More Saber-Rattling on Iran

2008-01-13T08:07:00.000-06:00

The Associated Press is reporting today (via CNN) that Bush is claiming that Iran is threatening world security and that the United States and its allies must confront this danger "before it's too late." If you think this starting to sound like a case for another preemptive war, you are not alone.

In his speech today in Abu Dhabi, Bush presented his case for confrontation via the following claims:

Iran funds terrorist extremists.
Iran undermines peace in other nations such as Lebanon.
Iran provides the Taliban with weapons.
Iran tries to intimidate other countries in the region with its rhetoric.
Iran defies the UN.
Iran is not completely open about its nuclear program, and this destabilizes the region.

This might sound like a compelling case until one realizes that the same points could be made about the United States with only minor modification. Like Iran, we have a long history of funding extremists, undermining peace in other nations, and arming rogue nations. In fact, we helped to arm and train the Taliban from the beginning because we thought they would be useful in fighting the Soviet presence in Afghanistan! Our history is replete with examples of our willingness to support military strong-men when it served corporate interests abroad. Moreover, I submit that no sane individual could reasonably believe that the United States does not routinely try to intimidate other countries through its rhetoric. This very speech provides an example, as does all Bush's talk about an "axis of evil." As the the UN, the Bush administration is notorious for ignoring it when it gets in the way of American imperialism. Anybody else recall the phrase "cowboy diplomacy?" Finally, I do not see the United States ignoring its national interest and disclosing nuclear secrets. Arguing that we can have our secrets but Iran cannot seems hypocritical to this observer.

Of course, he is right that Palestinians should reject extremists. They should. So should Israel, and so should the United States. He's also right that the Iranian government should be accountable to its people, but again, so should Israel and the United States. In an administration characterized by the least accountability in modern American history, he has some nerve calling on other leaders to be more accountable to those they supposedly represent. He would have so much more credibility abroad if he would practice what he's preaching at home.

Tags: politics, Bush, middle east, peace, Iran, America, United States, hypocrisy, Abu Dhabi, war, foreign policy, Taliban, terrorism

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More Saber-Rattling on Iran