Should Barack Obama engage in direct talks with Iran as president?

No...if Iran cannot follow the UN REQUIREMENTS!  Then it is very dangerous for us to be talking with the enemy.

Sanctions have been place for them "not to persue" nuclear energy regardless what it is for.  Untill they can follow the rules of the "land" diplomatically...why would one waste their time otherwise...

Certainly talking would not hurt. Our policies have not always been kind to those around the globe. Just look what the current administration has done to its own people.

Humanity is at a place where we are going to destroy ourselves. We have to stop the Fight for Peace mentality.

We must talk. Talking does not mean we are weak. It means that we might actually believe "All men are created equal". All means all, even if you live in Iran.

Peace

To the writers of no. 8 and 9  why don't you study History more carefully. Mr Chamberlain touted the benefit of talks with Hitler and became a laughingstock of history. No doubt you like the thought of a one-world gov't and believe that talking about peace wil actually achieve it. The last Dictator of Iraq ignored the peaceful talks of the entire UN , along with several resolutions which finally resulted in the US having to (once again) save the backsides of the windy diplomats. Now Iran and its leaders are doing the same thing except the leader of the religious sects in Iran is dedicated to the total destruction of all democracies. Check out his speeches from the last four years.(and tremble!) The 'jerk' and 'cowboy' you so clearly refer to just happened to save your free speech backside by not wilting into a tossed salad as your 'peanut' man did when the 'jerk' was tested on 9-11. But whatever you do just don't give him any credit for being there, and keep your innerhate fresh and alive so you can dissolve from the inside out.

This is really a stupid question. Of course our new President Elect should have talks with other countries.  Thats why we have elections to have a new voice and new ideas.

I guess they could discuss their plans to be buddies.  YOU DON'T TALK TO THESE KIND OF BULLIES!  GET REAL BO.

I personally think "I'm a Dinner Jacket", as David Letterman so fondly refers to him (sorry, I couldn't help myself) is a perfect politician/puppet/idiot...we've rid ourselves of our VP mouthpiece (Cheney was the Prez...go on, just admit it), and I'd call upon the Iran people, who are apparently not overly fond of him, to do the same.

Having said that, I believe that yes, we need to stop being the "Bull in the China Shop", on foreign policy.  Just because we talk, and listen, to other cultures doesn't mean we do what they want, or bow to their agenda.  "We're not TALKING to you, cuz you're not NICE to us!" Sniff....what, are we all 6 year olds, now?

Rock on, Barack, we're with ya, and good job.

The USA is facing so much,  foreign and domestic, I strongly feel a lot of issues were not really address to no what our president is going to do, for the first time I had to take notes, the country not only foreign and domestic will need a  governing body to truly come together, forgeting Democrat or Republican,  there has been to much talk under mining the people whom elected Senatos and Presidents to be in the state we are today, a two term President who done so much good before this last term has been destoryed,  the people who elected, really want and need a change now, there are those in high positions that can truly help, the question is, will this president reach out for that help, this with in itself would be a change, ambitions can only take you so far, 4 year's right now is to long, a day is even longer.

These are not just a few concerns, but one of many, I ask Mr President, are we going to be one governing body of the people, for the people, or is this anther term divieded where it only gets worst? I hope this reaches you and not only for myself, also for the people of this greate Nation, need our President and Government to act now as one governing body.

Sir

Thank You

The countries social and political structure is based on strength and power historically.  You would have to change that cultural aspect.   Diplomatic means have already repeatedly failed.  It will be necessary for military intervention to change the direction of their nuclear ambitions.  Anymore diplomatic approaches will be met with deceit leaving nothing more but a sense of false security.

The US has messed with Iran's politics over the years to get it to this point. The US (CIA) helped remove the Shah, because he had to much power over the Arabs and the region. He controlled the price of oil in OPEC; he wanted more than a couple of dollars per barrel. The US put the revolution in motions and fueled it, until it back-fired on them, and the the US washed their hands and paid Saddam to clean up the mess, until that backfired.

The US owes it to Iranians to try to fix that country. Iran is the only stabilizing factor in the region.

Oh, Iran did try to reach out after 9-11 and help, and Bush told them to F-off, and that's the reason we are dealing with Ahmadenijad; they figured one right-wing-nut-job deserves another, they could be brothers.

Obama needs to find an Iranian (a real one) and learn about the culture. Just knowing the politics won't help. He needs to know how those people tick to deal with them.

You know the old saying about catching more flys with honey, well in Iran, you might catch more with vinegar.

I say we just covertly drop one nuclear round in the center of Tehran and turn the entire area into glass.

Listen to a wise man, Colin Powell.  Even past Republican Presidents opened doors to our "enemies":  Nixon with China, Reagan with the Soviet Union/Russia.  Obama's team needs to establish communications with the "axis of evil" and any other country that could threaten peace and security, not just ours, but the world's.  At the same time, we must re-establish the respect and confidence that other countries used to have in us.  It will take a lot to correct what others have blown apart, but we have to start.  And please don't support phony and dangerous leaders just because they pretend to like us.  How many of our fighting men and women have been killed or wounded by weapons that we gave an "ally" that turned into an enemy?  Let's get smarter, please.

Obama will fit in real well with his fellow muslim buddies.

I would rather have Mr. Obama as a Muslim than to have to abide some people (hint, hint) who think they are Christian.  I am sorry, I forgot that if someone isn't a white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant, who speaks only English and lives in the "real America", he can't be a true American.  Don't recall where I saw that in the Constitution or Declaration of Independence; I must have missed it.  Seriously, the fact that Obama has family and ancestors who ARE Muslim, and that he spent some years in a predominately Muslim country, is a BIG plus at this time.  It will give him "street cred" with a lot of people and leaders in the middle east.

Oh yes, let's bomb Iran.  Such original thinking, what a great way to solve problems.  If you don't like it or understand it, destroy it.  Unfortunately, that has been tried, both by the U.S. and others in the past, and ya know what?  It doesn't work.  You must realize that although leaders and governments may be against us, the people usually aren't, even the ones filled with hate propaganda.  Unlike some here, they are smart enough to see through it.  They want what we want:  peace, prosperity, a decent life.  Bombing them will REALLY get them to like us and be our friends..right.  We need to show leaders of such countries that working with us, and not against us, is in their best interests.  It can be done.  If you can read something beyond a 4th grade level, read some history about the Cold War, Viet Nam, or the Cuban Missile Crisis, and check out what George Kennan, Colin Powell or even Robert McNamara had to say about international diplomacy.  Ya might get edjicated.

Yeah, Iran, Castro, Chavez, Kim Jung and everyone that this country has isolated, invite to a blacktie at the Whitehouse. We could call it the axis of "goodness", after dinner they, with Oberman, Maddow, and Matthews will all throw voodoo darts at GWB's portrait. Classy group, that they are, then will go outside and sing cumba ya around the campfire with Harry Bellifonte... Let's be real, if Obama does this kind of diplomacy he will surely be a one termer. He won the election not because he was soooo experienced, or ever even truely vetted to a degree of his forefathers, he won the election because he was not Clinton in the Primary, and lumped McCain in with Bush in the General. This was the case of who he was not, that made his victory. He will now not have the luxury of being "present". He will now have to act, and will be judged for his stance. For him to be reelected, he will need to actually show he understands the history of our nation, forget Bush, I mean Carter=hostages. Iran is a hostile muslim islamic dictatorship. People get their hands chopped off for stealing in this place! Russia and Iran are already plotting and Biden's warning comes from his understanding of this threat. MSNBC viewers want a bizarro Bush foriegn policy. Be careful, your blind hope can lead to our harm. This government has no goal other than destruction of Israel and USA w/ or w/o Bush. There word on a treaty is a promise of honor? There are some places that just are not good. A oh, I said it Evil. If Barak is smart he will not go there, or he and the left will pay a great political price come 2010 and 2012...

While my vote was that it would be dangerous to talk directly to Iran without preconditions. The question does not capture the intent of President Elect Obama. He has said during the debates he himself would not initially begin to converse with Iran, but as I understood it somone within his administration would be communicating on his behalf. But he himself would not be in direct communication with the Iranian president not until the stage was set.

Talking is not the problem, it's not talking,that has been our downfall.
Haven't we been tauaght that lesson from the current white house idiots!!!

Obama seams like a good guy but I am just concerned about how he will govern. If we keep bailing out companies who will bail out the government?

Within Iran the economy is failing and that is with oil revenues that were in the 10’s of billions – the countries that have imposed sanctions have seen some positive results – meaning negatives for the Iranian economy – their infrastructure is falling apart – inflation and unemployment is high – state subsidies when they were lowered caused riots - Sanction can work but sadly enough European countries are not all on board – Germany is the largest exporter to Iran – But as I mentioned earlier it is not only the Western countries that do not want Iran with a Nuclear bomb technology – the Saudis, Jordan, Egypt to name a few are nervous of the Shia nut jobs as well as others – Carrot and stick. And if talks fail then I guess the bombs will fall. For those that disagree consider an Iranian nuke threat – not pleasant when many of them think they are on a mission from God. Throw in the Hidden Imam and all that and think about a bomb going off – just a test – how would the world react. How would you want your Govt to react – 911 is still alive and thriving in peoples memories and panic would set in – Does anyone recall people in LA buying gas masks during Gulf War 1 – I do – not throw in the multiplier factor of a test explosion and the mob panic mentality will run amuck – It is still surprising how many Americans believed that Saddam was allied with Al Qaeda and 911 – and many still to this day believe it. So if the carrot and stick does not work – the @!$%# will hit the fan. This is what I posted earlier – But include that status of Israel – Iran to cease support for Hamas – Hezbollah – Syria get the Golan back – No Nukes for Iran – reprocessing of uranium outside the country – Jerusalem to be divided between Israel/ Palestine – Security guarantees for Iran and also for Israel Iran wants security guarantees as they have seen like China did from the 91 Gulf War what the US can do militarily -