I don't think this is gonna happen. I don't think they are going to sign anything by June 30 and I don't think the talks will be put off beyond that. That's just the feel I get from the way the wind has been blowing since the "framework" talks ended. There was elation in the air at the time and the consent manufacturers leapt into action immediately: this is a great deal, the "best possible" deal but it was clear even in the final press conferences that there was no deal, the negotiators couldn't even make it through the press conferences without disagreements. Everybody went home and it turned out "Parameters" wasn't even agreed to, each side made separate statements; the Russians went it alone and started shipping weapons to Iran; the ayatollah issued negative tweets; the Saudis strenuously opposed any deal; Israel. Even Democratic senators looked on bug-eyed with alarm. With Democrats agreement the Senate forced its way into gaining some say over any agreement. Obama seemed to me depressed. He rounded up his usual allies and in the 45 minute interview with Thomas L. Friedman of the quasi-official New York Times...he just seemed depressed to me. He was so invested in this and so involved in the details of the negotiations that my sense was he lost sight of the forest for the trees. When everybody came home from Geneva and he stepped back, it was a pretty forbidding forest.
Anyway, that's just the wind I feel. The Iranians say a deal is still possible by June 30. An Iranian media outlet said today an agreement would be in Iran's best interests and in America's best interests. I felt that as an ill wind (for agreement. I oppose agreement.) When the Iranians want a deal and think the deal they want is realistic they issue negative statements, tweets, whatever, against the Great Satan in hopes of getting more. When they want a deal and don't think they're going to get it they issue statements that a deal is in everyone's interests. It seemed to me Iran's recent statements concede that a deal was now not likely. Today, Wendy Sherman, Kerry's chief negotiator in Geneva, announced she's quitting the administration June 30 come hell or high water. That is prominently reported by the Times today, it seems an important development to them but why that is an important development is not in the story. Reading between the lines, as we must with the Quasi's, I felt the same wind, she's giving up: T'AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
Anyway, that's just the wind I feel. The Iranians say a deal is still possible by June 30. An Iranian media outlet said today an agreement would be in Iran's best interests and in America's best interests. I felt that as an ill wind (for agreement. I oppose agreement.) When the Iranians want a deal and think the deal they want is realistic they issue negative statements, tweets, whatever, against the Great Satan in hopes of getting more. When they want a deal and don't think they're going to get it they issue statements that a deal is in everyone's interests. It seemed to me Iran's recent statements concede that a deal was now not likely. Today, Wendy Sherman, Kerry's chief negotiator in Geneva, announced she's quitting the administration June 30 come hell or high water. That is prominently reported by the Times today, it seems an important development to them but why that is an important development is not in the story. Reading between the lines, as we must with the Quasi's, I felt the same wind, she's giving up: T'AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
