First off, China isn’t playing ball with the US and the UK at the UN:

UNITED NATIONS – China expressed concern Monday that a proposed U.N. resolution to curb Iran’s nuclear program could lead to a new war and it urged Britain and France to eliminate any reference to possible future sanctions or military action against Tehran.

Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya remained adamant in his opposition to putting the resolution under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which sets out actions to respond to threats to international peace and security ranging from breaking diplomatic relations to arms embargoes, economic sanctions and the use of force.

Britain and France, who are sponsoring the resolution which is strongly backed by the United States, insist the resolution must be under Chapter VII to make legally binding its demand that Tehran suspend uranium enrichment.

But Wang disagreed, saying China takes the view that all Security Council resolutions are legally binding and there is no need for a reference to Chapter 7 “because Chapter 7 is about enforcement measures.” […]

Did Wang believe that a Chapter 7 resolution could lead the Security Council further down a path that led to the Iraq war?

“Yes, this is a concern,” the Chinese ambassador replied.

For those of you who are curious, Chapter VII of the UN Charter, to which Ambassador Wang is referring, is indeed an enforcement mechanism, which is why Ambassador John Bolton has been trying so hard to obtain a resolution condemning Iran’s nuclear activities under that chapter. It’s been a major goal of the Bush administration since Bolton assumed his role as the American ambassador to the UN pursuant to his recess appointment.

You see, the infamous Security Council Resolution 1441 regarding Iraq in 2002 was issued pursuant to Chapter VII, and it provided the fig leaf for the Bush administration to argue that the invasion of Iraq was justified under international law. Clearly, Ambassador Wang, being aware of this fact, doesn’t want to see a repeat in Iran of the same ugly process that led to the Iraq War.

In other news, gold and crude oil prices have plummeted today. Why? it seems that President Ahmadinejad of Iran has written a letter to President Bush suggesting their two countries get to know each other better:

Iran’s fiery president wrote to President Bush proposing “new solutions” to rising international tensions, a move announced Monday in an abrupt about-face apparently timed to blunt the possibility of eventual sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. […]

The Ahmadinejad letter was the first from an Iranian head of state to an American president in 27 years and may signal a demand that Tehran be treated as an equal in finding a way out of the prolonged dispute over its nuclear program. […]

The Iranian government spokesman who disclosed the communication did not mention the nuclear standoff and said the missive spoke to the larger U.S.-Iranian conflict – which dates to the 1979 hostage crisis. The linchpin to any better understanding between Washington and Tehran, however, would be movement toward a solution on the nuclear issue. […]

In Turkey, Iran’s top nuclear negotiator said the letter “could lead to a new diplomatic opening” but also warned it contained no softening in Iran’s position.

Ali Larijani refused to give details of the letter’s content, but said, “Perhaps, it could lead to a new diplomatic opening. It needs to be given some time.”

“There is a need to wait before disclosing the content of the letter, let it make its diplomatic way,” Larijani said in an interview with Turkey’s NTV television.

He said Tehran wants a peaceful solution to growing tensions with the United States, and was in neighboring Turkey, a key U.S. ally in the region, as part of efforts to rally support for Iran’s nuclear program ahead of possible Security Council action.

Larijani warned against any U.S. attack on Iran.

“If they have a little bit of a brain, they would not commit such a mistake,” he said.

I fully expect Bush to disregard the letter. However, he would be wise to agree to direct negotiations with Iran, if the letter does indeed suggest such talks occur. Otherwise, Bush will appear to be the aggressor and the party anxious for war, not Iran. Not that he isn’t already, mind you. Anxious for war, that is.

We all know how much fun Bush has had being a War President. Still, there comes a time when boys need to put away their toys and do their chores. That time has come for Mr. Bush. Rattling sabres and playing havoc with the price of oil is all well and good for a while (especially for one’s playmates back at the oil patch), but its time to stop playing around with our country’s future, and get down to the hard work of being President.

In this case, responding nicely to the first official overture from Iran’s President since the hostage crisis in 1979 ought to be job #1 for Mr. Bush, ahead of even appointing another lackey to run the CIA for him.

((ta Iran))