Global Voices
Jeha’s Nail makes the point of differentiating between “talks” and “dialogue” among
other things:
There has been much talk about talk in the news lately, and our
insignificant little slice of the Middle East
has been the center of much of it, even some ominous talk and “interesting”
moves…
Yet for all the useless attention we’re getting, most are missing this little
truth;
There’s talk, and then there’s dialogue
The two are not necessarily the same. Such a distinction evades otherwise smart
politician. He should take heed from those “leaders” of ours, now in Qatar
to continue talking past one another as they had been talking forever. Their
talks serve no function other than provide underpaid journalists with a much
needed excuse to window shop in Qatar.
Yes, Beirut
would be more fun, but the yellow rose of downtown has yet to unpack her UNHCR
tent.
All this talk about talk misunderstands the real dynamics of the conversation
between the United States
and the Persians. Before mouthing off about engagement, those “realists” need
to consider the persons they are engaging.