U.S. policy has been to try to scare the rest of the world about Iran, and what we've missed is that the rest of the world is more scared of us. We've got to get them to be less afraid of us.

The strategic challenge the Bush administration faced was to convince the rest of the world that Iran is more dangerous than the United States.

The U.S. gave everything India wanted and got little in return. They framed the deal as necessary to cement a strategic partnership with India, and then this partner turns around and sides with Iran. That's not very strategic.

It is hard to see anything meaningful emerging. The talks weren't a step forward or backwards. The administration overestimated their power and logic and underestimated the problems and they are panicking.

[The Bush administration has had difficulty mustering support for the India deal.] The U.S. gave everything India wanted and got little in return, ... They framed the deal as necessary to cement a strategic partnership with India, and then this partner turns around and sides with Iran. That's not very strategic.

I don't understand how the Europeans can guarantee fuel supply if the U.S. isn't explicitly saying it won't impose sanctions on companies that cooperate with the Iranians,