New thinking.

Editor,

"New thinking" in the United States -- namely that its bloated military and knee-jerk violent reaction to every issue, domestic and international, are the single biggest threat to peace, security, and prosperity the world over -- is cast by President Obama and the American press as new thinking in Iran.

OK, fine. Let the emperor save face.

But nothing in the Iranian position has changed. These talks could have started 10 years ago.

What is and was the Iranian position then and now? Iran does not want nuclear weapons. Iran wants the Middle East -- including the loose canon known as Israel -- to be a nuclear-free zone. Iran, as a signatory to the nuclear arms nonproliferation treaty, asserts its right to develop nuclear power for civilian purposes, meaning electricity and medical isotopes. Iran wants a guarantee that the USA will not attack it militarily.

What changed?

Dare one hope that the USA is actually waking up to the necessity for responsible coexistence in a multipolar world?

Vladimir Putin is right.

American exceptionalism, just like the 1% takers' assumption of entitlement to hoard the wealth of nations for themselves, is dangerous, destabilizing, and the reason there is so much suffering in the world today.

Re: "Obama Speaks to President of Iran in First Talk Since 1979" (9/28/2013)