As published for cbsnews.com on July 8, 2009:

Global Crises In Iran And North Korea Expose Weakness Of Obama’s Outreach

The evolving crises in Iran and North Korea have now outpaced President Obama’s diplomatic outreach. The prospect that direct dialogue with the regimes in Tehran and Pyongyang in the first instance could change their behavior has evaporated.

The Administration should now pivot to gain leverage against both regimes – whose primary interest is retaining a firm grip on power and whose own actions are leading to their further international isolation. This requires a shift in strategy and a clear-eyed view that dialogue without leverage cannot be successful.

The Obama Administration came into power with a policy to recast the international perception of American power and to offer direct dialogue with those willing to negotiate, including with rogue regimes. The problem is that events in North Korea and Iran have already outpaced this strategy, and continued devotion to the “dialogue-first” principle amidst changing circumstances has consequences. It may have slowed the Administration’s willingness to respond in each case and may be impeding our ability to take full advantage of emerging opportunities to build leverage – along with our international partners – against both Iran and North Korea.

Read the full article here