Actually on CNN's own fact check they pointed out that Obama did indeed say he "would talk with anyone without pre conditions"
Well I have to give the benefit of doubt that there would most likely be low level talks before that would ever happen in the real world. I mean you can say that you will meet with anyone, but the reality is you know it likely will not happen that way, so I don't see what the issue is. IMO it's more of a non issue and I didn't think McCain helped himself by making a issue of it.
To me it stressed the fact that McCain wants to continue the hard nosed diplomacy of the past, where Obama says he is open to try other options. It's very clear that the hard nose line hasn't worked well for us in the past, so what is so wrong with actually talking? One thing is very certain, no disagreement has ever been settled by not talking to the other party.
It certainly won't give them legitimacy just because we talked to them, like McCain claims. It will show that we are willing to at least listen to what they have to say, which will give us more legitimacy. It doesn't mean anything will come of it, it shows that we are willing to "try" and work out our differences.
I've never really been a fan of the closed door policy that the US has. Especially when we start with the sanctions crap, that always leads to more problems down the line. The US needs to come to the realisation that we are now in a global economy. We no longer need to try to keep peace with gun boat diplomacy. We can better keep the peace by opening up and trading with these countries and using free market diplomacy.
Think about it, look at our relationship with China, while it is the extreme case we will likely never go to war with China, both countries have far too much to lose and it would cause the failure of each of our economies. While we may not agree with some of the things China does, we now have a bit of power to push them along in the right direction because of our trade with them.
Now look at Cuba. We have pretty much zero talks with them and no power over them other than typical old school gun boat diplomacy. If we opened up talks with Cuba and started trading with them again, we would then likely cause the communist govt to fail over time. I mean think about it, Americans would flock there is droves for vacations and the Cubans would buy American products like crazy. American corporations would be free to do business there which would join our two economies at the hip. That would give us control to nudge them along in the direction we want.
In this day and age the only true diplomacy revolves around open trade between each country. Once that happens those countries will change from the inside on their own. Just look at how far China has come in the last 10 years. Granted they have a long way to go, but they are progressing and have opened up to the West unlike any other Communist regime in the world has ever done.
