Iran and War
It is a wonder to me that even Fox News recognizes opposition movements within Iran (Protests Breakout at Funeral for Iranian Cleric), yet will also talk of the need to remove Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Supreme Ayatollah Khomeini. If an attack happens against Iran, the outcome will be twofold, with the government no longer negotiating diplomatically, and also brutal repression of the opposition movement when the government feels surrounded.
The fact of the matter is, that as long as Iran develops nuclear energy and is not acquisiencing to U.S. demands, the U.S. will continue to propagandize against the regime in power in Iran. A rather telling article by John Pilger, shows just how far governments in the U.S. and EU will push the debate irregardless of any facts. The point is to constantly have an enemy, to always have someone who is going to “attack”, therefore the citizens beg for security. However, the famous quote by Benjamin Franklin should be the standard instead:
”Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor Liberty to purchase power.” -Benjamin Franklin
And yet, counter to that very important philosophical statement, we have done both for the better half of this century. This is exactly why Iran is a dilemma, because from 1953-1979, the U.S. had instilled a despot known as the “Shah”. The brutal dictator imprisoned, tortured, and executed a multitude of Iranian citizens during his horrific reign, and it was during this time when we were developing Iranian nuclear capabilities. As Chomsky noted, it all had to do with if they were allied to us or not, and this depended on how much they would allow us to exploit their resources (Iran is Pressured because of its Independent Stance).
If America truly believed in its own ideals, and wanted them to not just be ideological falsehoods, it would respect the self-determination of the opposition. If that opposition needs assistance, it should be given on their terms, in order for them to flourish. Instead, we will most likely allow Israel to bomb them at some point, destroying the opposition, and solidifying the repressive regime.
