Positive things can happen when rational people sit down and talk out their differences! Who knew? From Ted Snider at libertarianinstitute.org:
After decades of stewardship of the Middle East, during which the United States pursued the absurd policy of not talking to its enemies and creating and enforcing blocs to oppose and isolate those enemies, the predictable outcome occurred. The region was left with blocs and enemies who were not talking to each other. The result was horrid wars and the threat of even worse wars.
It has long been known that a key to opening those blocs and initiating diplomacy would be a negotiated peace between the heads of the two main rivals, Saudi Arabia and Iran. It has also long been known that the United States withheld that key. Unlocking the blocs is not in American interest. Hegemony in the region requires punishing and isolating countries that won’t follow you. That requires sanctions, threats of war, and isolation. Iran is such a country. So, the establishment and maintenance of a coalition against Iran is a key feature of U.S. policy in the region. At the heart of that coalition is Saudi Arabia, firmly in the U.S.-led anti-Iran camp.
But the emergence of China as diplomatic power has “blindsided” the United States and changed the diplomatic environment in the Middle East. China chose peace instead of sides and brought Saudi Arabia and Iran together for talks. Having the blocs talk to each other instead of enforcing their isolation shook the U.S. world order. On March 10, those talks resulted in an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
STRAIGHT LINE LOGIC 