Bush and Iran War

Source: www.nation.com.pk

Anti-war Sensibility and Iran	20th November 2007
by Dr S.M. Rahman

Tens and thousands of US citizens staged rallies debunking war that Bush under the evil influence of the Zionist-Israeli-neocon-lobby has unleashed on Iraq and Afghanistan, besides itching for aerial massive atrocity on Iran. Immediate end to the war in Iraq and cut off of congressional funding, was the main thrust of the slogans, in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle. United for 'Peace and Justice' is the global ethos. War is the poorest and most primitive mode of influencing the behaviour of any nation, no matter, how much the word jugglery is used to create 'unjustifiable' justifications. Manufacturing 'false perceptions', first to call state a rogue, and then to unleash 'barbarism', through weapons, which are progressively becoming more and more lethal, is what the so called 'War on Terror' is all about. Physical gifts of nature are being destroyed, causing ecological disaster besides killing of innocent women, children, ailing and elderly people and what is ironical is that colossal human carnage is termed 'collateral damage'. What a sensibility of a so-called civilised nation!

The third world dwellers are condemned, being backward impoverished and not liberal enough to be called 'modern' as part of semantic game to characterise themselves in virtue-loaded terms and those who defy the imperial designs and manipulations are termed vicious, creating negative stereotypes. North Korea was one such state, but as it did not stoop under pressure and demonstrated its nuclear capability in unequivocal terms, the 'tone and temper of USA - changed dramatically to engage it into dialogue and amicably settle terms of agreement, the typical modality of a bully. In other words, if you are 'weak', lacking nuclear capability, you invite imperial arrogance, ranging from 'sanctions', even more severe sanctions and if these are endured with determination, the war lobby, pushes 'Bush' to go ahead and attack Iran to demonstrate the fate the recalcitrant nations must meet. This is what 'unilateralism' of USA boils down to.

The American public is keeping its fingers crossed that Bush relinquishes White House without undertaking another mad venture to multiply USA's heavy strategic liability due to the fatal mistakes of invading Iraq and Afghanistan. The war on Iran may only go to facilitate Iran's will to acquire atomic weapons. The war may only provide temporary relief but in the long run, the nation will rise in unison to back out of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty and those very leaders, whom the Bush clan portrayed with 'disdain' and disrespect like Mahmud Ahmadinejad and the fanatic clerics, will become great national heroes.

In the first place, Ahmadinejad may have reacted in strong language due to the unending atrocities and miseries caused to the Palestinians, but he is a leader who has set example of great austerity and spotless character, who lives in a very dilapidated house, owned by his parents, drives an old car and takes no pay, perks or privileges from the government and maintains himself on a very meagre salary of $250 that he gets from his teaching assignment. No leader in the world can perhaps, match his scruples, sense of propriety and justice. He believes in saying things plain and even bluntly but without any hypocrisy. It was very rude on the part of the President of Colombia University Lee Ballinger to welcome him in a manner, which no civilised nation can do to an invited guest. In fact, in humiliating the guest and calling him a Hitler, he has lowered his own image, as well as of the institution he is heading. The Iranian president's so-called fault was that he did not approve of Israel's barbarous assault on the Palestinians and blatant defiance of UN resolutions. If Bush could label 'Sharon' as a 'man of peace', one can hardly expect sanity or objectivity, when prejudice masquerades as a national policy.

So obsessed is Bush on war with Iran that he made a grotesque and paranoid like statement, that World War III would erupt, if Iran succeeded in making nuclear weapons. Why did North Korea's nuclear weapons not trigger a global war Israel possesses huge quantity of nuclear bombs, so does India, notwithstanding Pakistan's minimal nuclear deterrence, but the world is not threatened. Heavens will not fall, if Iran acquired few bombs for its security, which Bush himself would be responsible by accentuating threats of attack through his belligerent rhetoric. The saner elements have cautioned against the bombardment of the underground site - Natanz - where Iran is reportedly hiding few thousand centrifuges would be of no avail, as Iran could be hiding more sophisticated centrifuges somewhere else. They have also pointed out that the wishful assumptions that Bush under neocons and pro-Israel lobby had maintained in the case of Iraq, that the disgusted citizens, tired of Saddam's tyranny would welcome US soldiers with rose petals, did not prove more than a phantasy. Similar would be the case with Iran. But will rationality take hold of Bush. It is a question of great concern to the new administration, more likely the democrats. Fifteen more months, between now and the new team entering the White are indeed very critical. Neocons like Dick Cheney are least pushed for consequences and are coaxing Bush to 'act' and let the mess be cleared by others.

The sovereignty of nations has become sterile and a meaningless concept when a Super power' in the spell of arrogance starts meddling into other nations' internal affairs, Pakistan being an example. Robert Fantina mentions Condoleezza Rice's concern that Iran was blocking the US vision of the Middle East "In her fairy tale world." This vision is of a region, where the countries trade more, invest more, talk more, and work more constructively to solve problems. It is very ridiculous on the part of any country to construct visions for other countries or regions. Where shall the world end into? Fantina very candidly explained Rice spoke of increased trade and investment, the reverently worshipped gods of US Capitalism. One cannot help but think of 'trade more' as meaning send oil to the US and invest more meaning grater riches for Halliburton and other oil companies with long ties to members of the Bush administration.

Iran will never let Middle East be restructured to suit Israel and for the materialistic lust of Bush administration, which has earned nothing but a bad name for the US. Just as the nefarious design to divide Iraq shall fail, as Turkey has already reacted against creating a Kurdish country, Shia-Sunni differences notwithstanding Iraq would not reconcile to weakening of the country through balkanisation. This hopefully is the last war, Bush is waging in Iraq and Afghanistan, causing colossal public resentment all over the world and great humiliation for USA. Attack on Iran will be a blunder of unfathomable proportion not only for USA but the world at large. 9/11 was a major catalyst to global change but the war on Iran may trigger calamity of much graver proportion, which US military may under-estimates due to over reliance on its weapons. But human 'Will' is a great force multiplier and Iran's predisposition to absorb shocks is its greatest asset.

Iraq and Afghanistan have demonstrated the enormous power of their people to resist. Iran would prove it even more credibly and convincingly. Uni-polarity is under-going the 'law of diminishing returns'. Iran may prove its last nail in the coffin. The state of preparedness of Iran to face any attack either by USA or Israel is beyond doubt a very formidable one, based on the strategy that Israel would have to face incessant attack of missiles, whose number runs into thousands. Besides Iran, Syria, Hammas and Hizbollah also possess sizeable number of missiles. Israel would be overwhelmed with missiles, which would leave no option except seek ceasefire and compromise.

The imperial propensity to subjugate a nation like Iran would prove perilous and even suicidal just. Iran is not a lame duck. It has not invaded any country during the past century nor would it initiate any aggression. Iran has Jews in its parliament and several Jewish centres are existing in Tehran, and it is a fairly tolerant of diversified society. But pushed to the wall, Iran will react to redeem its honour, no matter how great the price.

" USA's best option is to negotiate, negotiate and negotiate "