I’m noticing a disturbing trend in foreign policy from the Bush Administration that has carried over into the Obama Administration. The American public has been continually sold this idea that certain nations are “dangerous” or “hate our freedom” when the truth is the reason we (the U.S.) doesn’t like them is far more calculating and sinister. The Bush Administration sold the Iraq War to the American people on the bogus claim that Iraq had WMDs when any person with reasonable knowledge on foreign policy could tell they didn’t. More recently, the “bad” nation has been Iran. Most Americans will tell you that the worse threat in the world right now is a “nuclear Iran”. It’s the most ridiculous statement I’ve ever heard. North Korea has not only test fired missiles in the direction of Japan, but they’ve also tested actual nuclear weapons, something Iran has never done. Pakistan has nuclear weapons and not only is Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda camped out in the mountains of Pakistan but the government is also unstable. Did I also mention that Pakistan has a rocky relationship with India (who also, has nuclear weapons). As a matter of fact, Pakistan has been accused of using some of its billions of dollars in U.S. aid to not only fuel an arms race with India but also expanding its nuclear arsenal. And then there’s Iran. Iran that just recently was outed as having built a second “secret” enrichment facility. The same Iran that came to a near screeching halt by student protesters after its recent elections. The Iran that represents the “biggest threat to our national security.” Are you kidding me?
What we have here is a case of losing perspective. Let me point out a few things:
1. The #1 reason most people say a nuclear Iran is dangerous is because they have threatened to “Wipe Israel off the Map.” Usually some statement from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is what people use to show how “aggressive” Iran is. Okay, “President” in Iran is equal to “Press Secretary” here in the United States. Ahmadinejad has ZERO control over the military in Iran. Ahmadinejad’s job is to go in front of cameras and act tough and elicit responses back from the Word’s leaders so that the Iranian people can think the rest of the world are a bunch of douches. If this was WWE, Ahmadinejad would be the Rock when he was a heel. And let’s not forget something, making outlandish statements about destroying another country aren’t just limited to Iran. Do I need to refresh everyone’s memories with the countless Youtube Videos and statements from members of the republican party pushing for military action against Iran? Or how about how our American media covered the Iraq War like it was some video game or a 4th of July fireworks show(‘Shock & Awe’). And least we forget, we had a Presidential candidate sing ‘Bomb Bomb Iran’ in front of an audience. Tough talk is nothing. Actions are a different thing…which leads to…
2. Iran testing short and long range missiles is being used to show how “aggressive” Iran is. Okay, lets put ourselves in the shoes of Iran. Every day, American media outlets bring on American politicians or leaders from foreign countries talking about the option of “air strikes” against your country. Wouldn’t you want to show off some of your military capabilities so that people pushing for war against your land think twice? Again, we’re talking about a sovereign nation here. We might not like them, but they are allowed to test weapons in their own country and as I said before, talking shit isn’t grounds for war.
3. We declared the Iranian Guard a “Terrorist Organization”. Bush Administration officials did this because of its “growing involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as its support for extremists throughout the Middle East.” If that’s the standard for designating a group a terrorist organization, what do we call the CIA or Navy Seals? The CIA has been instrumental in over throwing governments around the world. This isn’t conspiracy theory, its fact. Hell, President Obama apologized for what the CIA did in 1953 in Iran. The CIA also trained the mujahedeen in Afghanistan (which later became Al Qaeda). The U.S. also funded Nicaraguan contras. I mean the list goes on and on. The fact is, the U.S. condemns other nations for doing the exact same thing it does over and over again. We just spent the last 6 years in Iraq and overthrew a government for no apparent reason. And we want to condemn Iran for getting involved in the politics and business of other countries?
4. The top 5 countries with nuclear weapons are: Russia, United States, France, China and the United Kingdom. The 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council (the part of the UN that authorizes military action, international sanctions, peacekeeping operations, etc.) are: Russia, United States, France, China and the United Kingdom (Another interesting tidbit, 3 of the top 5 arms exporters are the United States, Russia & France ). See a pattern here? Permanent members of the Security Council are the only nations recognized as possessing nuclear weapons under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Its like High School where the “cool kids” get to sit at their own table and pass judgment on everyone else. Because of this “Nuclear Club”, the Security Council only really focuses on things that are of strategic interest to the permanent members (since they are the only ones with veto power). In case you ever wondered why no one seems to care about Darfur, this is one of your answers. What does this have to do with Iran? A couple of things. First off, an Iran with nukes means they would have to be taken seriously by the 5 permanent members and given a voice. Look at the other 4 nations with nukes: India (gets aid from US, UN and other nations), Pakistan (Congress just authorized another $7.5 billion), North Korea (we’ve been ‘negotiated’ with them forever unlike with Iran) and Israel (who hasn’t ‘admitted’ to having nukes but everyone knows they have them AND gets special treatment all the time). Basically, nukes earns you respect. Secondly, Russia & China have good relationships with Iran. The U.S., United Kingdom and France seem to have a policy of, if Russia & China like it, then it must be bad. Notice that China & Russia didn’t cosign that statement made by the 3 other leaders about Iran’s secret facility. In the last couple of days Russia (in separate statements) has been tougher on Iran, but remember, this is AFTER the President decided to end its push for a missile defense shield in places like Poland. See the politics going on here?
5. We have no real idea of what Iran is doing with their nuclear facilities. This might be the most absurd part of this whole situation. Just like with Iraq, we have no real idea of what Iran is doing. There are people who are ready to GO TO WAR with Iran and they have no conclusive evidence that Iran is building nuclear weapons. For all we know, Iran is just bluffing and is really building nuclear power facilities. The only “evidence” that we have is what Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said which was the new enrichment facility is “larger” than most non-weaponized enrichment facilities. That’s almost as bad as Colin Powell pointing to some trucks leaving Iraq factories with aluminum tubes and saying those tubes could be used for WMDs…..or, as Lewis Black put it, making ice cream.
What we have here is the 5 permanent members playing a big game of Risk using the world map as their game board. We have a country in Iran that has a mouthpiece talking tough like Saddam Hussein did, with little to really back it up. We have an American people who have been trained to believe that Iran is out to kill them and that they represent the biggest threat to America, when there are far greater, more dangerous threats out there. I firmly believe everyone needs to calm down. Iran needs to stop acting like attention starved children and the U.S. and allies need to stop meddling in the business of other countries. It would also be nice if the 5 permanent members of the Security Council would base decisions on what is best for everyone and not their own interests. For their part, the American people need to educate themselves on Iran and the rest of the Middle East. This is why peace hasn’t come to that region. We as a people are just as ignorant about that part of the world as they are about us. Its not that they hate our freedom, its that they don’t trust us and if we as a people understood WHY that distrust exists, we might get somewhere. I really hope cooler heads start to prevail.
