Direct talks, what's the point?

Yesterday's front page story in the Washington Post reporting that U.S. officials have been rejecting Iranian overtures for direct talks with the regime has been followed by reports today that IAEA head Muhammad el-Baradei also supports direct talks.

The United States response has been that direct talks can only happen when Iran has verifiably suspended its uranium enrichment activities. As long as Iran refuses to do this, direct talks with the regime will only give it more time to develop nuclear technology.

It was Rudyard Kipling in his poem Dane-Geld who offered what I believe is the best case against concessions of the sort Iran is asking,

It is always a temptation for a rich and lazy nation,
  To puff and look important and to say: --
"Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you.
  We will therefore pay you cash to go away."

And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
  But we've  proved it again and  again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
  You never get rid of the Dane.

Comments

[Dan]

Great quote!

[edmund]

FAir point but if it could be gauranteed the clock wouldn't restart but the US would continue from statsu quo wouldn't it give a chance to persuade Iran and show the "world" the US is trying everything