WAKE UP L'IL BARACK, WAKE UP - AT 8:04 A.M. ET:  Amir Taheri, speaking to a group of us last night for Hudson New York, made the point that no negotiation with the mullah regime has ever succeeded.  Apparently, this little bit is well known in the Mideast, but not known at all in Washington:

CAIRO (AP) -- Washington's efforts to start a dialogue with Iran have sent ripples of alarm through the capitals of America's closest Arab allies, who accuse Tehran of playing a destabilizing role in the Middle East.

The concerns being raised by Arab leaders sound strikingly like those coming from the mouths of Israeli officials.

''We hope that any dialogue between countries will not come at our expense,'' said a statement Tuesday by the six oil-rich nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council, who have long relied on U.S. protection in the region.

The Obama administration has been reaching out to Iran in a marked shift after the U.S. shunned contacts for decades. But U.S. allies such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as well as Israel, say Tehran is not a positive force in the region with its support for Islamic militant groups such as Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

COMMENT:  As we've reported here, Secretary of Defense Gates is in the region to reassure our allies that we're not handing over the keys to Iran.  This is one of those remarkable situations where the Israelis and many Arab governments are on the same page. 

There is a religious belief in negotiations among the Obamans.  That belief must be tempered by maturity and realism.  Haven't seen it yet.

May 6, 2009