Here’s an op/ed from Sen. Chuck Schumer on how Russia can play a role in working on the Iran problem. Although well-intentioned, I still think that Sen. Schumer takes many things about Russia’s views on Iran at face value. There is much more than just missile sites at stake to get Moscow to stop obstructing on Iran, and Washington’s obsession with sanctions rarely works out like they want it to, but at least we can begin talking about what the carrots and sticks are that we have to work with.

Russia Can Be Part of the Answer on Iran By Charles Schumer Last month, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that Iran was installing an additional 6,000 centrifuges at Iran’s main nuclear enrichment complex. The Bush administration in turn needs to use every diplomatic tool in its arsenal to halt Tehran’s development of nuclear weapons. While the military option can never be taken off the table, most experts admit it would be unlikely to succeed. Because Iran has dispersed its nuclear facilities and buried some deep underground, an air strike will at best slow down, without preventing, its eventual creation of nuclear weapons. A military occupation might do so, but there are less costly solutions available.