Iran and American Interests Avini Mostafa

Opinion, September 2003, www.aljazeerah.info

Iran and American Interests

Avini Mostafa

Al-Jazeerah, 9/26/03

I sometimes marvel at how the American intellectual community, and in particular its academic branch, discusses, so rationally and calmly, and at times with a certain degree of humor, the American foreign “policy”; and this while American administrations do whatever they please, even to the extent of getting away with murder, to advance their aims of undermining the natural course of events on the planet to suit their own purposes. American administrations since their birth pangs from the bowels of Europe, with rare aberrations, have always done the biddings of the money interests in American politics, and these, as we know, are somehow always diametrically opposed to the interests of other peoples of this planet, and by extension, to the interests of the ordinary American people. The rationale, if there has been one, has been furthering American interests in the domination of the natural resources of the planet and the power over other beings resulting from such domination. American interest has had to be protected at any cost. But the highest cost has been primarily in undermining the interests of justice and truth, and leading us to the hell-hole that is now the planet earth.

Human knowledge and our systems of philosophy and understanding of human behavior have been skewed to fit this pattern of domination, and the racist viewpoint that “whatever is perceived to be good for America is good for the human race” has dominated the political philosophy of the nation. If “good” had the meaning it should, there would be no problem. But “good” is often defined to be what increases the wealth and power of the special interests governing the nation. Capitalism is good; because it leaves the market wide open for manipulation. Gold and silver standards are bad because they close the same door. Social Darwinism is resurrected in the neo-con philosophy of international relations, while the Christian principles of every man’s responsibility for the well-being of all children of the Father are viewed as weakness. Lack of scruples of any kind dominate the political discourse when it comes to American interests. Everything goes, as long as it could be presented in red, white and blue through highly advanced feats of public relations. In the early days of the Iraq war, the Bush administration came under fire for not winning the “hearts and minds” of the Arab populations of Iraq. Americans happen to be great masters of the appearance. Even if the aim is the political and economic domination of energy-rich nations, we must present ourselves as liberators and we must “treat Arabs as equals”. Not that they are equals but they must be treated as equal to “win their hearts and minds”.

Of late the neo-con machines have been grinding away at another monumental task: the task of white-washing one more stage in the neo-con blueprint as a must for protecting American interests. Tehran is the next stop as many have predicted. Iranians are the next target for “liberation”. The stage is being set very carefully. Even though the previous adventure in Iraq did not turn out as expected, but what the heck; American people are forgetful, politically naïve and very frightened. The fear factor must be activated again by presenting the enemy as willing to use weapons of mass destruction and as helping and abetting the terrorist enemies of the United States of America. But what about the reported over-extension of the American armed forces? Is the draft going to be reinstated? No. There is no necessity for such an unpopular action. When it is in the neo-con’s interest, he does choose to learn from history. Has anyone wondered why the Bush administration has returned to the UN abegging? Have you thought about the fact that, out of a sudden, both France and Germany have offered to train Iraqi troops and Blair, Bush, Chirac, and Schroeder are having meetings behind closed doors to come to an “understanding” over Iraq? After all the greatest powers on the planet now, have all been colonialists in the past and have had their turn in calling resistance terrorism. But what about France and Germany’s opposition to the war? Self-preservation, my dear. Read the news carefully. Going to war would have been political suicide for these great leaders. Have you read what has happened to Blair’s party? Defeat in by-elections for the first time in 15 years. How else could they have behaved in the face of overwhelming opposition to the war by the majority of their peoples? They must eat too. But now it has all happened and the booty is being divided. Under the umbrella of the UN, the forth branch of the US government, Iraq will be divided, the puppet government will be ele-pointed or ap-elected, the US troops will be freed, and the second hub in the axis of evil will be attacked and besmeared through the ensuing chaos. After all, Iran is building weapons of mass destruction and has the capability of attacking Israel and American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan with chemical weapons. And let us not forget about the only democracy among the despotic Arab nations. Sharon is itching to get his bloody hands on the Ayatollahs. He will help gladly, I am sure. He will give the American troops a much-needed rest and start the process of liberation by bombing the Bushehr nuclear plant. I am very certain that he does not mind at all. After all America and Israel are one nation under god, the god of money, comfort, power and swimming pools and spas in the midst of poverty and misery. This is, of course, a cynic’s scenario of the future events in the Middle East. But, come now, don’t be naïve. Do you think the UN will stand up for us Muslims? Do you think the European Union, that calls Hamas a terrorist organization, but puts up with Israel’s state terrorism, will come to the aid of us Muslims? Huntington’s clash of civilizations is in full swing. Have you noticed how Bush, Blair, Chirac, and Schroeder look like each other? Have you looked at their uniforms? These are the uniforms of the European and American elite. Some of us, bedazzled by the European material progress also wear European uniforms. Why are the non-clergy Iranian diplomats have not been wearing ties since the onset of Iranian Revolution? For a while there, I was deceived by Schroeder’s anti-war posture. After all, Gunter Grass, the distinguished, prize-winning German author is reported to be a close friend of his. And we all remember that Mr. Grass considers President Bush a threat to mankind. In my mind, these facts led to fantasies of my own construct. I imagined that Grass could have converted Schroeder to a peace-loving intellectual and that at last we have a man of peace as the leader of a strong European country. But then I remembered that Mr. Schroeder’s reelection was in fact due to his antiwar stance. And I am afraid, I am very afraid that Bush’s reelection will depend on bringing absolute chaos to another axis of evil nation. After all the neo-cons have been preparing themselves, and Amerisraeli representatives have been clamoring about WMD’s and having meetings with Paula DeSutter, and Bremmer has been fantasizing that Iran was behind the Bombings in Iraq. Can you imagine The Iranian Shi’a leaders sending their goons to attack the shrine of the most respected Shi’a figure, Imam Ali, and Killing Ayatollah Hakim, the Iraqi Shi’a leader who was reportedly banished by Saddam to Iran and had befriended many Iranian Ayatollahs?

These are indeed strange times, and we, Muslims, must begin to seriously consider forming alliances and use peaceful principles of Islam, Christianity and Judaism and other peaceful creations of man to counter the insanity. I will not dare to speak for the desperate Palestinian youth, who from abject misery and perceived futility of continuing a life of humiliation and hopelessness blow themselves up and take more innocents with them, for I have not known hopelessness and abject misery. But I know that violence breeds more violence and that the founder of Islam fought only as a last resort and only in defense of the Muslim community.

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).