Iran, Iran so far away......

Ann Curry conducted what just might be the interview of her career.  There's a transcript on NBC's site. This is an important story on so many counts. 

• Curry is the first Western reporter to get an interview with Rouhani since his election as Iran's president. 
• The fact that she's a she and got this interview is kind of amazing. Iran's record on women's rights makes this very interesting. 
• President Rouhani has denied Iran is building any kind of nuclear weapons and declared there never will be any. He insists it's a peaceful program, for energy production. Is he to be believed? Time will tell. 

There is an op-ed in The Washington Post by Rouhani. He says, "International politics is no longer a zero-sum game but a multi-dimensional arena where cooperation and competition often occur simultaneously. Gone is the age of blood feuds." He makes the case that it's time to put aside a diplomacy of self-interest only and come to the table ready to cooperate. Acting unilaterally and aggressively isn't working anymore and is blocking security for all parties. This op-ed, even better than the Putin op-ed, makes the case for diplomacy and peace; without being insulting to the intended audience. 

Rouhani is looking at his election as a fresh start for his country, saying that it's time to engage in "constructive dialogue" and makes the case for making things better between our countries. 

What does it say about our country when leaders of countries that we have been at odds with are making more sense, being calmer and more rational? Where are our great thinkers? Why aren't we the ones brokering peace? For a nation that claims to be war weary we don't seem very anxious to sit at the table of diplomatic solution. 

Note:I haven't watched this video, but picked it because 

it was the one that looked most likely to be complete 

and not just a clip.