Stalin and Mao were two tyrants of the first degree. Both had body counts to their dishonor that rivaled Hitler's. Both proudly proclaimed their enmity toward the US. Roosevelt met with Stalin several times and even allied the US to Stalin's bloody, repressive regime. Roosevelt correctly judged this distasteful alliance served the US interest in defeating Hitler. Nixon negotiated with Mao, despite the horrors of his reign. Doing so served the US interest to contain the USSR. Ahmedinejad, Chavez, etc. cannot compare to the likes of Stalin and Mao. Our President should meet with our enemies when it is in our interests to do so.