reason for (cautious) optimism?

just did some light reading on the new defense secretary nominee and his views on various middle east situations:

A political dialogue with Iran should not be deferred until such a time as the deep differences over Iranian nuclear ambitions and its invidious involvement with regional conflicts have been resolved. Rather, the process of selective political engagement itself represents a potentially effective path for addressing those differences.

i can get behind that. the current administration's arrogance and stubborness seem to play right into the attitudes towards the rest of the world that many americans apparently hold. i am of the mind that saying "we won't talk to you until you do what we say" isn't always the best approach. flies and honey, etc.

of course, having said that, there are times when that approach can work. for example, i'm hoping the baker-hamilton's report on iraq to the bush administration starts with the line, "shut up and do what we say".