The only people who should be happy about the American presidential "phone call" to new Iranian President Hassan 
Rouhani should be AT&T and Rouhani himself. Otherwise we look like rank amateurs in this potentially dangerous encounter.

As with most international entanglements, the reasons are both simple and complex. 

The simple part is that Rouhani is simply not in charge of his country and therefore not a free agent to make complex international decisions.  The complex part--and the element that muddles any conceivable realistic movement to positive relationships-- is the Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Khomeini and his power to insist the Islamic faith and way of life over Rouhani.

We in America are often willing to forget historical perspectives as new and often horrible events take over the headlines.  Certainly what I have referred to as the "lazy media lambs" don’t keep major events in mind for the public as we move on to new events. Consider the potential missile strike of Syria is but a few weeks ago, and how it was overcome in the public mind by the horrors of Nairobi and then Nigeria and then Chicago, and don’t forget the Navy Yard "distraction."

In the aftermath of America’s backtracking on an attack on Syria for its use of chemical weapons, nearly all of our diplomatic and public focus turned making nice with Russia to fish us out of the pits. 

Then, Russia’s Putin, having paid millions to PR firm Ketchum, found himself the darling of the New York Times op-ed page with a vastly un-American language contribution and urging more peaceful approaches. 

We lost traction with that one more time.

But what does all that have to do with the latest international peace auditions from Iran? 

While all these new theatrics before the UN are taking place, the conflict-weary Americans worry more about their government shutting down, potentially robbing millions of both government and non-government of promised paychecks and any number of businesses of reliable sales.

No doubt, the Congressional mishmash that is embarrassing enough on its own is troublesome, but the reality of it all makes us look even sillier in our diplomatic poker game with Iran who has been supplying bad stuff terrorist organizations, Syria and a few other profitable markets.

It might be more profitable for our own PR stance to cool the communications with Iran’s President that only make him look tougher, and suggest he get in line for our goodwill. 

Otherwise, our threats of indefinable "consequences" will look just as impotent as our threatened "strike" on Syria that seemed more like media drama and threatening.      

It would be nice to simply say "Stay Tuned", but the final reality is that, unless we are more "unavailable" to all the alleged "goodwill" tossed our way, we may end up losing believers here AND abroad, at least those still with us.

joe honick* * *


Joseph J. Honick is president of GMA International in Bainbridge Island, Wash.