| Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses
Katzman, Kenneth
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report for Congress (CRS), October 5, 2009, online edition, 62p (PDF)
"President Obama has said his Administration shares the goals of previous Administrations to contain Iran’s strategic capabilities and regional influence. The Administration has not changed the previous Administration’s characterization of Iran as a “profound threat to U.S. national security interests,” a perception generated not only by Iran’s nuclear program but also by its military assistance to armed groups in Iraq and Afghanistan, to the Palestinian group Hamas, and to Lebanese Hezbollah. The Obama Administration formulated approaches to achieve those goals that differ from those of its predecessor—in particular through expanded direct diplomatic engagement with Iran and, prior to Iran’s disputed June 12, 2009, presidential elections, put this outreach into practice with messages to the Iranian people by President Obama, and through invitations to and contact with Iranian diplomats at multilateral meetings. Attempting to convince Iran that the Administration is not hostile to Iran, the Administration also downplayed Bush Administration policies to add international sanctions on Iran, to fund civil society activists there, and to openly discuss potential U.S. military action against Iranian nuclear facilities." Kenneth Katzman is a Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs at CRS.
Go to the Report at:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL32048.pdf
A28/05-09. Posted December 4, 2009
|
