It was always going to be a challenge for the Obama administration to maintain a policy of engagement with regimes and actors who so obviously have no interest in being engaged. While many may look at engagement as a tactical maneuver for delaying adverse consequences (North Korea) or extracting unilateral concessions (the Palestinians) there has been precious little evidence that these players are interested in adopting fundamental changes (e.g. giving up nuclear capability, recognizing a Jewish state, etc.) — which is the desired end result of engagement. But in the last few weeks the veneer of plausibility has been chipped away, country by country.

North Korea was the first to go. Obama entered office bent on carrying out his predecessors’ ill-conceived Six Party talks. He gave a lofty speech on non-proliferation — which was greeted by a missile launch. And then a nuclear test. And then missile launches. And then the snatching and conviction of two Americans. And then lots of talk about nuclear war. What’s left of engagement? Nothing.

Then we had Israel and the Palestinians. Happy talk toward the “Muslim World” and harsh words for Israel. The Palestinians balk when the Israeli Prime Minister reminds them this is all about recognizing a Jewish state. What’s changed? Who is to be engaged? Well there’s a head-scratcher. In the meantime, Obama can pester Israel about settlements.

Then comes Iran. It always had the aura of a Road Runner cartoon. The Obama team running off the cliff of reality, running as fast as they can without looking down to see it is only their imaginations keeping them aloft. It is all patently ridiculous, especially since we have seen the blood, violence, and death. As Mona Charen writes:

The Obama approach looks much less appealing following the sham election of June 12. The bromides and promises of respect look increasingly tawdry as the regime’s goons speed through Iran’s streets on motorcycles beating demonstrators with batons, as Internet sites are closed, as opposition leaders declare the election stolen, as dissidents including political leaders, students, and journalists are jailed, and as violence spills into the streets.

Just as the Soviets let the mask of “peaceful coexistence” slip when they invaded Afghanistan, the mullahs have revealed themselves for what they are. It has suddenly become much more difficult to pretend that by engaging with this junta you are not betraying the Iranian people. The Obama foreign policy — hope leavened with helium — must now come down to Earth.

One senses the Obama team is longing to hold on to the shreds of their tattered engagement vision. Yes, it’s more important than ever to engage the regime, they assure themselves. Actually it’s more important than ever to get real and get a Plan B. The world is proving to be very unreceptive to group therapy. It is time for a new approach that does not entail self-delusion and doesn’t require historical distortion.

Moreover, the pipe dream that engagement could keep the world at bay and conflicts quiet, allowing the president to concentrate on what he loves best — expanding government and nationalizing healthcare — is proving unrealistic, as it usually does for American presidents. The world has a way of disturbing the calm, of upsetting the best-laid plans to focus on “the problems here at home.” The world lives up to its reputation as a dangerous place — and the president will have to deal with it as it is, not as he wished it would be.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 16th, 2009 at 10:06 AM and is filed under Contentions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.