I've been thinking about this Iran stuff for quite a while. Today's comments by the Nutanyahoo brigade has gotten me to sit down and write. For me, writing is a painful process. But, anyway, here goes.
Some context, as I understand it from recent history. First, Iran is a signatory to the non nuclear proliferation treaty, under which that country has a right to develop nuclear power for peaceful purposes. Second, Iran has invaded no country within recent history. Third, the claims that Iran is a rogue state, which I hope to examine below, is a false premise. And, fourth, that Iran is a purveyor of terrorism, though true in part, is no more or less true of the U.S.A., Israel, Pakistan, Indonesia, China and Russia.
Finally, I want to discuss the claims that this agreement will mean a path to nuclear weapons for Iran in the future.
Iran, a signatory to the NN Proliferation Treaty is faced today, and has been for at least two decades with a neighboring country that has refused to sign on to that treaty, and has threatened to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities without any real proof that there is a bomb being developed there. The claim of enrichment to a bomb level of density is made without any discussion of what that level is, and what 20% enrichment of Uranium can actually be used for.
Since the revolution in Iran, when the Islamists overthrew the Shah, Iran has been governed by a group of unelected religious figures that decide all foreign policy, all financial policy, and gives the elected civil government little say on any matter of real import. But, the governments of China, Russia, the EU to some extent, among many countries are run on similar systems. So, if we acknowledge that Iran is a sovereign nation, then, that is really non of our business. This is especially true when as here, the Iranian revolution was in substantial and material ways a direct reaction to the U.S having overthrown the elected government of Iran in the early fifties solely because this sovereign nation decided to control its own natural resources. There was no military threat to any nation or people when the CIA toppled the Mossadegh government and installed the Shah. Although there was great rending of clothes at the internment of the people from the American embassy at the time, these people were not killed, nor were they interned for years as Japanese Americans were in the 40's.
Thereafter, Iraq, acting on the urging and support of the USA invaded Iran and engaged in long terrible war using arms and chemicals supplied in part by the U.S. Now, many in this country claim that the Iranian distrust of the U.S. and it's allies is somehow irrational and based upon religious beliefs and underlies the Iranian motive for terrorism. However, when examined without the nationalist fervor and linguistic sound bites of the politicians and the media, such claims have no foundation.
On one hand one can compare the Iranian support for Hezbollah, Syria and other insurgent violent organizations with the constant terrorism of Israel in the West Bank and Gaza. On the other, there is no comparison whatsoever between these regional, awful and illegitimate undertakings with the completely unprovoked invasion and "Shock and Awe" that the U.S. Visited in Iraq beginning in 2003. What is shock and awe except a declared terror attack upon a nation and a people who had not attacked the United States, and who did not have the claimed weapons of mass destruction. No nukes, no useable chemical,or biological weapons. And Bush Nd Cheny KNEW this well before the spring of 2003. Remember the speech given by Bush in August 2002, in which he stated that even if Saddam did not have any weapons of mass destruction, he had to be deposed anyway because he posed a threat to the region and was generally a bad person. Oh, and that he was treating his citizens horribly. Well, there are dozens of governments that treat their citizens horribly, and some are our allies.
All of these claims made, mostly by republicans and the neocons of the right have little basis in fact. Now, let's examine, in an admittedly surface manner as we do not yet have the full text of the agreement, the claims that the agreement is a path to Iranian nuclear weapon possession. The agreement on its face provides for a stringent inspection regime for a period of ten years. Much can happen in ten years. The Iranian government may by then be run by different people and under different principle by then. Especially if the sanction are lifted, the Iranian economy improves and the people there, even the leadership, feel less threatened and hemmed in. Reduced anxiety, pressure and stress can have a remarkable effect on people. Remember, the claims that the Iranian government is irrationally violent based on theology is probably not really true. That nation has been treated very shabbily by the west for decades. Yet, most Iranians seem to have no hard feelings toward the American people.
The claim has been made that once the sanctions have been lifted, and Iran gets its money back that they will use that money to increase terroristic attacks. Probably not. For a number of reasons. First, the eastern Mediterranean has been changed dramatically by the growth of Isis. This has divided the Islamic/political groups as nothing before has. Every state in the Middle East has a whole new set of very challenging problems, which are not of any easy solution. Second, that money is needed by Iran to renew its economy and to settle the very real discord that exists among a large part of the Iranian population.
The claim is made that Iran cannot be trusted. However, the history of the last 40 years demonstrated clearly, that the U.S. Is No more trustworthy than any nation on earth. We have invaded countries without cause. We have lied to the United Nations security council. Our government has lied to the Cobgress and to its people in order to create support for a totally unnecessary war. There are more examples, but this is long ebough already.
President Obama, John Kerry, and each of the other nations involved have done an extraordinarily excellent job under trying circumstances to create the basis of a non nuclear Iran, and in my opinion, the basis for an eventual non nuclear world.
Ok, I've had my say. Have at it.