Action Iran - Introduction
Iran is now the centre of world attention and looms as the new target for the Neo Cons in the White House and their allies. The build up of attacks on Iran is familiar to those that followed and opposed the attack on Iraq. To understand the current situation it is necessary to understand the history of the region and the politics of the American Right.
Iran descended from empire, and since the end of the 19th century has been dominated by the western thirst for raw materials, in this case oil, and the debate between liberal modernity and theocracy internally.
Britain was heavily involved in Iran through the Anglo Iranian Oil company, later to become BP. Support for an unpopular monarch and then the overthrow of an elected nationalist Government in 1952 followed. That coup jointly sponsored by Britain and the US ushered in the Shah.
Dramatically overthrown in 1979 the regime of the Islamic Republic cracked down on opponents and forced many into exile.
The war with Iraq was supported, on the Iraqi side, by the West and cost atleast half a million lives: a tragedy from which the only beneficiaries were the arms dealers of the world. Every major arms manufacturer profited from the killing fields.
The war with Iraq was and remains a twin headed monster. The west wants and needs oil but the Neo Cons around Bush, the authors of the Project for a New American Century, wanted to show the world that they could strike anywhere they like in the world.
In the case of Iraq, the assertion of the presence of WMDs proved to be wholly fallacious but had the desired effect on enough gullible people.
We are now being told that Iran, the only signatory to the Non Proliferation Treaty in the region, who has nuclear reactors, is building nuclear weapons.
Many of us wholly disagree with nuclear power for any purpose but recognise that it is legal to develop civil nuclear reactors.
Iran has not breached the NPT, has allowed routine inspections and is under threat.
Interestingly, the opposition to any attack on Iran comes from a very wide range of people including both supporters and opponents of the regime.
The western media is obsessing itself with Iran and its alleged breach of international law. No such obsession is apparent at Israel’s development of nuclear weapons without any international observation or inspection.
Both India and Pakistan, outside the NPT system, have developed nuclear weapons. The US President, George Bush plans to reward India with nuclear technology in return for closer economic ties. The nexus of military power and economic interest have become linked.
Iran is under threat; anyone who desires peace in the world would oppose any kind of attack and instead concentrate on dialogue and development of the Non proliferation Treaty system.
Peace does not come in isolation but from addressing the issues of the region. The tragedy of the Palestinian people and the occupation of Iraq are the two most vital issues.
US and British policies have cost the world dearly since 2001 by the deaths of tens of thousands of people and the attacks on liberties in every democratic society.
Iran could be the turning point. If the Neo Cons can be politically stopped from invading or attacking Iran then the world will be a slightly safer place.
