How should America change its policy toward Iran and countries that sponsor terrorism?
Etzioni: Democracy and security can thrive once you provide basic security. When people don’t have basic security, they’re not interested in democracy or talking about peace. They want safety. When they have basic safety, then you can talk about the rest. Take the Muslim world. If you approach the Muslim world and say ‘Are you with us or against us?’ and your litmus test is whether they’re for or against liberal democracy, you’ll see that most of the Muslim world will not be on your side. If you ask them whether they’re for or against suicide bombers and expansionism, most Muslims everywhere, even in places like Bang Indonesia, Morocco and Turkey will be on your side. Even the Palestinians. Of course they all have different motives. But if your litmus test is security rather than democracy, most of them will support you. You’re saying that in a country like Iran, political security is not their first priority, so it shouldn’t be ours? Exactly. It’s not that they’re not interested, but
