Mr. President: Don't Make Deals with Sociopaths

First, this report originated from a very dubious source so it is still unclear if in fact President Obama offered this olive branch, but yet, my advice remains the same. My fascination with the word sociopath originated in the sixth season of 24. (spoiler ahead) In that season, the President tries to make a deal with Jack's father after finding out that his father was involved in the terrorist plot that was the center of the season. As such, more than one advisor warned the President against making a deal with a sociopath like Phillip Bauer. That's how I treat this report.

President Obama offered to consider scrapping plans for a missile defense shield in Europe if Russia helps rein in Iran's nuclear program, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported.

The article said Obama wrote to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to tell him Russia's aid in resolving the threat from Iran would make the missile shield plans unnecessary, according to an account from Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

A senior administration official told FOX News that Obama sent a letter to Medvedev but "we won't comment on the specifics."

The idea that we can trust the Russians to help us with curbing Iran's nuclear program while at the same time cutting off plans for a missile shield that would protect many of our most vulnerable allies in Eastern Europe is ridiculous.

The Russians can't be trusted. Any capitulation would be seen as a sign of weakness and they would never honor any agreement. The biggest foreign policy mistake that President Bush was ever believing that Vladimir Putin could be his ally. Now, it appears the Obama administration is perpetuating that mistake by entertaining even the idea that we can make deals with them. Reuters reported last month that the Obama administration was considering the action alleged in this letter.

Giving up the missile shield in order to get "help" curbing Iran's nuclear program is the the geopolitical version of making a deal with the devil. We must all quickly come to the realization that the Russians are not our allies. They want do our allies harm and eventually they want to do us harm. As such, the only deals that should ever be made with the Russians should only be made from a position of strength. Unilaterally withdrawing a missile shield in exchange for help curbing Iran's nuclear program is not a position of strength but weakness. Such deals lead only to disaster.