Thursday, March 09, 2006

What's special about Iran?

I've been perplexed as to why Iran's attempt to develop nuclear technology is so much worse than the attempts (and successes) of India and Israel. I suspect it's because we consider India and Israel, but not Iran, allies.

If you were Iranian, would you want to be an ally of the US? We're the ones who overturned democracy in Iran in the 1950s by killing Mossadegh and installing the Shah. We're the country that is unable to leash the dogs of war we let loose three years ago. And now we're starting to get the dogs ready again, this time unleashing them against Iran.

1 comment:

R J Adams said...

I believe what is special about Iran becomes clear from studying a globe of the earth.
Across the Gulf from Iran lies the massive Saudi Peninsular, home to thousands of American forces. Iran's north-west border faces Iraq (successfully invaded by America, with UK assistance) - and Turkey, about to join the EU. To its north-east lies Turkmenistan, Uzbebekistan, and other ex-Soviet satellites presently being wooed by America, and some with American bases already in place. To its east and south lie Afghanistan and Pakistan - the one controlled by America, the other strongly allied to America. This is a classic case of Iran being surrounded by its enemy, a powerful military force with nuclear capability, and supported by an American nuclear satellite, Israel. The invasion of Iraq has cut Iran off from its only ally, Syria.
Today the American Secretary of State said: "We may face no greater challenge from a single country than from Iran, whose policies are directed at developing a Middle East that would be 180 degrees different than the Middle East that we would like to see develop."
America and the West know that the only weapon capable of holding them at bay ad infinitum from Iran, is a nuclear one. This administration wants the Middle East - it almost has it. Iran and Syria are the only two countries left in the region not playing ball. (Though others are not democracies, despite American wooing). I believe this is what makes Iran so special. It is also why the battle for Iraq is such a vital one, and of course, why Iran is supporting the Iraqi insurgency.