I like what the administration has been doing with Iran, but isn't the biggest reason for the unified international front the fact that it was just divulged that Iran has been running a massive reprocessing facility near Qom? That's what brought Russia and China on board, not US diplomatic efforts.

Also, Iran's domestic legitimacy crisis was completely fortuitous. I don't think anyone outside the administration would suggest that Obama had anything to do with that.

In my mind, those are the two biggest factors that have impacted Iranian relations and neither of them had anything to do with the U.S. or the rest of the world.

Of course, the U.S. is in a position to take advantage of those developments, but I'm pessimistic, even though I think the administration has been doing a good job on Iran.

One would say, President Obama is entitled to pat himslef on the back for the good job done and is being done with Iran.

When it comes to the US and Israel, I don't think that the we can talk in terms of trust, rather in terms of understanding perhaps. I say that because I am yet to see, a politician trusting another further than he/she can throw him/her. Just as Israel accepted conveniently to be the wielded club over the head of President AhmadiNejad, to strenghten the Washington administration's position vis a vis Tehran, as well as to serve its own purposes, Israel can be the wielded club over the head of Mr. AhmadiNejad also, to undermine the US position vis a vis the creation of a Palestinian state, and serving its own purposes.

In the absence of any other candidates; usually Gaza and Lebanon, to embarass the US and drag it into a war on its own side, Israel can actually still hit Iran, draw the USA into the conflict; assuming that Iran will actually retaliate against US bases and strategic interests in the region, and re-shuffle the peace agenda in the Middle East, if, President Obama presents Israel with Hobson's Choice regarding the creation of a Palestinian state that is contrary to the vision of the current Israeli government.

Of course, one doesn't know how the Israeli public percieves this possibility. I mean at times of national emergencies people tend to gather around their leaderships in a nationalistic fervour, but alternatively, the Israeli public may well be sensitive also, about valueing US-Israel good relations, above whether Mr. Netanyahu remains a prime minister or not.

khairi janbek.paris/france

My response is the same as swanic's. It seems far too early to give credit or blame; in this case the credit is being given a bit over-eagerly. The Obama Administration was clearly caught flat-footed by Iran's election fiasco and its response was, at best, awkward. But it's also true that the diplomatic fall-out from that may be positive. The Qom facility also alters the diplomatic deck of cards, at least in the short-term, in a positive way. But the long-term fall-out from both issues is unclear, as the post notes. It's certainly too early for any bouquets to be awarded, but I agree that at a minimum Obama hasn't overplayed his hand toward Iran (one could imagine the Bush Administration's reacting in a counter-productive manner to the Iran election). Beyond that, we shall see....

When you talk to people instead of having them look down the barrel of a gun!!!

To be honest, the whole thing "are they or aren't they going to strike" discussion strikes me as ridiculous, since the Israelis just don't have the capability to do such a strike without

A. Sending out a huge chunk of their air force on an uncertain bombing run to hit a wide target list using bunker-busters that may not be strong enough to destroy all the targets, all while trying to dodge Iranian anti-air systems (particularly those nasty SAMs the Russians have sold to them) and doing multiple in-air re-fuelings over Iraqi airspace without US permission,

AND/OR

B. Using nuclear weaponry.

I think the Israelis know this (they asked for permission to re-fuel over Iraqi airspace during Bush's Presidency, and were refused), and they're using the perception of the threat as a bargaining chip, even if they don't really have it.

I don't see any cancers growing in the Viking locker room, but being 4-0 sure helps. Let's see where they are after November 1st. I can't wait.