Will US Patience Bring Success in Afghanistan and Iran?

Some foreign policy knots untangle on their own over time while others require immediate tugging. Discerning which is which has been a problem for the US, suggests David Ignatius in an opinion essay for the Daily Star. “Patience plus” in the globe’s trouble spots, he explains, requires immediate, widespread, active diplomacy. Direct talks between the Israelis and Palestinians, scheduled for September, could lead to improved US relations throughout the Muslim world. US insistence on a coherent, fair process for the talks could reduce extremism, moving governments in Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan toward diplomacy. Ignatius concludes that the US lacks infinite patience for war against extremism. The globe is likewise impatient for an end to ongoing, unproductive conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis. – YaleGlobal