Sometimes you just have to learn the hard way -

NINE MONTHS AGO, as a confrontation loomed between Iran and the United Nations over Iran's illicit nuclear programs, three European governments staged a preemptive operation. Flying to Tehran, the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany struck a deal with Iran's Islamic regime: The Europeans would block a referral of Iran's violations to the U.N. Security Council and provide technical cooperation, and in exchange Iran would stop its work on uranium enrichment, fully disclose its nuclear programs and accept a new U.N. protocol giving inspectors greater access. The Bush administration was upstaged; some in Paris and Berlin smugly suggested that it had been given an object lesson by the Europeans in how "soft power" could be used to manage the rogue states in President Bush's "axis of evil.

This week, with the world's attention focused on the troubled situation in Iraq, the European version of preemption is yielding its own bitter -- if less bloody -- result. Inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency have reported that Iran never honored its agreement; it has stalled and stonewalled the inspectors while continuing to work on elements of a nuclear program that could soon allow it to produce weapons. The Europeans have responded by drafting for approval by the 35-member IAEA board a stern statement demanding Iranian cooperation; Tehran has replied with threats to restart uranium enrichment and suspend negotiations with the West.

Lemme guess, what we really need to do is to be even nicer to them first and then they'll respond in kind, and then finally we'll all live harmoniously.   In fact, the real reason the Iranians were so utterly 2-faced to the goodwilled Europeans was because of the atrocities going on next door at Abu Ghraib.  (it certainly can't be that they believe acquiring nukes is the duty of an Islamic nation) Riiiight....

Since I've been press bashing of late, let's suppose for a moment that this little experiment actually succeeded in de-nuking Iran.   One of the classic press bias games is linking 2 true news events - how much do you wanna bet that de Villepin would've made a speech about how Iran disarmed by NOT following the "US model."   And how much do you wanna bet that our press drones would've carried Villepin's linkage as front page news analysis?   By contrast, this piece draws linkage between "soft power" treatment & Iran giving us the finger instead receives backpage editorial treatment from WaPo.

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UPDATE - in case you're wondering how the press is playing it -

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran will resume some nuclear activities it suspended under world pressure and is considering restarting the uranium enrichment, its top nuclear official said Saturday, defying a resolution from the U.N. nuclear watchdog that rebuked Iran for past cover-ups in its nuclear program.

...“Iran will reconsider its decision about suspension and will do some uranium activity in the coming days,” Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Hasan Rowhani said.

How lame - AP / MSNBC is basically relaying at face value Iran's account that it had suspended it's nukes and that it in response to UN / US provocation it's no restarting.   

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