Monday February 16, 2009

I've Been Thinking:

Diplomacy has often been compared to game playing.
Usually, it is outsiders making the comparison, rarely is it the players themselves.

On Sunday Ali Larijani, speaker of the Iranian Parliament, was quoted by INRA, an official Iranian news agency, saying that the United States should stop boxing with Iran and learn a new game ... chess.

This is a powerful statement.
First, Iranians believe that chess was invented in Persia.
Second, Larijani claims that through chess, not through boxing, a solution might be reached between the United States and Iran.

I agree - with one caveat.
To play chess competitively, the opponents need to understand each other.
To box competitively, brute force, speed, agility, strength and intimidation are what is needed.
In order to play chess with Iran, the United States must first learn much more about Iran.

I suggest that the United States learns how to play against Iran before changing the game.

\Read my new book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah