It may well be, that the consensus is that most Westerners are not that well versed in the history of relations with the Levant, and that the latest moves by the US towards alligning with Europe in the Iran Nuclear Issue might be seen by most to be a step forward.
That, would be a misunderstanding.
What we have had here is first, an offer from Europe to aid the Iranian nuclear power effort, with the US standing like John Wayne, saying 'not a chance'. That, of course, was turned down outright by Tehran, with a retort to the effect of 'screw you, we're doing it our way'.
Meanwhile, the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadenejad along with the Ayatollah Khameni continue insisting that the US is the Great Satan, and must, along with it's insideous ally Israel, be removed from the map. Standard rhetoric.
Now we hit the second stage, wherein representatives the likes of Condaleesa Rice sends a message to a mid-level Iranian politician, in this case their Chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, that the US would be willing to abandon their plans of economic sanctions, and allow the Iranian power deveopment continue, under supervision. Other incentives are said to include the lifting of restrictions on the use of US technology in agriculture and support for Iranian membership of the World Trade Organisation.
The package was delivered to Tehran by the EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
To this, the Iranians have not said no, for it was an agreement that is approved by those who have traditionally backed the Iranian side of this issue, the likes of France, Germany, and China.
It's 'soft force', according to Condaleesa, and speaking after a meeting with Mr Solana, Mr Larijani said that they had held "constructive" talks, adding that Europe was right to try to use diplomatic negotiations to solve the problem and Iran was open to resuming talks to try to find a logical and well-balanced solution.
This is yet another effort on the part of the Iranians to gain time, to see what they can possibly get for outright cooperation. That, by the way, will never be achieved.
It never has.
But now Europe, the 'E3', as Britain, France, and Germany, are to come to the fore in these talks, and these powers, from personal history in that area, might gain some time for the West, to decide whether it's worth throwing the entire area into armed conflict to prevent Iran from developing the Bomb.
It will be interesting to see this unfold. There have already been warnings from Tehran that oil could become scarce should nothing go their way.
Again, this should be enough to prompt those who lead us to work ever harder in reducing our need for that which they produce. Were it not for oil, those countries in the Levant would reduce themselves in quite a short time, to mere Third World powers.
It is time.