That means acting with others, picking the right moment to press the case, and looking for key openings to undermine the moral, financial or political authority of your opponent
Posted by Andy Stern, on September 28, 2009 1:57 PM
Stabbed in the Back
One of the great weaknesses of the West (and our allies) in dealing with Ahmedinejad is our inability to execute a mutually agreed-upon, coordinated strategy.
Posted by Marshall Goldsmith, on September 28, 2009 1:45 PM
FEATURED COMMENTS
MichaelOwen04: I wonder if the headline "menacing" is really accurate. Other than funding terrorist who are, on a strategic basis, nothing more than annoyi...
marat1: Those who believe in Obama's "engagement" rhetoric should understand that we are dealing with a fanatical pseudo-religious regime that despi...
