First off, let’s avoid euphemism, particularly when it involves the Iranian regime: Dennis Ross does not have a ‘Jewish background.’ He is Jewish. Jewish mother, observant of the Conservative sect of Judaism, co-founded a synagogue.  And bless him for all of that, although the anti-Semites currently in control for Iran certainly wouldn’t; it’s hardly surprising that they don’t want him as envoy from the USA.  I just can’t for the life of me understand why the administration would care.

But apparently they do:

Ross Ousted as Iran Envoy
Dennis Ross, “who most recently served as a special State Department envoy to Iran, will abruptly be relieved of his duties,” sources told Haaretz.

I would like to believe that the reason for the abrupt removal has nothing to do with his book Myths, Illusions, and Peace, which suggests that it is a fallacy “that Iran’s leadership is immune from diplomatic and economic pressure.”  I would like to believe this, because if the reason does have something to with it we are faced with the prospect that the White House does not intend to do anything meaningful about Iran’s recent election fraud.  I do not consider that to be an optimal response to the problem, and would like to think that we were planning something smarter.

Note the repeated use of the term ‘would like to.’

Moe Lane

Crossposted to Moe Lane.