President Bush should meet with Iran’s Ahmadinejad

Must be a joke, right? Well, kind of. But Stanley Fish doesn’t think it should be. In a post on the New York Times‘s blog today, the famed professor argues that Bush should steal a page out of Nixon’s China playbook and pay a visit to Tehran, much as Nixon did to Beijing in 1972. In all seriousness, he suggests that it would be an unexpected diplomatic move that could throw Iran off balance. Looking at the turnout for Ahmadinejad’s U.N. speech the other week (read: not much of a showing from the West), it’s highly unlikely. But it is an intriguing thought. As Ray Takeyh argues in his new book, Hidden Iran, the U.S. has historically made the mistake of isolating Iran too much, which has only resulted in a more extremist leadership in Tehran. Iran’s pariah status then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. (Takeyh falls short of recommending that Bush and Ahmadinejad should sit down and break bread, instead recommending that the U.S. engage other elements of leadership in Iran, such as the Supreme National Security Council or the Foreign Ministry.) 

Still, one wonders: What would Mahmoud do if George showed up on his front step? Bush wouldn’t have to commit to anything or concede anything. He certainly has enough political strength to do it — after all, he runs the most powerful nation on earth. Ahmadinejad would be left without the rhetorical ammunition he uses in all of his speeches, that the U.S. won’t engage with him or show Iran respect. Maybe Bush should try a dry run with Hugo Chavez first. He can bring an autographed set of Chomsky books as a present.