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More Saber Rattling Over Iran Christopher S. Bentley In article for the June issue of Commentary magazine, Neocon godfather Norman Podhoretz takes up the case for bombing Iran. We are presently fighting World War IV, he says soberly, despite the fact that no war has been declared and the only enemy that has been identified in the War on Terror is Al-Qaeda, a criminal syndicate. Still, facts for Podhoretz are far less important than hyperbole so long as in the end Americans in uniform get to shoot at someone (and get shot at). His preferred target is Iran and, according to Podhoretz, we must attack before it is too late. Like Hitler, he says, Iranian leader Ahmadinejad "is a revolutionary whose objective is to overturn the going international system and to replace it in the fullness of time with a new order dominated by Iran and ruled by the religio-political culture of Islamofascism." Does Podhoretz and his neo-con fan club really believe that a little country like Iran could pull off such a feat? This is a war-fever induced neo-con delusion of fantasy mixed with a little fact. First, Ahmadinejad is not at all like Hitler in terms of his actual political power. Ahmadinejad is a figurehead. The actual head of state is Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-Khamenei and nothing happens in Iran, especially nothing of a military nature, without Khamenei's blessing. The hard-line rhetoric of Ahmadinejad is likely a diversion as was the more moderate rhetoric of his predecessor in the office of President, Mohammad Khatami. The other bit of obfuscation is the claim that the Iranians seek to impose a new order of Islamofascism. There are "Islamofascists," but the term fails to encompass the entire reality of modern Iran. (By the way, since a fascist is technically someone who believes that the state and big business should be "partners" in practically everything, what are the politicians and corporate magnates called in our own country who adhere to this political philosophy? Never mind, I won't go there.) The Iranians might indeed be seeking regional hegemony but Islam is largely irrelevant as a component of that desire (though it is a tool to be employed). Instead, present Iranian pretensions to power are historically rooted in the role of Persian power down through the centuries beginning with Cyrus the Great — founder of the ancient Persian Empire — whose story still resonates with modern Iranians. Iran's pretensions today are kind of like a version of Mideast manifest destiny — Persian style. But again, of what use are facts? Why bother understanding your adversary when you can just get the regime change ball rolling? To that end, it's time to get the bombers in the air. According to Podhoretz, to solve the present Iran crisis, "there is no alternative to the actual use of military force — any more than there was an alternative to force if Hitler was to be stopped in 1938." Again, one might ask: "Where is the Iranian Anschluss?" Oh, it happened to Iran's neighbor, but it wasn't Iran that did the annexing. (Click here for a view of the new overlord's pimped out accommodations.) There is no real justification for an attack on Iran at the moment. They haven't attacked us so it is unclear just exactly how attacking them could be construed as a defense of the United States. Nevertheless, there is always the possibility that some pretense for an attack can be ginned up.
It seems, in fact, that we are determined to rattle their chain. According
to the Associated
Press, "The U.S. Navy staged its latest show of military force
off the Iranian coastline on Wednesday, sending two aircraft carriers
and landing ships packed with 17,000 U.S. Marines and sailors to carry
out unannounced exercises in the Persian Gulf." In addition to the naval maneuvers, it has come to light that the CIA has been given a green light to conduct espionage operations against Iran. An ABC News report by Brian Ross and Richard Esposito notes: "The CIA has received secret presidential approval to mount a covert 'black' operation to destabilize the Iranian government," according to sources who, for obvious reasons, wished to remain anonymous. According to the report, "The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject, say President Bush has signed a 'nonlethal presidential finding' that puts into motion a CIA plan that reportedly includes a coordinated campaign of propaganda, disinformation and manipulation of Iran's currency and international financial transactions." Judging by the number of irate comments posted by those who labeled the actions of ABC News as "treasonous," one wonders if that many people actually believe our nation's preparations to attack Iran were some kind of secret all this time. The decision to unleash the CIA, it is thought, indicates that "the Bush administration, for the time being, has decided not to pursue a military option against Iran." But it is one more potentially ill-advised provocation that could lead to retaliation. And retaliation begets retaliation. At the end of that chain of events, Norman Podhoretz just might get his war — and more American boys and girls will become cannon fodder for roadside bombs, even as Halliburton sets up shop to charge our soldiers $99 to wash each bag of their laundry. No wonder Dick Cheney smirks so much. ---------------------------------------------------
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