Lessons for our stance with Iran

Soft talk and extending a friendly hand have not worked with North Korea, and nobody should expect that the same approach can work miracles with Iran.

Speaking softly can be appropriate, but to succeed in negotiations one should never dismiss the value of carrying a big stick.

Your May 21 editorial "Obama's show of steel" warns against bringing "a gun to the bargaining table" when negotiating with Iran. But Iran itself will bring a gun in its headlong drive to produce nuclear weapons and missiles to deliver them.

Hillary Clinton's point that a nuclear Iran will only drive its Sunni rivals to develop nukes will probably not persuade Tehran to change course.

At that point, we must hope that President Obama will negotiate with Iran with "no option off the table" - as he repeatedly said he would during his election campaign.

John Fountain
Needham