IRAN TALKS COLLAPSE BEFORE THE BIG DINNER CAN BE SERVED – AT 9:42 A.M. ET:  Another attempt at engagement has failed.  Are you shocked or suprised? 

ISTANBUL (AP) — Talks meant to nudge Iran toward meeting U.N. Security Council demands to stop uranium enrichment collapsed Saturday, with Tehran shrugging off calls by six world powers to cease the activity that could be harnessed to make nuclear weapons.

Announcing the failure of two days of negotiations, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said no new date for another meeting had been set. She blamed what the six consider unrealistic demands by Iran — an end to U.N. sanctions and agreement that Iran can continue to enrich — for the disappointing results.

Wait.  Blaming Iran?  Is that allowed these days?

Proposals by the six for improved U.N. monitoring of Iran's nuclear activities were rejected by Tehran, as were attempts to kickstart dialogue by reviving discussions on Iran's shipping out a limited amount of its enriched uranium in exchange for fuel for its research reactor, Ashton said.

"We had hoped to have a detailed and constructive discussion of those ideas," she said. "But it became clear that the Iranian side was not ready for this unless we agree to preconditions related to enrichment and sanctions.

"Both these preconditions are not the way to proceed," she told reporters.

While no new talks were planned, Ashton said "our proposals remain on the table. Our door remains open. Our telephone lines remain open."

COMMENT:  This, I hope, will be the end to the illusion that you can negotiate with the mullahs.  They have had years to run their nuclear program while we've had "talks."  True, the Iranian program has been set back by sabotage carried out, reportedly, by the United States and Israel.  But other reports, from scientific sources, warn us about overconfidence.  A setback is not a halt, and apparently Iran has overcome some technical difficulties, with the potential to build a crude nuclear warhead this year.

Crude nuclear warheads, when set off, do a lot of crude damage.

We may well be faced with a military decision just before our 2012 election.  Ironically, it would be popular with the American people and...do we dare say it...could be helpful to the president in power.

January 22, 2011