WarSclerotic

Over the weekend, The New York Times dropped a bomb onto America’s boiling political arena, on the eve of the third and final debate between U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney, which will focus on foreign policy.

The report about an apparent agreement between the U.S. and Iran to hold direct talks on the nuclear issue was quickly denied by both the White House and Iran. However, one can assume, with due caution, that the contents and timing of the report are linked with the race for the White House, which is entering its final stretch.

If this was indeed the case, The Times report marked a pre-emptive strike by Obama — one day before the final debate — that was meant to shape the debate’s agenda and signal to the public that the U.S. government is working tirelessly to exhaust all diplomatic channels with Iran. This comes, of course, along with the process of stepping up sanctions against Iran.

It is expected that Romney will attack Obama over the perceived weakness and soft approach employed by the president on issues such as Iran, the ongoing violence in Syria, terrorism in Libya and belligerence and defiance displayed by China and Russia.

The leak to The New York Times was meant to portray the Obama administration as vigorous and active, sparing no efforts or means to remove, or at least minimize, the Iranian nuclear threat, with a serving of carrots as incentives (embodied by the diplomatic process) and escalating punishments as the stick.

From what was hinted in the report, it can be concluded that it was Iran who blinked first by agreeing to direct talks with the U.S. and that the policy of collective and comprehensive punishment (in which the U.S. takes part) toward Iran has begun to make its mark.

But here’s the catch: The New York Times report could easily and quickly become a double-edged sword for Obama. In the absence of any indications by Iran of fundamental (rather than procedural) flexibility on its nuclear project, the report could provide ammunition for Romney. Given the endless deception, evasion and fraud employed by the Iranian regime in recent years, the revelation of a secret channel of communications with Iran (the existence of which was not denied by the White House) may be seen as yet another chapter in a parade of illusions held by a U.S. government that is recoiling, instead of facing the moment of truth against a growing threat.

It remains to be seen if Romney will make use of The Times report in the final debate or in the remaining days of the campaign as another piece of evidence to illustrate the weakening of U.S. hegemony. During the Obama era, Iran has been able to make substantial progress toward the development of nuclear capabilities. This progress was made possible, as everyone knows, by America’s continued reliance on the diplomatic option as the main lever.