Many cops, attorneys and others have used the classic good cop/bad cop tactic to try to force concessions or confessions. The key of course is not to admit that you are just doing good cop/bad cop. That seems to have escaped Iranian negotiators in the ongoing nuclear program talks who have been giving interviews bragging about how they are screaming at American and other diplomats in a good cop/bad cop ploy. Hmmmm. It is nothing like a man screaming like a lunatic to convince you that he and his country should have access to weapons-grade nuclear material.
Part of the tactic does not appear to be an act. This appears to be the signature style of Iran’s foreign minister and lead negotiator Javad Zarif. His shouting and screaming is so loud that security repeatedly came bursting into the room out of concern that there was a violent breakout. Western diplomats have been sitting back to allow Zarif to blow himself out in each of the tirades. In one incident, European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton assured worried security officers that it was just Zarif again and that everyone was used to it.
What really caught my eye however was that Zarif’s unprofessional outbursts were openly discussed in the Iranian press and that the Iranian team also has been discussing how they are tricking Western diplomats with the use of the good cop/bad cop tactic. No doubt, Kerry and others never heard of this tactic even though every kid watching old cop shows is well-versed in it.
Iranian diplomat Abbas Araghchi discussed how Zarif “shouted” at Kerry in a way that was likely “unprecedented” in the history of U.S. diplomacy. That appears to be a good thing and a source of pride. He then went on to brag that he and Zarif play the roles of “good cop, bad cop” to “baffle the Western diplomats” and keep them uneasy. Clever.
As if to show the triumph of Iranian diplomacy, Araghchi said that after Zarif yells at Kerry and other diplomats there is largely silence in the room except for “one or two very respectful sentences.” They appear to mistake shocked and embarrassed silence of diplomats with people are cowed by the brilliant screaming and pounding of Zarif. They will see the same reaction to people raving on the New York subway. Few people call the guy screaming about the microchip in his brain in the Penn Station “a master negotiator.” However, they may now wonder if he is an Iranian diplomat.
Source: LA Times
We need to send some “Students” from Ferguson into the Iran Consulate in NY and occupy it.
It’s easy to see how pervasive the neoconservative philosophy is engrained in the followers of this blog. I will usually listen open minded to any argument, except for the poor rationale put forth by the neoconservative movement. We have seen the empty philosophy of those drag this country down now since 2001. Pat Buchanan has an interesting analysis today posted on his site. He even notes how Putin saved our doo-dads from a horrible mess in Syria when our all-knowing leader backed us into a diplomatic corner. If you’re interested:
http://buchanan.org/blog/hagel-didnt-start-fire-7167
I challenge all the self-proclaimed “conservatives” to give it a look. Open your mind and quit letting the short-sighted, bought and sold TV pundits do your critical thinking for you.
Doesn’t really matter. The technology is available, and sooner or later, they’ll have what they want. Then what?? Considering we seem to be creating enemies like dominoes these days, we better start looking for some friends someplace.
Karen S
Iran has openly bragged that it has every intention of getting nuclear weapons. All this shouting and “negotiating” is a delaying tactic while they work on their nuclear program.
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REALLY, WHEN AND WHERE? THE AYATOLLAH HAS SAID FOR YEARS THAT NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE ANTI-ISLAMIC. Declassified documents have revealed lately that even in the midst of the Iraq/Iran war, when Sadaam was using chemical weapons against Iran and killing them by the millions, the Ayatollah refused to approve the development and use of chemical weapons.
Iran has also reiterated countless times that ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS PEACEFUL.
Prove it!
~
kAREN s:
And there’s nothing like Kerry telling Israel to get along with Palestinians, who are hacking Israelis to death, running them over with car attacks, and blowing them up daily.
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what reality is yours, kAREN? Really? The Palestinians are the ones being controlled fully by Israel, which keeps annexing their land and killing them daily, and you manage to assign blame to the victims?
Wow!
Your islamophobia shows itself with every keystroke, or perhaps your keyboard has been hijacked by Netanyanhu!
Again, you are not entitled to your own facts, you can stand by Israel if you choose to, but have the decency to allow the Palestinians their internationally recognized status as oppressed!
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Karen S:
It’s clear we are fumbling idiots in our foreign policy that no one respects, especially Putin the Bear, Iran, and the Palestinians.
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Wished you had said that when Bush invaded Iraq under false pretenses. The ISlamist extremism you condemn so? Enabled by the implosion of Iraq. Take some credit for it.
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Karen:
Heck, we give CAIR a place of honor at the WH, even though its current and foreign officials have served time for financially supporting terrorists, and it’s clearly a terrorist PR front.
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1-Are you alright?
2-Do you actually believe these things you spout?
3-Where do you get your news from?
4-Are you really that fearful that you would distort facts and reality in order to see terrorists everywhere?
” All this shouting and “negotiating” is a delaying tactic while they work on their nuclear program.”
I think it is important to distinguish if the other party seems to be negotiating in good faith or if the other party seems to be using the negotiations as a technique to play for time or some other important resource.
I am not sure there is conclusive proof. But it seems to me a reasonable question do they have any intentions of any kind of compromise? Or are they using negotiations to avoid sanctions while they run the clock so they can work toward a goal they know could never be achieved through negotiations?
I yell at the TV or newspaper if I see John Kerry. I think its just reflexive, especially since we can’t give him a Three Stooges Moe dope-slap. It would be suicide for Iran to dare to do anything with a nuclear weapon.
Did anyone see the airstrip China is installing on an island they are building? People need to take a look at things and see where the real threat is. They are making big money investments in controlling disputed lands and waterways. They don’t seem to be put off by our fearless leader’s latest war guarantee to the Philippines, either.
Iran has openly bragged that it has every intention of getting nuclear weapons. All this shouting and “negotiating” is a delaying tactic while they work on their nuclear program.
Honestly, they either think no one in the US speaks Farsi, or they don’t care if we know.
And here we are, with Kerry at the front, thinking we’re making major strides. It’s embarrassing.
And there’s nothing like Kerry telling Israel to get along with Palestinians, who are hacking Israelis to death, running them over with car attacks, and blowing them up daily.
It’s clear we are fumbling idiots in our foreign policy that no one respects, especially Putin the Bear, Iran, and the Palestinians.
Heck, we give CAIR a place of honor at the WH, even though its current and foreign officials have served time for financially supporting terrorists, and it’s clearly a terrorist PR front.
I don’t agree Issac. We have John McCain. I know he can’t wait to get his hands on the red button. Plus, your xenophobia is showing.
The world already has nuclear weapons in the hands of madmen. However, no people are more mad than those in the Islamic world. Not all Muslims are crazy but the worst of the worst are found there. This is not my opinion but can be proved daily through just about any news source. North Korea is crazy but does not even compare to the suicide level of fanatical adherents of Islam. Pakistan is unstable but has a government anchored in hope. If Iran gets nuclear weapons, the chances that some dangerous material if not a bomb itself will end up in the hands of extremists is highly probable.
The scenario is not one of, as soon as Iran gets the bomb they use it or extremists get hold of one and blow something up. The scenario will follow the same route as it has. Inch by inch Iran will become emboldened and push this way and that. If now the West is reluctant to push back, imagine how reluctant the West will be when Iran has nuclear capability. What is to stop Iran from expanding their nuclear club from North Korea, themselves, and those no body realizes may be members to another country that deems it has the right to protect itself from this or that great satan?
The West lost perfect opportunities to bomb the early stages when Iran was first venturing. Now, there must be specific deadlines for inspections, and the installation of safeguards that if they are not met, are followed by surgical air strikes on Iran’s nuclear plants. The world has seen the lengths to which the West will go diplomatically to try and work something out. Sanctions don’t work. The harder you squeeze an extremists the closer it becomes to turning into a terrorist. The nuclear club should close its doors; it doesn’t need Russia’s vote. Let Russia, North Korea, and perhaps Pakistan complain. The US, Great Britain, France, Israel, Canada, India, Australia, Germany, etc are enough to do this very necessary police action. If there was ever a situation that warranted a preemptive strike it is this. Diplomacy should be pursued but not past the point of no return.
* meant Pakistan and India…
Zahra
This was the most unprofessional piece I have so far read on the Iran talks. It most suprises me that this tone is coming from a law professor.
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I second that. Quoting an Iranian newspaper and using it to frame negotiations that have been ongoing for years is akin to mining the NY Post for insight on foreign diplomacy!
Diplomacy is a game, and when our biggest ally, Israel is adamant on torpedoing every negotiation, and it, along with the US have been hacking Iran and sending viruses their way, when Israel has been killing prominent Iranian scientists, when our congresspeople are openly advocating attacking Iran, and our government tried to trick Iran by giving it fake nuclear plans and those ended up furthering its nuclear program, and Irael has nukes and remain unchallenged, and so does Pakistan and Iran, and North Korea too…then friend let’s no be hypocritical by making Iran the bad guy.
Kerry and Obama’s response to Iran reminds me of a parent who says, “Do that again and I’m going to give you a time out.” However, the parent never does, he/she just keep repeating the same sentence over and over again. Naturally, the child quickly realizes mom/dad’s MO and continues the poor behavior without punishment or sanctions.
Just like the deal with the Chinese on pollution. We have a bunch of buffoons running the federal government
This goes to why it continues to matter to set the record straight on the Iraq enforcement for US foreign policy moving forward. Rogue actors like Iran believe they have the upper hand in large part because the US-led enforcement of the standard of compliance mandated by the Gulf War ceasefire UNSC resolutions was stigmatized.
From President Clinton’s address to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Pentagon staff, 17FEB98:
http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/02/17/transcripts/clinton.iraq/
The Clinton and Bush administrations did not fail to respond to Saddam’s noncompliance, but then the Obama administration came into office by promoting the false narrative disclaiming the enforcement of the Gulf War ceasefire, including the strict WMD-related mandates for Iraq. As President Clinton predicted, Iran is taking advantage.
Reminds me of Obama telling everyone not to call his bluff. We all know Kerry is a light weight.
Reblogged this on Citizens, not serfs.
Reblogged this on Centinel2012 and commented:
Kerry and the Obama administration want a deal at any price and the Iranians know that so the longer they drag it on the better the deal they will get. Its negotiating 101 and since I negotiated union contracts from the management end this is something I have knowledge of.
This was the most unprofessional piece I have so far read on the Iran talks. It most suprises me that this tone is coming from a law professor.
They are simply playing games, seeing if they can get sanctions lifted without actual meaningful concessions. They’ve tried actual negotiating in the past without cowing us, so now that will try the three stooges school of negotiations or the Kruschev banging of shoes and “we will bury you”…
All in their attempts to basically get something for nothing – or in this case to wait until the Russians or Chinese are willing to violate the sanctions. For the Russians that would be a true mistake as there are long standing historic antagonisms between the two countries and Russia is also well within the ballistic misses ranges that the Iranians are developing for their non-existent nuclear program.
wrxdave,
I thought of the Kruschev reference also.
The Western team should have just walked out until Iran could provide a more diplomatic representative.
I am not convinced the Iranian government is truthful when it declares it is not pursuing weaponized uranium or plutonium.