Iraq, Iran and Patterns in Foreign Policy

It sounds as if every subject is fair game in this year's elections, but one issue that's not being debated is America's posture toward Iran. Before leaving Washington to campaign, Republicans and Democrats passed the Iran Freedom Support Act, which the President signed with little fanfare. But critics say it's strikingly similar to the Iraq Liberation Act. Voted for by most of the Congress and every Senator, it called for "regime change," and it was later used as evidence that Congress favored war with Saddam Hussein. With both parties trying to sound tough before the mid-term elections, have they created a roadblock to possible diplomacy? Will the Iran Freedom Support Act discourage other countries from helping the US to avoid a confrontation over Iran's nuclear program?

Guests: Patrick Clawson: Deputy Director for Research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Laura Rozen: Senior Correspondent for the American Prospect, Trita Parsi: President of the National Iranian American Council, Jon Sawyer: Director of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting