Rudy -- I'll talk with Iran

This comes from CNN:

Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani Wednesday said he would be open to diplomatic talks with Iran, but only if certain pre conditions were established.

"I would want to make sure there was a chance it would work,” Giuliani said while speaking to CNN's Wolf Blitzer in Columbia, Missouri. “I would want to make sure there would be an opportunity to verify whatever it is we were going to do.”

"I worked for Ronald Reagan. I believe in 'trust but verify,'” he said.

The former New York City mayor said he would meet Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad — but only if pre-conditions where established. He noted that President Reagan had met with America's adversaries.

"He spoke to the Russians, Soviets, the Chinese.” Giuliani said. “Even at the highest level of the Cold War, there were discussions — but not without preconditions.”

Giuliani said that even if he did enter into talks with Iran, the option of an American invasion to topple the current Islamic government would not necessarily be off the table.

"Some have said they would take regime change off the table, or they seem to be less firm about the military option. You start taking these things off the table, there's no negotiation, there's no pressure, no leverage. You have to have leverage,” Giuliani said.

Why post this? To get it out there before the pundits start ripping it to shreds. He didn't pull an Obama. He's right. Reagan did the exact same thing, but the difference was that the Soviets and Chinese were open to negotiation. But given this statement from Rudy, I'd say that he will only be so patient with direct negotiations with Iran. Additionally, I'm sure that one of those pre-conditions would be an end to their enrichment program. That is the largest point of contention right now because a good majority of people still don't buy the NIE and it's assessment that their program has been ended.

Publius II