OUR IRAN POLICY – AT 8:05 P.M. ET:  From Rick Richman at Contentions:

Asked today about the apparent lack of progress in convincing Brazil or China of the need for additional sanctions against Iran, Asst. Secretary P.J. Crowley said dialogue will continue and “at the end of the process we are going to present our proposals to the Security Council” for “consequences” for Iran. And what would those proposals be?

QUESTION: Speaking of the UN and a resolution, are you circulating a draft or is – are any of the P-5+1 circulating a draft at the moment?

MR. CROWLEY: There’s no draft resolution. We are working within the P-5+1 and with others on – sharing our ideas on possible steps. I think there’s a growing understanding that Iran should face consequences for its defiance of international obligations. We’ve having very serious and high-level conversations, but there is not, as of yet, a draft resolution text.

Well, is there at least a schedule for producing a draft resolution?

QUESTION: When do you think there will be [a draft text]?

MR. CROWLEY: We don’t have a timetable. We want to move as rapidly as possible, but at the end of this, we want to have action that is effective, sends the right signal, puts the right pressure on Iran, and we hope ultimately secures Iran’s compliance under the NPT and UN Security Council resolutions.

COMMENT:  So goes our Iran policy.  It's already failed, but the teacher hasn't yet sent home the failure notice.  The president seems to have no sense of urgency about Iran, even as the centrifuges keep spinning. 

The great failure here is the inability to understand that Barack Obama's coming to power had no chance of changing Iranian policy.  That policy was never based on antagonism toward George W. Bush.  It was, and is, based on an unchanging ideology that many on the political left refuse to confront, or even understand. 

March 5, 2010