James Forsyth James Forsyth

The Obama administration must pursue a unified Iran policy 

The greatest foreign policy challenge the Obama administration faces is Iran. The problem posed by Iran is compounded by the sheer number of ways in which Iran is a problem for the US. First and foremost, there is Iran’s nuclear programme. But then there is also Iran’s support for Shiite extremists in Iraq, its role as the major backer of the rejectionists of Hamas and Hezbollah and its desire to make life even more difficult for the US in Afghanistan.

This makes policy coordination essential, it is no use the US pursuing one policy in one area only to undercut it elsewhere. But Michael Crowley’s excellent piece on Hillary Clinton’s State Department indicates that there is a real danger of a whole string of separate Iran policies emerging with Dennis Ross, who has the Iran portfolio, not being given the authority he needs:

“During the early primaries, Ross straddled the fence between Clinton and Obama.

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