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Tuesday, June 28, 2005 Our Larger Middle Eastern Problem The recent election in Iran creates a larger problem for USA. In a surprise run off, a reactionary mayor of Teheran has been elected President of Iran. He enjoyed a large majority. He was supported by the ayatollahs and the revolutionary guards both representing the radical Islamic right. The urban and rural poor voted him in. This has been seen as a vote against the corruption of the wealthy clerics and upper classes. It is also a movement towards a more intransigence religious position. In addition, it is a reaction to foreign opposition to Iran's nuclear progress, promoted primarily by the America administration. Well, this is going to be bad for the Bush administration in the Middle East. The strategy of his radical Neo-Con cabal is dismal. However, while they have shown an abysmal perception of realities in that part of the world, they inherited a mess. The removal of the Shah was a great political and social blunder by the Carter administration. In their naivete they ignored the realpolitic position, as FDR said about Anastasio Somoza (former US installed dictator of Nicaragua),"He may be a son-of-a-bitch, but he is our son-of-a-bitch." Actually it is difficult to put the Shah in the same class as Somosa. Iran may have had a tough internal security apparatus but it was child's play compared to the religious terror which followed the Shah's downfall. We, along with the Brits, put him in power. If we were following the often-brutal aspect of American hubris, backing the Shah would have supported our national interests and secondarily (to our interests) saved countless Iranians from death and destruction. Now we are the Great Satan. We have strengthened a mortal enemy of Israel. We have elevated the depressed Shia majority to questionable control of Iraq. We will see the increased support and influence of the Iranian Shia clerics in Iraq. There probably will be a civil war as the Sunni minority fights to retain some power in Iraq. Talk about dominos (our old cold war boogey) what will happen if the Sunnis throughout the Middle East are drawn into support of their co-religionists in Iraq. The period of Oliver Cromwell would be an apt comparison. Now we could have another war in the name of competing Gods. |
ARTICLES
OF NOTE
Query From Overseas Well Off and Homeless - A Paradox Arrogance, Ignorance, Oil and the Word of God Growth Hatred Freedom The Demise of Elegance The Sea Inside HAIR - Visceral Connections ARCHIVES December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005
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