Hassan Rouhani is president of Iran. Three months ago, my platform of “prudence and hope” gained a broad, popular mandate. Iranians embraced my approach to domestic and international affairs because they saw it as long overdue. I’m committed to fulfilling my promises to my people, including my pledge to engage in constructive interaction with the world.

The world has changed. International politics is no longer a zero-sum game but a multi-dimensional arena where cooperation and competition often occur simultaneously. Gone is the age of blood feuds. World leaders are expected to lead in turning threats into opportunities.

The international community faces many challenges in this new world — terrorism, extremism, foreign military interference, drug trafficking, cybercrime and cultural encroachment — all within a framework that has emphasized hard power and the use of brute force.

We must pay attention to the complexities of the issues at hand to solve them. Enter my definition of constructive engagement. In a world where global politics is no longer a zero-sum game, it is — or should be — counterintuitive to pursue one’s interests without considering the interests of others. A constructive approach to diplomacy doesn’t mean relinquishing one’s rights. It means engaging with one’s counterparts, on the basis of equal footing and mutual respect, to address shared concerns and achieve shared objectives. In other words, win-win outcomes are not just favorable but also achievable. A zero-sum, Cold War mentality leads to everyone’s loss.(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/u-senate-republicans-start-closing-ranks-spending-bill-181022720.html

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Republicans on Tuesday appeared to fall in line with their leaders who want to pass an emergency spending bill by September 30 and avoid government shutdowns, even if it means failing in a drive to destroy "Obamacare."

Republican Senator Ted Cruz, the Tea Party-backed conservative who has been pushing for gutting President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law by linking it to government funding in the new fiscal year, sought to rally support.

But his fellow Republicans were moving in the other direction one day after the party's top two leaders, Mitch McConnell and John Cornyn, refused to lend their support.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he expects a majority of the Senate's 46 Republicans will reject Cruz's high-stakes maneuver that has been embraced by the Republican-led House of Representatives.

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